Wilson Golf a good fit for PGA’s Streelman
Kevin Streelman’s winnings had topped $1 million for three straight years, so it was time to cash in on a new endorsement contract.
A Chicago golfer hooking up with long-time Chicago-based Wilson Sporting Goods seemed a perfect fit.
Still, the golfer from Winfield had his concerns after making the move last winter. After all, plenty of golfers haven’t played as well after making such equipment changes.
“Any club change is going to have an effect,” said Streelman . “Your distances can be different, but this ended up easier than I thought. Wilson’s been incredible, reacting to my suggestions and requirements. They’ve built clubs just for me, and it also has freed up my woods and putter. I use their irons and still have flexibility. Now it feels great.”
After struggling early in the season with a TaylorMade driver, he went back to the Cleveland model he had been using in previous years. That got him hitting his tee shots straighter again, and bigger paydays may be in the offing.
A tie for 19th at The Players Championship on on Sunday boosted Streelman’s winnings for 2011 to $400,506, meaning he’s on pace for at least another $1 million season.
Hooking up with Streelman was part of Wilson’s plans to increase its presence on the home front. The company already had endorsement agreements with Padraig Harrington and Ricky Barnes. In addition to landing Streelman, Wilson also reached agreement with Mike Small, the Illinois men’s coach and three-time winner of the Professional Players National Championship.
Streelman, 32, has made the cut in nine of his 13 events so far and the heart of his schedule is coming up. He’ll play in the Crown Plaza Invitational at Colonial in Texas this week, the Memorial in Ohio in three weeks and then the U.S. Open. After competing in the Travelers, Philadelphia’s PGA tournament, Streelman and wife Courtney will head for London for four days of sightseeing before he plays in his first British Open.
Actually, there’s more to the Streelman story than the equipment change. He also has his best friend, former Duke teammate Mike Christensen, working as his caddie, and he returned to working with Jim Suttie, the veteran swing instructor at Cog Hill, last month.
“Things just got a little stagnant with my previous instructor,” said Streelman. “Doc (Suttie) has known me since I was a kid, but we’d been away from each other for three years. I’ve surrounded myself with good people.”
Streelman’s climb in the golf world hasn’t included a victory or runner-up finish on the PGA Tour yet, but it’s still been a rapid one.
“It’s been surreal,” he said. “Not long ago I was dead broke and living in my car pretty much, traveling to mini-tour events to save a buck and make a buck. But I kept working hard. It’s been amazing.”
Mid-Amateur champ:Shifting the Illinois Mid-Amateur from White Eagle in Naperville, its home for 12 years, to Flossmoor didn#146;t change the event much. Bloomington#146;s Todd Mitchell won it again, and became the first three-time champion in the event#146;s 19-year history.John Ehrgott, Mark Esposito, Michael Stone, Rich Dukelow and Stephen Daly were also two-time winners. Mitchell#146;s previous wins were in 2008 and 2010 and he became the second repeat winner, following Daly, who triumphed in 1994 and 1995.Going collegiate:Big Ten champion Illinois is the second seed at the NCAA regional at Indiana#146;s Wolf Run course, while Notre Dame is the ninth seed at Golden Ocala in Florida and Northwestern the 10th seed at Colorado National. The Irish women will also make their first-ever appearance in the NCAA finals. All those tourneys run Thursday-Saturday.Tourney updatesThe 60th Illinois PGA Match Play Championship, first of the section#146;s four major tourneys, concludes Thursday at Kemper Lakes in Kildeer. #133; The Chicago District Golf Association will host its Public Links Championship Thursday at Bartlett Hills and conduct a qualifying session for the U.S. Women#146;s Open on Monday at Westmoreland in Wilmette.The CDGA Senior Amateur will also begin a three-day run on Monday at Calumet Country Club. The Weekly Challenge Tour goes to Aldeen in Rockford on Saturday.Did you know?Northwestern alum Luke Donald, continuing his bid to become the latest world#146;s No. 1-ranked golfer, has a string of seven straight top-10 finishes going. #133; Deadline to enter July#146;s Illinois Open at Hawthorn Woods is June 1 ... The Dave Pelz short-game clinics return to Cog Hill June 1-4.Ÿ Len Ziehm#146;s column appears each Wednesday in the Daily Herald and at dailyherald.com. To contact him, visit his web site at lenziehmongolf.com.