IV Men’s Golf Championship has ‘very strong, very deep field’

Because of work and fatherhood, Troy Bauer hasn’t played much golf this summer.

However, the defending Illinois Valley Men’s Golf Championship winner feels he’s played enough that he’s starting to round into form leading up to this weekend’s tournament.

“I just started really playing golf about four weeks ago, to be honest,” Bauer said. “A couple buddies and I went up to Wisconsin and played at Geneva National for two days. I’ve been busy. I teach, but we got out late this year, and I have a 1-year-old at home, so she keeps me busy. I played in the Lincoln Highway Tournament two weekends ago at Prairieview in Byron. Mendota [Golf Club] got into it for the first time this year. I played well there and feel like it’s gotten my game close to where I want it. I have to fine-tune the next couple days.”

Bauer won his first area title last summer when he carded a two-round score of 136, including a 66 in the final round at his home course in Mendota.

This year’s tournament opens Saturday at Senica’s Oak Ridge Golf Club in La Salle with the final round Sunday at Deer Park Golf Club in Oglesby.

“We have a very strong, very deep field,” co-tournament director Mason Kimberley said. “There is a great mix of young and experienced players.

“Senica’s Oak Ridge and Deer Park are definitely courses in which the best players will rise to the top. Each course is currently in great shape, and I’m expecting the greens at each venue to be a touch quicker for the tournament.”

The tournament has 172 players, including 41 in the championship class.

“From what I’ve heard, this is the biggest field the tournament has ever had,” said Baley Lehr, who won the tournament three times in a row from 2018-20. “There are a lot of very talented golfers in the area, so this is probably one of, if not the strongest fields this tournament has had.”

Lehr, who has already won the Pine Hills Invitational and the Berry Memorial Championship this summer, is a member of Oak Ridge and Deer Park.

“I definitely am a big fan of the lineup this year,” Lehr said. “I play both of these courses generally well, so I am excited to get to play them both back-to-back days in a tournament setting.

“I have had a pretty successful season so far and feel like my game is the sharpest it’s been in a while compared to the last few years.”

Five-time champion Jeremy DeBernardi is in the field, while Josh Gass and Jesse Cavanaugh, who is the director of golf at Deer Park, are looking for their second titles.

“Obviously, it’s beneficial playing on your home course,” Cavanaugh said. “The key is to not get carried away with what you normally make on each hole or where you usually hit your drives. Tournament golf is different, and you have to accept shots that you normally wouldn’t hit.”

Other contenders are Ian Roach, who placed third in the past two tournaments, Brian Lehr, T.J. Templeton, Jon Prescott and Kimberley.

Cavanaugh, DeBernardi, Brian Lehr and Kimberley all tied for fourth last year.

“My game is solid,” Kimberley said. “I’m not as long as some of the top area players, but I play the type of style in which I don’t make a ton of bogeys, which always keeps me in contention down the stretch, as I have consistently been in the past. If my putter gets hot, this could be my year.”

Bauer, who joked his mentality as defending champ is “not to embarrass myself,” said he hopes to shoot around par and be in one of the final groups Sunday.

“For me, [the key] is always putting well,” Bauer said. “My best parts of my game are usually my driver, short irons or chipping around the green. [Another key is] not making the little mistakes. The two courses we’re playing this year are longer than the courses we played last year. That’s an advantage for some of the bigger hitters. I don’t consider myself a big hitter. I don’t consider myself a little hitter either, but some of these guys like Baley and Jesse can hit the ball a long way.”

Kimberley said along with the championship class, the other classes are strong as well.

“This tournament wouldn’t be what it is without consistent turnout of golfers of all abilities,” Kimberley said. “A Class is full of very good players, including many of the top area high school golfers. A Class is so deep this year I wouldn’t be surprised if the winner shot as low as 75-75 for the two rounds. B and C classes are full of players who are always looking to move up the ranks and be contenders in the future. The defending senior class champion is 2022 NewsTribune Hall of Fame inductee Willie Hanson, who shot better than his age in both rounds last year, which is an incredible feat.”