Ken Love

After several years of contentious battling with the PGA Tour, it looks like the end is near for the upstart LIV Golf League.

Last month, Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) announced it would be withdrawing its funding of LIV Golf, and though league officials are looking for potential new investors, it’s unlikely that will happen.

I’m guessing that LIV Golf will struggle to operate over the next few months before it finally closes up shop for good.

The big question after that will be how the PGA Tour handles the return of golfers who jumped ship to this rival league. Behind the scenes, there are still plenty of hard feelings on both sides.

After all is said and done, even top names like Bryson DeChambeau and Jon Rahm might have a tough road ahead before they’re welcomed back to the PGA Tour.

Hopefully, the resolution isn’t too ugly. It will be nice to get back to a point where we’re just focusing on the competition.

Jackie DelGrosso

I was sad to hear of the passing of Jackie DelGrosso earlier this month.

A long-time member of Park Hills, DelGrosso was a prolific winner at the club. She began collecting championships there in the 1960s and went on to absolutely dominate the competition over the next decade. In fact, DelGrosso won the women’s club championship at Park Hills every year during the 1970s. Her last club championship came in 1989, which brought her overall total to nearly 25.

In 1986, DelGrosso captured the individual title at the prestigious Greater Altoona Championship, capping off the career of one of central Pennsylvania’s finest golfers.

Golf Academy tour

Altoona’s iRN Golf Academy has announced the dates for its Summer Tour for junior golfers:

June 10 — PSU White Course, June 15 — Summit CC, June 24 — Down River GC, June 30 — Iron Masters CC, July 9 — Huntingdon CC, July 16 — Bedford Elks GC, July 20 — Sinking Valley GC and July 29 — Ebensburg GC.

Register at Irngolf.com.

Senior series

Two local golfers fared particularly well at the recent WPGA Senior Series Tournament held at Hannastown Golf Club.

Sinking Valley’s Artie Fink Jr. finished in second place with a score of 75 after losing in a playoff to eventual winner David Brown from Lindenwood.

In addition, Iron Masters’ Ron Hinish finished in a tie for second in the event’s Super Senior Division, just one shot behind Alan English of St. Clair Country Club.

60 years ago

During the last week of May in 1966, ground was broken for the construction of a new 18-hole golf course in Everett.

Several state politicians were on hand, along with golf course architect Xenophon Hassenplug, to celebrate the occasion for what would become River’s Bend golf course (now known as Down River).

Ken Love covers local golf for the Mirror. He can be reached at GLTR777@atlanticbb.net.