The three low qualifiers advance to the U.S. Public Links Qualifying

at the Bandon Dunes Golf Resort, Bandon, OR

June 27 - July 2, 2011

Craig McDonnell of Evergreen Park, IL shot an even par 71-73-144 to take medalist honors in the 36-hole U.S Public Links Championship Qualifying at the Village Links of Glen Ellyn Monday June 6. McDonnell was one of three qualifiers to advance to the national championship that will be played at Bandon Dunes Golf Resort, Bandon, OR June 27 - July 2, 2011.

The U.S. Public Links Championship is one of thirteen national golf championships conducted each year by the United States Golf Association. The winner of the Public Links Championship receives an invitation to the Masters in Augusta, GA. The Public Links Championship has been conducted since 1922. More than 6,000 amateur golfers enter this tournament each year. The USGA conducts qualifyings at sites throughout the United States to decide which goflers get to advance to the tournament proper. The Village Links is honored to be one of the qualifying sites for 2011..

Joining McDonnell in the Championship field at Bandon Dunes Golf Resort will be David Flynn of Elk Grove Village, IL and John Wright of Aurora, IL. Flynn posted a one over par 145 and Wright scored a three over par 147.

Glenn Pryzbylski of Frankfort, IL led the field with a 4-under par 68 after the first 18-holes of play, but finished with an 80 in the second round. That left him in a tie for first alternate with Josh DuPont of Poway, CA who scored 79-69-148. Pryzbylski made four consecutive pars to win a sudden death playoff. DuPont made a bogey five on the fourth extra hole.

The golf course played to 7005 yards par 72. Seven golfers posted a score of par or better on one of their rounds, but no golfer was able to avoid pairing that with a round over par.

This was the 40th USGA / PGA TOUR Championship conducted at the Village Links. The Village Links began hosting one day qualifyings in the early 1970's to showcase the golf course to golfers throughout the region. For 25 years, the Links was the annual host of the Western Open Quailifying. When that qualifying was eliminated with the Western Open's transition to a stage of the PGA Tour's Fed Ex Cup Series in 2007, the Village Links began focussing on hosting qualifyings for USGA Championships. These USGA qualifyings have exposed the Village Links to new groups of golfers. 2011 was the first time that the Village Links has hosted a U.S. Public Links Qualifying. In 2012, the Village Links will host a U.S. Open Sectional Qualifying for the fifth time.