LEMONT – His hat is pulled down low over his eyes. Steve Stricker laughs with his caddie, but not as often.

   With a fist pump, he acknowledges a fan who shouts,

   LEMONT – Illinois golf coach Mike Small was among 12 golfers who made the final cut at 143 at the 100th Western Open on Friday.

   LEMONT – Mike Small walked up the 18th fairway. There was no gallery, and the sun wasn''t setting the way it does on a late Sunday afternoon when the leader walks to the 18th green at Cog Hill.

   It was just a practice round Tuesday for the Illinois golf coach, but it was also a way to conjure up the past as Small prepped for the Western Open, marking the fifth time he''ll play in the Chicago-area PGA Tour stop.

   SAVOY  Before the sun set Sunday, Joe Affrunti wouldn''t have been able to tell Red Buttitta from Red Skelton, or Craig Chaney from Lon Chaney.

   Don''t blame the Illinois golfer, who redshirted last season after transferring from Minnesota, if he wasn''t up on his UI Open history.

SAVOY – James "Red" Buttitta sat in a golf cart sporting his Illinois cap and shirt, and rarely had a moment to himself.

Buttitta, the UI Open''s first champion in 1953, was there to present the tournament''s trophy to winner Joe Affrunti in celebration of the tournament''s 50th anniversary. Every passer-by, golfer or fan stopped to say a few words to the man who started it all.

   SAVOY  The golf has always been good at the UI Open. But, after 50 years, the stories are even better.

   Like the time Marty Schiene won the area''s classic amateur tournament.

   SAVOY  It''s only fitting with the UI Open celebrating its 50th anniversary  and the bevy of young stars in the field trying to make a run at the tournament title  that a past champion is sitting atop the leaderboard.

   Mattoon''s Craig Chaney won the UI Open in 1999, but he never had a round as good as Saturday''s when he hoisted the winner''s trophy back in the day.

   SAVOY  Golfers couldn''t have asked for a better day from Mother Nature on Saturday at the UI Orange Course for the 50th UI Open.

   Blue skies, bright sun, warm temperatures and near-perfect greens made the staff at the UI course smile at every turn.