Current PGA golfer J.J. Henry will join Illinois States golfing legend D.A. Weibring for the 24th Weibring Redbird Classic on July 1, at the Illinois State University Golf Course.
Henry ranked No. 49 on the tour money list in 2001 with $1,073,847 earned. After finishing his collegiate career at Texas Christian as the 1998 Western Athletic Conference Player of the Year, Henry turned professional and joined the PGA Tour in 2000.
Illinois State head golf coach Harland Kilborn is looking forward to introducing Henry to the long-standing event.
Over the years, D.A. has done such a great job of bringing quality guests back with him for this event. With J.J. Henry joining D.A. this year, again thats the case, Kilborn said. In my conversations with J.J. on the phone, he is a real energetic guy and he is looking forward to interacting with the Bloomington-Normal golfing community and being a part of the special event.
A native of Fairfield, Conn., Henry won the 2000 BUY.COM Knoxville Open on the Nationwide Tour. He has finished runner-up twice on the PGA Tour at the 2001 Kemper Insurance Open and the 2001 Texas Open. His best finish in 2003 was a ninth-place effort at the BellSouth Classic, where he led the field in greens in regulation at 80.6 percent (58-of-72).
At TCU in 1998, Henry was also named the Taylor Made NCAA Player of the Year, named to the Palmer Cup Team and selected as a first-team all-American. Henry also claimed medalist honors at the 1998 WAC Tournament and led the Horned Frogs to the league title thanks to a hole-in-one on the 17th hole of the last round. He went on to finish as the individual runner-up at the 1998 NCAA Championships.
There are spots still available for the 24th edition of the Weibring Redbird Classic, which has changed its format to a two-best ball foursome shamble. The event will begin on June 30 at the Crestwicke Country Club with a cocktail party and auction starting at 6:30 p.m. On July 1, Weibring and Henry will host a clinic at the ISU Golf Course at 8:30 a.m., followed by the tournament and a late lunch.
To make reservations or for more information please contact Pat Cattron at 309/438-3803 by June 15. In addition to seeing and interacting with the likes of Weibring and Henry, participants will also receive a Bryon Nelson sweater vest and a golf shirt as a tee gift.
