Celebrities, pros set for OSF Illinois Golf Championship at Metamora Fields. Here's what we know

PEORIA — The second annual version of the OSF Children's Hospital of Illinois Golf Championship will be bigger and focused more on golf as touring pros bring their game to central Illinois in events June 25-29.

The Men's All Pro Tour will return to Metamora Fields Golf Club and expand to WeaverRidge Golf Club as well.

Former Dallas Cowboys quarterback and CBS NFL analyst Tony Romo is expected to return to the field, in which he played in the pro-am last summer. The rest of the celebrity lineup is still a work in progress, although it's believed UFC fighter Dustin Jacoby and former Chicago Bulls TV play-by-play voice Tom Dore will be among the field.

Brinkman says more information on celebrities joining the tournament will be released as confirmations are made, and information on parking and tickets will be released soon. He said no decision has been made yet on whether there will be an admission fee to see the tournament.

Expanding tournament adds women's tour

In addition, what was a men's tour-only event in its 2023 inaugural staging will be joined in 2024 by the women's tour, which has been re-named to the Annika Tour in honor of legendary golfer Annika Sorenstam. It's part of a mission by tournament organizers to shift focus onto the golf at Metamora Fields.

"That was really the decision of OSF," Metamora Fields co-owner Kevin Brinkman said. "They are the title sponsor and felt the focus should be more on the golf this year. We're excited that people in the area will get to see professional golf and see the APT and Annika Tour, which have produced golfers who've gone on to big things."

Those accomplished former APT golfers include PGA Tour winners Mark Hensby, J.L. Lewis, Tim Herron, Cameron Beckman, Bubba Watson, and Ryan Palmer, Scottie Scheffler, Hayden Buckley, Michael Arnaud, and 2021 Masters runner-up Will Zalatoris. The Annika Tour has seen Yealimi Noh, Matilda Castren, Gabby Then, Grace Kim, Sofia Garcia, Alexa Pano, Savannah Vilaubi and Riley Rennell all graduate to the LPGA Tour.

The four-round tournament will be played at both Metamora Fields and WeaverRidge the first two days, then shift for final rounds exclusively at Metamora Fields the final two days.

What else is in the works?

There won't be a drone show this year — that's part of the shift in focus toward the golf tournament. But OSF says there will be a concert at Metamora Fields, featuring country music artist Chris Janson, on June 28. Gates open at 5 p.m. for that show, which starts at 7 p.m. General admission tickets are $30 in advance, while VIP tickets are $100. The latter includes a stage-front viewing area, parking, private bar and pass to all six days of the Celebrity Pro/Am and the OSF Golf Championship.

The tournament calendar

• June 25: Pro-am with pros and sponsors at 8:30 a.m. on Metamora Fields, followed by pro-am with celebrities and sponsors at 1:30 p.m.

• June 26: First round of APT and Annika Tour play at Metamora Fields and WeaverRidge golf clubs.

• June 27: Second round of APT and Annika Tour play at Metamora Fields and WeaverRidge golf clubs.

• June 28: Third round of APT and Annika Tour play at Metamora Fields Golf Club. Concert on the range at Metamora Fields, 7 p.m.

• June 29: Final round of APT and Annika Tour play at Metamora Fields Golf Club.

Dave Eminian is the Journal Star sports columnist, and covers Bradley men's basketball, the Rivermen and Chiefs. He writes the Cleve In The Eve sports column for pjstar.com. He can be reached at 686-3206 or deminian@pjstar.com. Follow him on X.com @icetimecleve.

This article originally appeared on Journal Star: 2024 OSF golf championship: Celebs, pros return to Metamora, Peoria