UI Open: Catching up with Dan Patkunas (plus tee times, former champs)

Joey Wright, The News-Gazette, Champaign-Urbana, Ill.
·3 min read

Jun. 15—Dan Patkunas became the 47th different UI Open champion when a strong final round propelled him to a four-stroke win last June at the University of Illinois Golf Course in Savoy. Staff writer JOEY WRIGHT caught up with the 30-year-old former Parkland golfer before Patkunas tees off in Saturday's first round of this year's UI Open:

How does it feel to be the defending UI Open champion?

"It feels really good. Honestly, it was probably my first individual win of anything of substance. To on that board with other pretty good names is encouraging. It makes you feel good about your golf game."

What is the most challenging part of winning the UI Open?

"I'd say it's a little bit of a combination of the field and the course where you've got a lot of good players that have won other tournaments, either in Champaign or in the state or at a national level. And the course lends itself to a lot of birdies, but you can definitely make a lot of bogeys out there if you're missing greens in bad places."

What's it like playing against solid golfers who are vying for the title?

"It's good to have a strong field. It's a nice measurement to where you stand. There's a lot of guys that have won tournaments, not only the Twin City here in town or past UI Open champions, but you've got state champions, national college champions and guys that play nationwide. So it's fun to measure yourself up against other guys that have won some big tournaments."

The UI Open isn't all that serious ... but it's still pretty serious, right?

"We are trying our hardest and you really want to beat the guy that you're playing against. But at the end of the day, we can all kind of laugh about it. We all congratulate each other, whether you win or lose."

What keeps you coming back to play the UI Open?

"I've been playing around central Illinois forever. I was familiar with the golf course back in high school when I went to Normal Community and we played over here. I got to meet Mike Wallner during that time since he was coaching Centennial. It's a great tournament to play in."

Saturday's Tee Times

Honor roll

The first UI Open happened in 1953. Seventy years later, one of the area's longest-running amateur golf tournaments is still going strong. Here's a look at who's won the event:

2022 Dan Patkunas

2021 Josh Anderson

2019 David Keenan

2018 Derek Meinhart

2017 Derek Meinhart

2016 David Keenan

2015 David Deschler

2014 Alex Burge

2013 Tim Hoss Jr.

2012 David Deschler

2011 Derek Meinhart

2010 Clayton Parkhill

2009 Tim Hoss Jr.

2008 Clayton Parkhill

2007 Tim Hoss Jr.

2006 Tim Hoss Jr.

2005 Tim Hoss Jr.

2004 Clayton Parkhill

2003 Joe Affrunti

2002 Jay Scott

2001 Chris Dobrovolyny

2000 Paul Dalbey

1999 Craig Chaney

1998 Joe Thompson

1997 Will Clopton

1996 Will Clopton

1995 Tom Wilkes Jr.

1994 Jay Scott

1993 Jamie Fairbanks

1992 Ben Bruce

1991 Jamie Fairbanks

1990 Jamie Fairbanks

1989 Jamie Fairbanks

1988 Robert Sloane

1987 George Katalik

1986 Joe Thompson

1985 Steve Spitler

1984 Ladd Pash

1983 Jack Dorsett

1982 Joe Thompson

1981 Mike Tennant

1980 Ford Bartholow

1979 Joe Thompson and Marty Schiene

1978 Ken Kellany

1977 Ken Kellany

1976 Rick Lawrence

1975 Rick Lawrence

1974 Richard Thompson

1973 Pat Keen

1972 Nick Gabala

1971 Jim Cisne

1970 Pat Keen

1969 Mike Thompson

1968 Pat Keen

1967 Mike Toliuszis

1966 Ray Kimpel

1965 Ronny Essenpreis

1964 Richard Thompson

1963 Cy Vaughn III

1961 William Grant

1960 Frank Keck

1959 Bob Jackson

1958 Bob Jackson

1957 Dick Essenpreis

1956 Cy Vaughn Jr.

1955 Frank Keck

1954 Dick Essenpreis

1953 James 'Red' Buttita