McLean County Times

Last May, California club professional Michael Block became a notable figure in the golf world when he made the cut at the 2023 PGA Championship and finished 15th among professional golfers. This season, Jeff Kellen, an alumnus of Illinois State University from the class of 2011, will have his chance to make a mark in professional golf.

"To see a guy who is a head professional at a Country Club – just like myself – go and have that kind of success is really neat," said Kellen. "More than anything, it shows what is possible when you go and play well. I've played enough competitive golf that I know that if I play my very best, I can go and put together a decent finish."

Kellen is set to become the first Redbird since 1998 to compete in a PGA Tour Major, joining Tom Sipula and D.A. Weibring as the third overall from his university. The PGA Championship begins on Thursday, May 16. Details regarding Kellen's tee time and pairing group will be released early next week.

As the head professional at Northshore Country Club, Kellen earned his spot in the PGA Championship by finishing within the top-20 at the PGA Professional Championship. Last August, he was runner-up at the Illinois sectional championship at Thunder Hawk in northern Chicago. From April 28 through May 1, he competed at Fields Ranch East and West Course in Frisco, Texas, tying for eighth place with a second-round score of 67.

"That is our National Championship," said Kellen about the PGA Professional Championship. "It is our chance to go and compete in a big event. There is also that carrot at the end, which is a top-20 spot to qualify for the PGA Championship – a Major. I was lucky enough to go and play well enough to slide inside of that top-20 number and make a long-held dream come true."

Despite participating in such an important event as the PGA Championship, Kellen has no specific expectations for his performance.

"At this stage in life, I expect to go and really enjoy myself," said Kellen. "I'm planning on soaking up every little moment...I know I'm going to give it my all and prepare like crazy this week and see what happens."

A native of Rockford, Illinois, Kellen graduated from ISU before spending nearly five years playing professionally on lower tours including tournaments on what was then known as the Web.com Tour (now Korn Ferry Tour).

"Once I got married, I realized that dream wasn't going to be my reality," said Kellen regarding his career shift into golf business operations.

In 2017 he began working at Mauh-Nah-Tee-See Golf Club in Rockford before moving onto Butler National Golf Club for four years until taking up his current role as head professional at Northshore Country Club last October.

Kellen described being a golf professional as involving high-end customer service alongside teaching: "Part of that role is teaching...making sure people still enjoy [golf]...it’s essentially business operations...making sure members have what they need."

During college days competing for ISU men's golf team where he was thrice honored All-Missouri Valley Conference honoree with notable achievements including holding twelfth-best career scoring average (74 strokes per round), ten top-ten finishes plus numerous rounds scoring par or better; however more importantly according him were skills gained beyond sport itself:

"My time at ISU prepared me...for next steps...taught me how be great professional...[and] manage time..." reflecting fondly upon both competitive experiences but also personal/professional growth derived therefrom during tenure attending institution."