Former Illinois State University men’s golfer Jeff Kellen ’11, the head professional at Northshore Country Club in Glenview, competed in the PGA Championship last May at Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Kentucky. He carded a one-over 72 in his final round after shooting an opening round 87.
Appears InA three-time All-Missouri Valley Conference honoree during his time at Illinois State, Kellen became the first Redbird since 1998 to compete in a PGA Tour major and just the third overall, joining Tom Sipula ’92 and D.A. Weibring ’75. Kellen earned a spot in the PGA Championship by finishing inside the top 20 at the PGA Professional Championship.
A Rockford native, Kellen spent nearly five years after graduation as a professional golfer in the lower tours, including playing a handful of tournaments in the Web.com Tour (now the Korn Ferry Tour).
In 2017, he started working at Mauh-Nah-Tee-See Golf Club in Rockford. Kellen then spent four years at Butler National Golf Club in Oak Brook, and in October 2023, earned his first head professional job at Northshore Country Club.
