Despite soaring temperatures and humidity, I spent much of the last few days outdoors watching NV5 Invitational. Conducted by the Western Golf Association, NV5 returned to the Glen Club in Glenview, Illinois.

The NV5 Invitational is a golf tournament on the Korn Ferry Tour. Benefiting the Evans Scholars Foundation, which provides tuition and housing college scholarships to young caddies, the NV5 Invitational is a showcase and audition for the next group of PGA leaders. Each year 31 PGA TOUR cards are awarded based on the Korn Ferry Tour points list.

In 2019 Scottie Scheffler won the first event, then called the Evans Scholars Invitational. Scheffler is now the world’s No. 1-ranked golfer with five major titles, the most recent in last week’s British Open. He is one of four past champions currently competing full-time on the PGA TOUR, including 2024 winner Thomas Rosenmueller.

Every day fans came out early and stayed late. From the first wave of golfers diligently practicing putt after putt to the last ball dropping in Hole No. 18, fans quietly watched the action, applauding in appreciation only at appropriate times.

Glen Club is a beautiful golf course 20 minutes north of Chicago. Recognized as a Top 100 golf course, Glen Club occupies 195 acres on the former site of Glenview Naval Air Station. It was designed by Tom Fazio, ranked as one of the top 10 golf course architects of all time by Golf Digest. The clubhouse is a magnificent treasure trove of golf memorabilia tastefully decorating the beautiful building.

Johnny Keefer proved to be as hot as the weather, shooting a remarkable 26 under par to capture the victory. He also became the second player to clinch a 2026 PGA TOUR card through the Korn Ferry Tour season-long standings.

— John Wroblewski, online writer