STEVE BENSON

Birthdate: August 23, 1946

Birthplace: Chicago Heights, Ill.

Age: 59 Ht: 5'10" Wt: 175

Home: Buffalo Grove, Ill.

College: Michigan State

Turned Professional: 1972

Player Notes: This will be Benson’s third U.S. Senior Open…Needed playoff to grab last qualifying spot at West Bend, Wis., sectional site…Played in the 1999 and 2000 Senior Opens; best finish was 30th…Played in the 1983 U.S. Open at Oakmont C.C…Played in two U.S. Amateur Championships…Won the Illinois PGA Match Play Championship (1981, 1982, 1989), the Illinois PGA Senior Match Play Championship (2006), the Illinois PGA Pro/Asst (1986, 1996) and numerous Illinois PGA Stroke Play titles…Was named All American at Michigan State…Played in the PGA Cup Matches (U.S. vs. GB&I Club Professionals) in 1976, 1981, 1983…Played in the Radix Cup Matches - (Illinois Club Pros vs. Amateurs) 12 times…Named Illinois PGA Player of the Year (1980, 1981, 1982)…Played in 15 Western Opens, four PGA Championships (1976, 1978, 1981, 1983) and two Senior PGA Championships (1997, 2001)…Head golf professional at Hillcrest Country Club in Long Grove, Ill…Most memorable golf experience is the 2000 Senior Open…Lowest competitive 18-hole score is 64 shot at PGA National in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla…Has multiple holes-in-one, most notable was on No. 17 at Kemper Lakes in the final round to win the Illinois PGA Section Championship by two strokes…Married to wife, Karen, and has three children… Ed Hockfield, a member at his club, will caddie for him at the championship.