D.A. Weibring , who won the event three times at the former site, said tournament veterans will face a tougher layout. Oakwood is centered on a relatively flat-topped bluff with few trees and lots of rough to protect fairways. Deere Run winds up and down a heavily wooded ridge overlooking the Rock River, with thick prairie grass edging the hardwoods that line the fairways. Weibring said players can expect moderate rough and greens that might run a touch slow because of heat and lack of rain. But the real variable could be the stiff winds that often swirl up to the top of the ridgeline from the river below.
Fans apparently are excited about the new site, too.
Weekend tickets sold out more than a month ago, and organizers expect 35,000 to 40,000 visitors each day. Tournament director Kym Hougham said weekend ticket sales were cut off for fear of overcrowding on a course that's never hosted a gallery. From behind three greens - No. 4, No. 6 and No. 17 - fans can see action on multiple fairways. The field includes several past tournament winners, including defending champion J.L. Lewis and David Toms .