Notes: Coach Skip? Kendall open to taking college golf head coaching job
MADISON – Skip Kendall still has plenty of game and wants to continue competing on the PGA Tour Champions, but his conditional status means that for most tournaments he either must qualify on Monday or depend on a sponsor exemption to play.
Kendall, a Fox Point native, was granted one of two unrestricted exemptions to play in the American Family Insurance Championship, largely because of his friendship with tournament host Steve Stricker. The two came up together through the state junior ranks 40 years ago.
Kendall, 53, shot a final-round 70 at University Ridge and finished in a tie for 49th place Sunday.
He doesn’t know when he’ll play next, however, and the week-to-week uncertainty has him at least entertaining the idea of going down a different path.
Kendall is mentoring a handful of junior golfers in Orlando and said he would be open to taking a job as a college head golf coach.
“Absolutely, I would,” he said. “But those (jobs) are hard to come by, I think. An athletic director would be taking a chance with someone like me. I don’t really have the kind of experience they would probably be looking for. But if someone wanted to take a chance on me, I know I could do a good job.
D'AMATO:McCarron takes American Family title from Stricker, Kelly
FINAL SCORES:American Family Insurance Championship
“I know being a college coach isn’t just about coaching. It’s about raising money and recruiting and all that stuff. But I think the recruiting thing would come a lot easier for me because of who I am and the platform I have had. Hopefully, that could make a difference in turning a program around.”
In the meantime, Kendall is trying to take advantage of the few opportunities he gets on the Champions tour. The AmFam was only his second start of the year and he is hoping to get into the Constellation Senior Players Championship in Chicago in three weeks.
“I’m right on the bubble right now (based on the 52-week money list dating to the 2017 Senior Players),” he said. “I think I’m in right now, but there’s two weeks left and I could get passed.”
He also is hopeful he’ll continue to get a sponsor exemption, if he needs one, into the AmFam Championship.
“You never know,” he said. “I hope so. I really do. I have a good relationship with Steve. We don’t see each other a whole lot right now, but I’ve known him for over 40 years. At some point they could decide to go in a different direction. Hopefully, that won’t be an issue.”
Small victory: Mike Small, who got the other unrestricted exemption, chipped in from behind the green on the 18th hole to finish off a 68. The birdie lifted the University of Illinois men’s golf coach into a tie for 10th place, which gets him into the next regular Champions tour event.
Small will have to wait until the 3M Championship, Aug. 3-5, because the next three events on the Champions tour schedule are major championships.
“I needed that,” he said of his chip-in. “I knew I had a chance to play in the next event. It sure feels good to have to make something, and make it.”
Small and Stricker, teammates at Illinois in the 1980s, have remained close friends through the years.
“This is a big deal for me because it’s Steve’s tournament,” he said. “People in Wisconsin are great, and Steve and I have been best friends for 30 years. It’s great to have him get me in the tournament and then validate him helping me get in (by playing well).”
Next up for Small?
“I’ve got to recruit the Illinois State Junior this week,” he said.