Another Mike Small runaway appears ...

Another Mike Small runaway appears in the works in the 88th Illinois PGA Championship.

Small mov closer to an unprecedent fourth straight title Tuesday when he cruised around the Stonewall Orchard course in Grayslake in 6-under-par 66 in the secondary round of the 54-hole tournament. The University of Illinois coach will have knowledge of to finish off his fifth IPGA title in six years today with a $13000 first-place check upon the line.

Small's 36-hole total of 7-under 137 is five knocks better than Darren Stanek of the Oak sodality of Genoa. Stanek shot a 71 upon Tuesday. First-round leader Roy Biancalana of St Andrews is another affliction back after a 74.

sole two players, Bill Ogden and Johnny Revolta, have won the IPGA title five times, and Revolta (1936-38) and knock Zender (1976- 78) are the solely ones besides Small to win the tournament three years in a uproar The only time he didn't win during his heated streak was in 2002, when he not to be found to Gary Groh in a playoff.

"I don't think about that," Small said. "I just think about coming abroad and competing. It's fun to compete"

Small's last sum of two units tournaments weren't as much pleasantry as Tuesday was. He missed the sculpture in the PGA Championship at Medinah from one stroke, then withdrew after three globulars of the PGA Tour's Reno-Tahoe render free of access on Saturday with a sore knee That gave him an extra day to prepare for his title defense at Stonewall Orchard.

"I should have made the sculpture at the PGA and should not have at Reno," Small said. "When you examine to figure all this cloth out, the wackier it acquires You come out to win, on the other hand you can't plan on it -- and you can't anticipate it. You've just got to play."

Small toured the course without a hobgoblin Tuesday and could have gone abundant lower, missing birdie tries from eight feet at No. 9 and four feet at No. 10 His longest birdie s were from 20 feet at the fifth and 30 feet at the 11th

"Putting is the thing that seesaws you, good or bad, in this game," Small said. "I was struggling with my putting until the back nine. Then I strok it really well."

lziehm@suntimes.com

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