Quad Cities to Host Two College Golf Championships in May

Visit Quad Cities is ready to tee off a major week of hosting championship golf events next month.

First, starting Monday, May 11, the National Junior College Athletic Association Division I championship will take place at Oakwood Country Club in Coal Valley, Illinois. That marks the first time the region will host an NJCAA Division I championship, and it will run through Thursday, May 14.

From May 12-15, St. Ambrose University in Davenport, Iowa, will host the NAIA Men’s Golf National Championships at TPC Deere Run.

Both tournaments feature four rounds of strike play and both are taking place at courses that have hosted PGA Tour events. Oakwood Country Club welcomed various Tour events from 1975 to 1999, while TPC Deere Run is owned-and-operated by the Tour and is the site of the long-running John Deere Classic that is held every July.

Joan Kranovich, vice president of business growth & director, Sports QC, played a key role in bringing both events to the area.

“Hosting the NJCAA Division I Women’s Golf Championship is a significant milestone for the Quad Cities and a reflection of the strong partnerships we’ve built within the sports tourism industry,” she said. “This event not only brings top-tier collegiate competition to our region, but also creates lasting connections between student-athletes, coaches, and our community while generating economic impact for our local businesses.”

Kranovich, who has led the sports division at Visit Quad Cities since 2022, noted that this will be the 10th time since 2009 that the NAIA men’s golf national championship will be held in the region, calling it, “a milestone that reflects the strength of our longstanding partnership with the NAIA. Our championship-caliber courses and dedicated community create an environment worthy of the sport’s top collegiate talent, and we’re proud that the Quad Cities continues to be a trusted home for this premier national event.”

Last year, Odessa (Texas) College won its first Division I NJCAA title and its star player, Napajira Nami Luesattha, won the individual title as the only golfer under par. That event was held at Buffalo Dunes Golf Course in Finney, Kansas.

The 2025 NAIA men’s tournament was also held at TPC Deere Run. Lindsey Wilson, a private school affiliated with the United Methodist church, won the team title, while Jack Whaley of Dalton State (Georgia) College was the individual champion.

The Quad Cities are five towns in Illinois and Iowa that have a combined population of nearly 500,000 people.In 2028 it will host the Division III wrestling championships for the fourth time since 1985.