CHICAGO, Illinois (July 2, 2014) — Defending Western Amateur champion Jordan Niebrugge spoke with the media Tuesday and played the course at The Beverly Country Club, where he will again attempt to hold off more than 150 of the world’s best amateur players later this month at the 112th Western Amateur.

Niebrugge, a native of Mequon, Wisconsin, and a junior at Oklahoma State University, was on hand for the tournament’s annual Media Day and spoke about his win at the 2013 Western Amateur and the tournament’s challenging format.

“The Western Amateur is definitely one of the toughest amateur events to win,” Niebrugge told the media. “You have to make two cuts then play a whole new 72-hole tournament in match play. The way the tournament is played pretty much guarantees that the best and most deserving champion comes out on top.”

Hosted by The Beverly Country Club and the WGA for media and invited guests, the event highlighted the club’s long history of supporting championship golf and the world-class excellence of the Western Amateur, which is being played at Beverly for the first time since 1930.

“The Western Golf Association is very excited to host the world’s finest amateur golfers at one of America’s most storied championship courses in our home market of Chicago,” said Vince Pellegrino, the WGA’s Senior Vice President of Tournaments.