In the summer of 1992, Bill Killus gathered with Matt Fahel, John Gostele and Greg Stalter for a round of golf at Pekin Country Club and a serious discussion about starting a new tournament similar to The Ryder Cup. Their idea was to create one team of players residing west of the Illinois River (Team Peoria) and one team of players living east of the Illinois River (Team Tazewell). Then, the two
teams would compete on an annual basis in a weekend event called The River Cup. Well....after months of preparation, Team Tazewell claimed 12 of the 18 weekend matches and The River Cup was born in May of 1993. The River Cup was developed to be a tournament to promote golf in central Illinois for years to come. All in all, the importance of winning The River Cup pales in comparison to the friendly rivalry, strong competition and team comradery experienced by all the players, captains and spectators. In addition, so many of the local tournaments attract only players from one side of the Illinois River. The River Cup is meant to provide an excellent showcase of amateur golf by players from both sides of the river in ONE EVENT. This annual gathering will only prove to strengthen amateur golf in central Illinois.
