Chicago golf reporter Rory Spears found dead at 65

Longtime Chicago-based sports journalist, golf reporter, and radio host Rory Spears was found dead this week at just 65 years old.

The news was shared Thursday night, with Illinois Golfer announcing Spears was found dead in his condominium by Arlington Heights police that morning, with the cause unknown. According to his obituary, Spears died on Wednesday.

“Rory was an avid lover of all things sports from a young age, and turned that passion into a lifelong career as a sports reporter/journalist,” the obituary reads. “He was particularly passionate about golf, and was proud of the fact that he was able to play virtually every major golf course in America, including recording his only career hole-in-one on Pinehurst No. 6 in North Carolina. Rory recently became an eight-time International Network of Golf (ING) national award winner for his golf reporting. He was also happy that he was able to cover a championship for every major Chicago sports team over the course of his career.”

In the wake of his death, several Chicago sports media members have offered condolences and shared memories of Spears.

For the last two decades, Chicago sports fans have heard Spears host his Golfers on Golf Radio every weekend, most recently on WNDZ. Spears’ radio career also included stops at WSCR and NBC Sports Radio.

Spears launched the GOG Blog (Golfers on Golf blog) more than a decade ago, and his last post was on March 24.