First Edition Highlights 2020 Illinois PGA Speical Awards Feature Story
M AG A Z I N E Official Publication of the Illinois PGA Section
2020 Illinois PGA Championship Results 2021 Illinois PGA Season Preview
Introduction
Introduction Illinois PGA Members, Associates and Friends: Welcome to the Illinois PGA Magazine! The Illinois PGA E-Magazine was created to report greater depth and further insight into the Illinois PGA Section, its Members and its programs. This E-Magazine will be distributed three times a year to encapsulate the entire year on the Illinois PGA Circuit.
Illinois PGA Section MastercardÂŽ Credit Cards
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Illinois PGA Magazine
Illinois PGA President
FROM THE PRESIDENT THE PROFESSIONAL GOLFERS’ ASSOCIATION
President Nick Papadakes, PGA Vice President Alex Mendez, PGA Secretary Mike Picciano, PGA Honorary President Jim Miller, PGA Executive Director Carrie Williams
OF
AMERICA
As president of the Illinois PGA Section Board of Directors, I’d like to welcome you to the Section. Our staff developed this packet of information to help you familiarize yourself with the Section, the Foundation and the programs we have to offer. The goal of the Section is to support your growth as a golf professional and provide you with as many opportunities to interact with your fellow professionals as possible. We work towards this goal by offering a tournament program, educational opportunities, foundation programs as well as official business meetings in the Spring and Fall. The Illinois PGA is a family with similar goals and motivations, and I believe the more we can develop relationships with each other the stronger we can become as an organization. I encourage you to get involved and please know, you can always contact me, our Board members or staff with any questions you may have. We look forward to your participation in the Section! Sincerely,
Governing Officers Nick Papadakes, PGA President Alex Mendez, PGA Vice President
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Michael Picciano, PGA Secretary Jim Miller, PGA Immediate Past President Board of Directors Nick Cuca, PGA Ian Grant, PGA Tim Krouse, PGA Curtis Malm, PGA Andy Mickelson, PGA Danny Mulhearn, PGA Jamie Nieto, PGA Michael Strain, PGA Dan Watters, PGA Bob Napier Jay Reece
2901 W. LAKE AVENUE, SUITE A ● GLENVIEW, ILLINOIS 60025 TELEPHONE: 847-729-5700 ● FAX: 847-729-5599 www.ipga.com
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Table of Contents Vol. 1 | Issue 1
PA G E
8-9
TOPIC/SECTION
Assistants Championship
10-13
Illinois Open Championship
14-15
Illinois PGA Senior Championship
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President Report
Illinois PGA C
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Iowa PGA Golf Magazine - Spring Issue
2019 Iowa PGA Schedule
Championships
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Illinois PGA Assistant Championship
English Captures National Car Rental
Illinois PGA Assistant Championship July 13, 2020, Cress Creek Country Club, Naperville, IL Kyle English (Crestwicke Country Club) won the National Car Rental Illinois Assistant PGA Professional Championship on Monday, July 13 at Cress Creek Country Club. English prevailed over the field by six strokes, winning his second career Assistant Championship (2018). He will be joined by Michael Schachner (DePaul University) and Justin Bardgett (University of Illinois Golf Club) at the 44th National Car Rental Assistant PGA Professional Championship at the PGA Golf Club on Nov. 12-15. English turned in a winning total of 12-under-par 132 to capture the National Car Rental Illinois Assistant PGA Professional Championship. English held a one stroke lead following a 6-under-par 66 in the first round. His first round featured eight birdies, including four-in-a-row on Nos. 13-16, and just two bogeys. It was more of the same in round two as English carded another 6-under-par 66. He registered a bogey-free second round with six birdies, including five on the front nine to secure the victory and clinch his qualifying spot.
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Illinois PGA Magazine
“I made today pretty stress-free,” said English. “I had a lot of close looks for birdie today, especially early on. I got off to a really solid start in the second round and was able to sit back and trust my swing and not press anything. Overall, it was a really good day.” Schachner finished in second place with a tournament total 6-under-par 138. He recorded three birdies and an eagle to go along with three bogeys in round one for a 2-under-par 70. His second round featured five birdies and just one bogey for a 4-under-par 68. Bardgett carded a tournament total 4-under-par 140 to win third place and secure the final Illinois PGA qualifying spot. After an even-par 72 in the first round, Bardgett recorded a 4-under-par 68 in round two. His second round was highlighted by five birdies.
Illinois PGA Assistant Championship
2020 National Car Rental Illinois Assistant PGA Professional Championship Scorecard for Kyle English Hole
1
2
3
4
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Out 10
11
12 13
14
15
16
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18
In
Tot
Par
4
4
3
5
4
3
4
5
4
36
4
4
4
4
3
5
4
3
5
36
72
Round 1
4
5
3
5
4
3
3
3
3
34
4
5
4
3
2
4
3
3
4
32
66
Round 2
4
3
2
5
3
3
3
5
3
31
4
4
4
4
3
4
4
3
5
35
66
Jeff Kellen (Butler National), Kevin Flack (Mauh-Nah-Tee-See Country Club) and Kyle Donovan (Oak Park Country Club) are the three Illinois PGA alternates for the 44th National Car Rental Assistant PGA Professional Championship. The National Car Rental Assistant PGA Professional Championship brings together a field of 132 contestants representing the PGA of America’s 41 nationwide Sections and features a total purse of $150,000. All rounds will be played on the Wanamaker Course. A cut after 36 holes of play to the low 70 scorers and ties will be made. Begun in 1977, the National Car Rental Assistant PGA Professional Championship is modeled after the PGA Professional Championship, with a field of PGA Professionals and PGA Associates who advanced through 41 Section Championships conducted from May through October this year. If eligibility is met and maintained, the champion earns a berth in the 54th PGA Professional Championship to be conducted April 25-28, 2021, at PGA Golf Club in Port St. Lucie, Florida. CLICK HERE FOR FULL RESULTS
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71st Illinois Open
71ST ILLINOIS OPEN
August 3-5, 2020, White Eagle Golf Club, Naperville, IL Bryce Emory (Aurora, Ill.) won the 71st Illinois Open at White Eagle Golf Club with a tournament total 8-under-par 208 to capture his first career Illinois Open victory. “I started off the day believing if I could keep the ball in the center of the fairways and center of the green and try to limit bogeys and mistakes, I could force the field to come back and get me,” said Emory. “I figured that was going to be the best play.” Emory began the final round with a four-stroke lead following his course-record performance in round two. Emory carded a 6-under-par 66 in the second tying the modern-day course record that was set by Brandon Holtz just one day earlier. Charlie Netzel (Western Springs, Ill.), Tee-K Kelly (Wheaton, Ill.) and Ethan Brue (Ashland, Ill.) all entered the final round tied for second place at 3-under-par 141. All three of these players entered round two tied for seventh place after carding 1-under-par 71s in round one. In round two, Netzel had one bogey and a birdie on the front nine to make the turn at even-par 36. Following a bogey on the par-3 12th, Netzel made back-to-back birdies on 13 and 14. He made another bogey on the par-3 16th hole, but finished strong with back-to-back birdies on 17 and 18 to shoot 2-under-par 70 in round two.
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“It was hard out there. It was windy and the greens were fast,” said Netzel. “You had to be disciplined and hit the greens and try give yourself as many birdie putts as you can.” Kelly started round two with five straight pars, before recording his first birdie on the par-5 sixth hole. He would drop back to even-par for the day with a bogey on the eighth hole and made the turn at even-par 36. Kelly continued his consistent play on the back nine, making pars on holes 10-13. He birdied the par-5 14th hole, but gave the stroke right back with a bogey on 15. Kelly took advantage of the wind on the final two holes and closed his round out with back-to-back birdies on 17 and 18 to shoot 2-under-par 70. “I finally had two good looks coming in and was able to two putt the one on 17 for birdie and make another one on 18,” said Kelly. “Those were the only two putts I had inside 20 feet all day. I was scrambling out there. I was two putting from 60 feet, 70 feet. I was joking around with my caddie that it felt like the lag putting Olympics for us out there.” Brue started the second round on the back nine with three pars. He bogeyed the par-4 13th hole before making back-to-back birdies on holes 14 and 15. Brue offset his bogey on the 16th hole with a birdie on 17 and made the turn at 1-under-par 35. He picked up two more strokes on the front nine with birdies on three and six, but bogeyed the par-4 seventh hole for a 2-under-par 70.
71st Illinois Open
Ethan Brue (Ashland, IL) started the final round in a tie for third, but would go on to finish T7 at the 71st Illinois Open.
Tee-k Kelly (Wheaton, IL) finished T3 at the 71st Illinois Open.
Emory struggled to get things going early on in the final round. Following a record setting round two, Emory bogeyed both the par 5s on the front side and saw his four-stroke lead disappear. Up ahead of him, Ethan Brue birded two of his first five holes and was tied with Emory at 5-under-par. Brue made a quadruple bogey on the par-4 seventh hole and bogeyed the par-3 eighth hole, falling out of the lead and leaving Emory alone at the top of the leaderboard. After the slow start, Emory got back on track with a birdie on the par-4 ninth hole. He made the turn at 1-over-par 37 for the day and 6-under-par for the tournament, clinging to a three-stroke lead. The back nine saw Emory return to form as he carded a bogey-free back nine with birdies on holes 10 and 14. Emory cruised through the 18th hole with four straight pars to secure his first Illinois Open Championship. “I made a couple of bad bogeys on the front nine, but the birdie at 9 turned it around and then I stole one at 10 with that tough pin,” said Emory. “From there I knew if I kept hitting fairway, green, fairway, green eventually we’d run out of holes. I loved it out here this week. The course was in great shape and White Eagle really took care of us. It was a first-class facility for sure.”
Charlie Netzel (Western Springs, IL) finished T3 at the 71st Illinois Open
Jack Korzon (Downers Grove, Ill.) finished in second place at the 71st Illinois Open. He entered the final round tied for seventh at 1-under-par, and turned in a final round score 3-under-par 69 for a tournament total 4-under-par 212. Korzon’s final round featured just one bogey, two birdies and an eagle on the par-5 17th hole for a solo second place finish. This is Korzon’s best finish at an Illinois Open. He had missed the cut at his previous three starts.
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71st Illinois Open
“I’ve got to give it up to White Eagle and the Illinois PGA,” said Korzon. “This course was set up so hard it felt like the U.S. Open. I finally broke through this year and hopefully it’s the start of many good finishes at this event.” Charlie Netzel (Western Springs, Ill.) and Tee-K Kelly (Wheaton, Ill.) tied for third place after carding even-par 72s in the final round for tournament totals 2-under-par 213. This year’s third place finish marks Kelly’s best finish at this event, topping his fourth place finish a year ago. This also marks the best finish for Netzel, who’s previous best finish came last year when he placed T16. Jordan Less (Elmhurst, Ill.) finished T7 with a tournament total 1-under-par 215 and won the Low Amateur Award for the second straight year. Less turned in rounds of 2-over-par 74, 3-under-par 69 and even-par 72 to capture his second Low Amateur title. “It’s pretty special to win Low Am,” said Less. “Obviously it was pretty hard to qualify this year because the field was cut in half. Pretty much half the field had a really good chance to win this tournament. Finishing atop the amateurs shows my game is turning in the right direction. I’m looking forward to going back to Northern Illinois for one last year and coming back here next year.” Mike Small (Champaign, Ill.) was the low finisher for Illinois PGA Professionals. Small carded rounds of 3-over-par 75, 1-under-par 71 Jordan Less (Elmhurst, IL) the 71st Illinois Open T7 and 2-under-par 70 for a tournament total even-par 216 and finand captured the Low Amateur award for the second ished T9. straight year.
71st Illinois Open Scorecard for Jordan Less Hole
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2
3
4
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8
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Out 10
11
12 13
14
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17
18
In
Tot
Par
4
5
4
4
3
5
4
3
4
36
4
4
3
4
5
4
3
5
4
36
72
Round 1
5
5
5
4
4
5
4
3
4
39
4
5
3
4
4
4
3
4
4
35
74
Round 2
4
5
4
4
3
5
3
3
3
34
4
4
3
4
4
4
4
4
4
35
69
Round 3
6
5
4
4
2
5
4
4
4
38
6
4
3
4
4
3
3
4
3
34
72
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71st Illinois Open
71st Illinois Open Scorecard for Bryce Emory Hole
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2
3
4
5
6
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8
9
Out 10
11
12 13
14
15
16
17
18
In
Tot
Par
4
5
4
4
3
5
4
3
4
36
4
4
3
4
5
4
3
5
4
36
72
Round 1
4
5
4
4
3
5
5
3
4
37
4
4
3
4
5
3
3
4
4
34
71
Round 2
5
4
4
3
2
5
5
4
3
35
4
4
2
4
3
3
3
4
4
31
66
Round 3
4
6
4
4
3
6
4
3
3
37
3
4
3
4
4
4
3
5
4
34
71
A record setting week Bryce Emory (Aurora, IL) resulted in his first career Illinois Open Championship and his largest victory of his career.
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