A wild finish produced the youngest champion in the 77-yearhistory of the Illinois Amateur last week, while preventingBloomington's Todd Mitchell from winning his third title.
Mitchell came to the final tee at Ironhorse Golf Club in Tuscolatied for the lead with Naperville's Ravi Patel, 18, before sufferinga monumental collapse. Holding honors on the tee, Mitchell put threeballs in the water before finding dry land and took a 9 to finish ina tie for sixth.
"I've seen that happen only once, and that was in a movie,"Mitchell said.
Patel, an incoming freshman at Northwestern after graduating fromNeuqua Valley High School, wound up winning by three strokes overPeoria's John Ehrgott and Winnetka's Blake Johnson.
Like the Illinois Open the week before at The Glen Club, theIllinois Am had to be shortened because of weather problems. It wasplayed at 54 holes for the first time since becoming a 72-holestroke-play event in 1963.
This year's tournament drew 650 entries, with statewidequalifying rounds whittling the field at Ironhorse to 138. Nextyear's tournament will be at Cantigny in Wheaton.
MISSING IN ACTION
Both the pros and amateurs will be missing a top player when the46th Radix Cup matches come to Oak Park Country Club on Wednesday.
University of Illinois coach Mike Small, who won the IllinoisOpen and was low club pro at the PGA Championship earlier thismonth, won't be in the lineup for the Illinois PGA team. And Patelwill be absent from the Chicago District Golf Association side,though the CDGA team will have Rob Grube among its 12 players.
Grube, a Stanford University standout from Hinsdale, was therunaway winner of the 2006 Illinois Am but opted not to defend histitle.
The IPGA lineup has Roy Biancalana, St. Andrews; Steve Dunning,Oak Park; Gary Groh, Bob O' Link; Jason Lee, Ridgemoor; DannyMulhearn, Glen Oak; Steve Murray, PrairieView; Brett Packee, COREGolf; David Paeglow, Kishwaukee; Kevin Rafferty, Flossmoor; BillyRosinia, Flagg Creek; Darren Stanek, Oak Club of Genoa; and MichaelTroy, Troy's Range. Small, preparing for the start of the collegeseason, will defend his IPGA Championship title starting next Mondayat Stonewall Orchard in Grayslake.
Joining Grube, Mitchell and Ehrgott on the CDGA team are MarkEsposito, Schaumburg; John Finnin, Balmoral Woods; Andy Gabelman,Oak Park; Rick LeHew, Weaver Ridge; Brad Marek, Mount Prospect;Michael Natale, Idlewild; Dave Ryan, Piper Glen; Steve Sawtell,Skokie; and John Wright, Oak Park.
The pros lead the Ryder Cup-style competition 30-13-2.
HONOR ROLL
Carmen Molinaro, who has run Buffalo Grove's two courses since1977, has been selected Golf Professional of the Year, the IPGA'shighest honor. Old Elm's John Kiriakopoulos was named the topassistant professional, Cog Hill's Kevin Weeks the top teacher andWilmette's Cortney Miller the leading junior golf instructor.
Also honored by the IPGA were Onwentsia's Bruce Carson, BillStrausbaugh Award; Bonnie Dundee's Jim Opp, Horton Smith Award;Flossmoor's David Ogilvie, Bill Heald Award; and Pine Meadow'sDennis Johnson, President's Plaque. Merchandiser awards will bepresented at a banquet on Nov. 1 to Twin Orchard's Andy Shuman(private clubs), Makray Memorial's Don Habjan (public courses) andOak Brook's Randy Bolstad (resorts).
THE CHAMPS
Prospect Heights' team won the ninth Traditions of GolfChallenge, played at Cascades Golf Club in Bloomington, Ind., forgroups involved in the Hook A Kid On Golf programs. The three-daycompetition included a four-man scramble, a rules and history testand overall etiquette.
COURSE SPOTLIGHT: BON VIVANT
Facts: This 36-hole facility has a big clubhouse and plenty ofpractice options. It's also the only area course with a croquetcourt. The Championship Course, reviewed here, measures 7,570 yardswith a par of 72, rating of 76.3 and slope of 135.
Fees: Championship Course -- weekdays, $23 for 18 holes, $13 fornine, $14 after 4 p.m; weekends, $33 for 18 holes, $16 for nine, $24after 2 p.m., $19 after 4. North Course -- weekdays, $15 for 18holes, $9 for nine, $12 after 4 p.m.; weekends, $24 for 18 holes,$12 for nine, $18 after 2 p.m., $14 after 4. Carts are $12 for 18holes, $7 for nine.
What's to like: The course has extraordinary length possibilitiesand its par-5s are physically and mentally challenging. I especiallylike the rows of bushes used to define most of the tees.
Room for improvement: While the greens are fine, conditioning issubpar on the fairways and some tees. Also, more yardage markers areneeded, especially on the par-3s.
Bottom line: Pricing is attractive at this unique facility, whichopened in 1979. The original clubhouse was destroyed in a fire, butthe new one is one of the area's best for a public course.
COMING UP:
Today: Illinois PGA Senior Masters, Onwentsia; CDGA Better Ballof Pairs, Ravisloe.
Wednesday: Radix Cup matches, Oak Park.
Friday: Weekly Challenge Tour, Highland Woods.
Aug. 27: CDGA Mid-Amateur, Coyote Run.
Aug. 27-29: Illinois PGA Championship, Stonewall Orchard.
Career Center Road (four miles south of Route 45), Bourbonnais,Ill., (815) 935-0400, www.bonvivantcc.com.
lziehm@suntimes.com
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