Nicpon smooth in winning McCue

    Writing from Glenwood, Illinois
    Tuesday, June 18, 2013

    Nina Nicpon sees similarities in Glenwoodie Golf Club, host of the Illinois Golfer Challenge Junior Golf Championship, and Palmira, her home course.
    Perhaps that’s why she felt so much at home on Tuesday, en route to winning the Girls 16-to-18 Division of the Challenge.
    Nicpon, from Cedar Lake, scored 21-over-par 93 on her first visit to Glenwoodie for a 24-stroke victory over runner-up Sabina Bruozas of Mokena. Nicpon posted a half-dozen pars and only two “others” – triple bogeys, to be specific – in collecting the Carol McCue Trophy.
    There’s more water at Palmira, which Nicpon’s family owns, but you have to keep it in play at both courses, and she did so.    
    “I wanted to get the ball in the fairway off the tee, and keep it in the fairway,” Nicpon said. She couldn’t recall precisely how many of the 14 she hit, but said it was “most of them,” and most was better than most.
    “As I went on, I got more confident,” Nicpon said.
    One suspects that if Nicpon played Glenwoodie more often, she’d lower her score considerably. A member of the Marian Catholic golf team, Nicpon scored rounds of 75-83 in a tournament at Coyote Run in Flossmoor last week, a course the Spartans call home each autumn.
    As it was, her 93, punctuated by pars on both par-5s on the inward nine, was the class of the field.
    – Tim Cronin

Onest collects Van Wie Trophy

    Writing from Glenwood, Illinois
    Tuesday, June 18, 2013

    Allison Onest was cruising along in the Girls 13-to-15 Division of the Illinois Golfer Challenge Junior Golf Championship. After a rocky start – double-bogey and quadruple bogey on Glenwoodie’s first two holes – she had settled down to a steady diet of pars and bogeys, and was distancing herself from fellow competitors Emily Schenck and Elizabeth Stalla.
    If there was any doubt the 15-year-old from Dyer was going to score a victory in her first Challenge appearance, it evaporated on the par-4 17th hole, a 238-yard test.
    “I drove it really far,” Onest said.
    As in about 220 yards, for she estimated she had only about 20 yards left for a chip shot.
    Onest placed that five feet from the cup and rammed it home for a birdie 3, the showcase moment of a 21-over-par 93 that earned her the title in the younger division of the distaff half of the Challenge, and with it, the Virginia Van Wie Trophy.
    “The key today was my putting,” Onest said. “I had a lot of two-putts. My scores have dropped a lot this year. I’ve been playing and practicing a lot at Palmira.”
    Onest, crediting Palmira teaching pro Jason Gillespie for the improvement, scored an 11-stroke victory over Schenck. Stalla was 22 strokes back.
    – Tim Cronin

Illinois Golfer Challenge Results

A full report to come. The scoring from Tuesday's fog and sun-kissed carnival at beautiful Glenwoodie:

    25th Illinois Golfer Challenge Junior Golf Championship

    Glenwoodie Golf Course, Glenwood

    Girls 13-to-15 Division
    5,505 yards, par 72

    Allison Onest, Dyer  48-45–93
    Emily Schenck, Flossmoor  53-51–104
    Elizabeth Stalla, Evergreen Park  60-55–115
    Erin Bullington, Frankfort  WD

    Girls 16-to-18 Division
    5,505 yards, par 72

    Nina Nicpon, Cedar Lake  46-47–93
    Sabina Bruozas, Mokena  55-62–117
    Nicole Huss, Frankfort  67-67–134
    Kelly Barker, Palos Heights  WD

    Boys 13-to-15 Division
    6,423 yards, par 72

    Anthony Bolden, Mokena  39-41–80
    Grant Miller, Crown Point  40-42–82
    Daniel Anfield, Channahon  39-43–82
    Nicholas Good, Dyer 40-43–83
    Ryan Wells, Dyer 42-43–85
    Matt Kadubek, New Lenox  44-46–90
    Peter Kolyvas, New Lenox  47-46–93
    Alex Schiene, Mokena  48-47–95
    Kevin Steiner, Flossmoor  49-49–98
    Casey Domke, Monee 46-52–98
    Brendan Crawford, Flossmoor  53-47–100
    Michael Stanton, Chicago  49-52–101
    Seth Besse, Grant Park  47-55–102
    Martin Breslin, Oak Forest  57-54–111
    Luke Cahill, Naperville  61-52–113

    Boys 16-to-18 Division
    6,423 yards, par 72

    Bryant Bolden, Mokena  39-36–75
    Jake White, Frankfort  36-39–75
      Playoff: Bolden 5-3, White 5-4
    Darren O’Hanlon, Frankfort  41-37–78
    Michael Barber, Beecher  39-40–79
    Matt Contey, Mokena  38-42–80
    Tim Steiner, Flossmoor  41-40–81
    Kyle Thiel, Schererville  40-41–81
    Luke Ostrom, Orland Park  39-42–81
    Brad Bobrowski, Valparaiso  38-43–81
    Geno Narcisi, Chicago Heights  41-41–82
    Jason Mathus, Chicago  46-37–83
    Rhett Barker, Crown Point 45-38–83
    Alex Maksymiak, Frankfort  40-44–84
    Matthew Meneghetti, Schererville  41-44–85
    Ryan Kelly, Flossmoor  42-43–85
    Ryan Dahlkamp, Crown Point   41-44–85
    Jonathan DeLeon, Country Club Hills  43-44–87
    John Randolph, Orland Park  46-42–88
    Joe Knight, Orland Park  43-45–88
    Matt Juskie, Frankfort  44-44–88
    David Karwoski, Oak Forest  43-45–89
    DeVaughn Mathus, Chicago  46-46–92
    Tom Berzins, Orland Park 47-45–92
    Andrew Zarnowski, Chicago Ridge  41-51–92
    Bill Baffes, Flossmoor  43-49–92
    Scott Borden, Midlothian  48-46–94
    Tyler Hayes, Palos Heights  47-47–94
    Josh Crosby, Lansing  47-48–95
    Quentin Jones, Olympia Fields  45-50–95
    Joey O’Sullivan, Oak Lawn  50-47–97
    Andrew Hall, Tinley Park  44-54–98
    Ryan Lahey, Elwood  49-50–99
    Spencer Town, Tinley Park  50-49–99
    A.J. Bellettiere, Tinley Park  46-53–99
    Anthony Castro, Merrionette Park  49-53–102
    Logan Dolehide, Crestwood  54-49–103
    Sam Shaeffer, Hazel Crest  53-52–105
    Tremayne Hollis, Country Club Hills  55-56–111
    Chris Dykstra, Crestwood  50-60–112
    Jon Dever, Oak Forest  62-55–117
    Ryan Moriarty, Tinley Park  60-62–122
    Craig Metsch, La Grange  61-63–124
    Jake Jelderks, Tinley Park  68-83–151
    Will McCabe, Mokena  WD
    Matt Mindak, Chicago Heights  NS
    Caleb Warner, Park Forest NS

Illinois Golfer Challenge Junior Groupings Announced

An elite field of 65 will tee it up on Tuesday, June 18, in the 25th Illinois Golfer Challenge
Junior Golf Championship, held at Glenwoodie Golf Course in Glenwood. Among other notables, Mokena's Bryant Bolden will be going for his fifth title in as many appearances.

The Boys 16-to-18 groupings:
6:30 a.m.: Chris Dykstra, Crestwood; Cody Nolan, Chicago
6:37 a.m.: Ryan Moriarty, Tinley Park; Matt Mindak, Chicago Heights
6:45 a.m.: Craig Metsch, La Grange; Sam Shaeffer, Hazel Crest; Logan Dolehide, Crestwood
6:52 a.m.: Jon Dever, Oak Forest; Tim Steiner, Flossmoor; Jake Jelderks, Tinley Park
7 a.m.: Tremayne Hollis, Country Club Hills; Kyle Theil, Schererville; Josh Crosby, Lansing
7:07 a.m.: Scott Borden, Midlothian; Andrew Hall, Tinley Park; Joey O’Sullivan, Oak Lawn
7:15 a.m.: Anthony Castro, Merrionette Park; Tom Berzins, Orland Park; Ryan Lahey, Elwood
7:22 a.m.: Spencer Town, Tinley Park; Quentin Jones, Olympia Fields; Luke Ostrom, Orland Park
7:30 a.m.: Jonathan DeLeon, Country Club Hills; A.J. Bellettiere, Tinley Park; Alex Maksymiak, Frankfort
7:37 a.m.: John Randolph, Orland Park; Darren O’Hanlon, Frankfort; Geno Naricsi, Chicago Heights
7:45 a.m.: Matthew Meneghetti, Schererville, Ind.; Jake White, Frankfort; Andrew Zarnowski, Chicago
7:52 a.m.: Michael Barber, Beecher; Joe Knight, Orland Park; Matt Juskie, Frankfort
8 a.m.: Matt Contey, Mokena; Ryan Kelly, Flossmoor; Ryan Dahlkamp, Crown Point, Ind.
8:07 a.m.: Tyler Hayes, Palos Heights; Brad Bobrowski, Valparaiso, Ind.; Caleb Warner, Park Forest
8:15 a.m.: Rhett Barker, Crown Point, Ind.; David Karwoski, Oak Forest; Bryant Bolden, Mokena
8:22 a.m. STARTER’S TIME

The Boys 13-to-15 Groupings:

8:30 a.m.: Michael Stanton, Chicago; Grant Miller, Crown Point, Ind.

8:37 a.m.: Seth Besse, Grant Park; Brendan Crawford, Flossmoor; Martin Breslin, Oak Forest
8:45 a.m.: Kevin Steiner, Flossmoor; Alex Schiene, Mokena; Peter Kolyvas, New Lenox
8:52 a.m.: Matt Kadubek, New Lenox; Casey Domke, Monee; Ryan Wells, Dyer, Ind.
9 a.m.: Nicholas Good, Dyer, Ind.; Daniel Anfield, Channahon; Anthony Bolden, Mokena

The Girls 13-to-15 Groupings:
9:07 a.m.: Emily Schenck, Flossmoor; Elizabeth Stalla, Evergreen Park
9:15 a.m.: Allison Onest, Dyer, Ind.; Erin Bullington, Frankfort

The Girls 16-to-18 Groupings:
9:22 a.m.: Kelly Barker, Palos Heights; Nicole Huss, Frankfort
9:30 a.m.: Sabina Bruozas, Mokena; Nina Nicpon, Cedar Lake, Ind.

Join us June 18 for the IG Challenge Junior Golf Championship at Glenwoodie

    Writing from Glenwood, Illinois
    Monday, April 29, 2013

    The world has circled around the sun two dozen times since Carol McCue told your correspondent that holding a junior golf tournament would benefit the Southtown Economist in numerous ways.
    That was the case for 24 years, from 1989 through last year, when the SouthtownStar Challenge was, as always, held at Glenwoodie Golf Course.
    This year’s 25th edition will be at Glenwoodie as well, on Tuesday, June 18, but there’s one change on the entry sheet.
    It’s now the Illinois Golfer Challenge Junior Golf Championship.
    The new moniker comes about partly because of cutbacks at the SouthtownStar – the local office in Tinley Park has been closed, and staff that loyally supported the Challenge no longer work there – and out of a desire to broaden the tournament field. While anyone of the proper age could always enter the Challenge – a lad from New Mexico in the area on vacation played in an early edition – the turnout has generally been from the south and southwestern suburbs and that area of Chicago, mirroring the circulation area of the Southtown under its various names.
    Through various means, including the good offices of the Illinois Junior Golf Association, the renamed Illinois Golfer Challenge is expected to draw a wider field in 2013.
    With 156 places available and play conducted in four divisions, the field could fill up fast.
    The quality of play will most certainly be fast, if the previous 24 years are any indication.
    That’s why it’s wise for players to enter early, using the entry blank available here.
    The four divisions are split between boys and girls. They’re for players 13-to-15 and 16-to-18. Trophies are awarded for the top three finishers in each bracket. Sudden-death playoffs are used to determine first place if there’s a tie; for second and third, duplicate trophies are awarded.
    Participants get not only a place in the field, but lunch after their round, plus goodies upon registration.
    The entry fee is $35, one of the better bargains in junior golf.
    The fun to be had, win or lose, is priceless.
    Entries are open now. The field will be set on June 7. Enter now. To delay may mean to forget.
    We hope to see you at Glenwoodie!
    – Tim Cronin