PERKINS WINS ILLINOIS OPEN-WGA-AM-IWGA JUNIOR GIRLS

WHITE EAGLE GOLF CLUB IN NAPERVILLE (L) host of this weeks 73rd Illinois Open and host of the 2023 Women’s Western Golf Association-Amateur. (R) Exmoor Country Club in Highland Park, hosts this weeks 120th WGA Western Amateur Championship.

THE GOG BLOG by RORY SPEARS, Director of Content and Creation for Golfers on Golf. Follow Rory on Twitter @GogBlogGuy or connect on LinkedIn and Facebook.

  THE 73RD ILLINOIS OPEN CHAMPION DAVID PERKINS (L) With the Low Amateur Marcus Smith (R) are your winners at the White Eagle Golf Club in Naperville Illinois.

David Perkins shot a 2 under par round of 70, to win the 73rd Illinois Open, with a three day score of 210 (-6), to defeat runner-up Varun Chopra by 1 shot. Marcus Smith was two shots back at 212-to win the Low Amateur Award. For Smith it was his first appearance in the Illinois Open.

Perkins first place check was $23,168 out of a purse of $120,292 dollars.

“It hasn’t really set in quite yet so I can’t remember a lot of the shots I hit which is rare for me,” said Perkins. “The mental aspect was the most key. The course was set super tough and played hard every day. So I was just keep myself in it knowing that if I kept missing in the right spots and hitting golf shots. I could come out on top in the end.”

Smith shot a final round of 71 (-1) and carded a 4 under par 212 to be the Low Amateur Award winner.

“I couldn’t be happier with the way I’ve played,” said Smith. “Granted it was a tough loss because I was right there. But at the end of the day, I played three rounds under par. So I’m excited this being straight round under par.”

But with the leaders on the 17th hole, the horn sounded with bad weather approaching. So the remaining few players on the golf course, had to sit through a 1-hour delay before finishing. But right out of the delay, Perkins chip shot on 17 to 4 feet for birdie, basically sealed the tournament.

Daniel Hudson (Chicago) set the White Eagle course record with a 7 under par 65. Hudson finished T-3. Roy Biancalana was the low IPGA professional finishing T-7, with a final round of 71, and finishing -2 for the championship.

43RD ILLINOIS WOMEN’S JUNIOR GIRLS CHAMPIONSHIP, was won by Allyson Duan of Buffalo Grove. Duan carded a 2 under par 70 to win the title at Hickory Point Golf Course.

THE 120th WESTERN AMATEUR fought through a 90 minute rain delay Wednesday afternoon. But once it cleared to resume play. It was 21-year old William Mouw of Chino, California who rose to the top of the leaderboard. Mouw is at 8 under par (136) after 36 holes. But Tommy Kuhl of Morton Illinois and a member of the University of Illinois men’s golf team is T-2. Kuhl is tied with 4 players-two shots behind Mouw.

The 1-over par cut (145) trimmed the field from 156 players to 54. But those players will play 36 holes on Thursday to determine the Low-16 players who will advance to the match play.

So for more information see thewesternamateur.com.

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About Rory Spears

Rory spent over 8 years growing up working at Rob Roy Golf Club in Prospect Hts.IL, then two years at Chevy Chase in Wheeling. He has covered golf in Chicago since 1986. Rory was one of the initial members of WSCR all-sports radio Chicago and covered golf there for 5 seasons, before moving on to work for ESPN/Sportsticker and ESPN Radio. In addition to hosting Golfers on Golf Radio on WCPT AM820 Chicago, he writes for both the Chicago District (CDGA) Magazine, and formerly Chicagoland Golf. Rory has played over 525 courses in 39 states, and rates golf courses. He does golf course management and communications consulting, within the golf industry.