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Ivanhoe Club head golf professional Jim Billiter with the Illinois PGA Match Play Trophy at Bull Valley Golf Club. Photo by Nick Novelli.

HE DID IT AGAIN.

But there was also a, he almost did it again.

FOR IVANHOE Club head golf professional Jim Billiter he did it again. Because for the third time in six years, Jim Billiter is the Illinois PGA Match Play Champion.

For Billiter it is his fourth career illinois PGA Section major championship. His third match play championship win (2015-2017-2021).

Billiter has one win in the Illinois PGA Section Championship. But Billiter has one-eye on that championship later this summer, because it’s at his new home in 2021 the Ivanhoe Club.

But major win number 4 didn’t come easy for Billiter. Because Skokie Country Club teaching professional Garrett Chaussard was back in the match play finals for his fourth straight year, looking for win number three.

IN 2017 Billiter then, the new head golf professional at Kemper Lakes won the title on his new home course. But in 2018 and 2019, it was Chaussard who came to Kemper lakes and walked away with the trophy.

The pandemic forced the 2020 match play championship to Elgin Country Club, where Elgin head golf professional Jonathan Duppler beat Chaussard in the finals on his home course.

So with Chaussard back in the finals, he was determined this time to get his third title. In last years finals Chaussard fell behind Duppler early, and spent the entire match trying to catch-up. But he never did.

So Chaussard came out this time making steady early pars, with a birdie thrown in. Before long Chaussard was 4 Up after 7 holes. On the par 4, 8th hole Chaussard hit his approach shot into 2-feet, and was looking at easy birdie. Going down 5 holes with 10 holes to play was something Billiter said later he couldn’t afford.

CLICK HERE to hear the full interview with 2021 IPGA Match Play Champion Jim Billiter of the Ivanhoe Club.

Billiter saved the match by hitting his approach shot to 2 feet, and matched Chaussard’s birdie, but he remained 4 Down.

Then Billiter got hot, a birdie on the 9th hole, followed by a 30 foot birdie putt on the tenth hole. Suddenly Chaussard’s lead was reduced to 2 Up. Billiter closed out a run of six birdies in ten holes on the par 5, 17th hole. At that point he also closed out Chaussard 2 & 1.

Billiter defeated David Paeglow of Kishwaukee in the semi-finals, while Chaussard edges Medinah teaching professional Travis John’s in the other semi-final. The next IPGA major championship is the Illinois Open at Stonebridge Country Club in early August. For more details see IPGA.com