UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS GOLF COACH MIKE SMALL wins his 12th IPGA Section Championship, congrats Mike. Nemacolin Woodlands Resort just south of Pittsburgh should be added to your golf destination bucket list. 18 Pete Dye holes are now open for play, 18 new ones are on the way, opening summer of 2017. See Nemacolin.com.     ______________________________________________________________________

THE GOG BLOG by Rory Spears, Editor and Director of Content. Follow Rory on facebook, linkedin and twitter @GogBlogGuy. With “Big” Chief Nemacolin on the Mystic Rock Golf Club.

The fifth time is the charm for Todd Mitchell, who extends his record in the winning the Illinois State Amateur for the fifth time.

This was the 24th playing of the championship, and it was contested at the Flossmoor Country Club.

Defending champion Chadd Slutzky ended up in second place after being tied for the lead after each of the first two rounds.

The championship is played with golfers who are over the age of 25.

CDGA.org

“I haven’t won it in a while, so I kind of forgot how it felt,” said Mitchell. “It’s very nice, especially with the guys that were out here. Chadd Slutzky is a great player and Derek Meinhart is a great player. We all battled a tough wind and I held on with both hands to and got it done.”

It was the 38-year old Bloomington natives fifth victory in the championship, no other golfer has won the event more than twice.

Mitchells rounds were 70-72 and 71. Rain delayed tee times by over 2 1/2 hours on Tuesday. The championship will be played at the Exmoor Country Club in Highland Park next year.

Mitchells win was by 2 shots over Meinhard and Slutzky, and by 4 shots over Tim Sheppard.