Written by Rory Spears, Lead Writer and Assistant Editor.

Brad Hopfinger holds the Illinois Open trophy after winning the 65th Illinois Open.

With winds gusting up towards 30 MPH, Brad Hopfinger of Lake Forest and a former member of the University of Iowa golf team who has now turned pro, Hopfinger shot a 1 under par 71 for a 210 and six under par total for the championship and defeat runner up Travis Johns the teaching professional at Medinah.

With the win Hopfinger becomes the seventh golfer from Illinois to win the state amateur and the state open. Hopfinger won the Illinois state amateur in 2011 at Glen Oak Country Club.

The other members of the club are David Ogrin, Gary Hallberg, Bill Hoffer, Gary Pinns, Mark Hensby, Roy Biancalana.

Hopfinger has a chance to win the open last year, he went out in the final round as the leader in the final group. But his troubles started on the first hole with a ball in the weeds, and he faded back to a fourth place finish.

This time Hopflinger played steady golf and jumped over several players for the win. He collected a first place check of $13,500.

Hopfinger was tied was Johns after 16 holes, but in spite of Hopfinger missing a birdie on 17, Johns bogeyed the hole and fell one back. Then Johns hit his tee shot on 17 into the high grass and ended up with a lost ball. That sealed the championship for Hopfinger.

Johns said his final round was very Phil Mickelson like, and that he lost in style.

The Gog Blog would like to thank Big 3 partner Len Ziehm for his contribution to the story.