BY: RORY SPEARS Reporting from Mistwood Golf Club in Romeoville

EMILY COLLINS joined the list of the winners of the Phil Kosin Illinois Women’s Open, the tournament in it’s 20th year. Collins shot a final round 1 under par 71 to win the championship going away by 9 shots. In the early going Collins gave a few shots back to the field with a double bogey on 5, and another bogey on six. Then she caught fire with birdies on 7-8 and 9 and opened her lead back from two to seven in that period. During the back nine at one point she lead by as many as ten shots, she won by nine.

Collins a recent graduate of the University of Oklahoma and the lady Sooners golf program, that took 4th place in the NCAA nationals will now try to get ready for the Q-school on the LPGA tour. Collins admitted she played the last few holes a little conservative because of the size  of the lead that she had.

If she is not competing at golf on a higher level in 2015, she looks forward to returning to defend her first professional title. She admits she loves Mistwood, and not just because she won. The IWO was Collins second professional tournament, she took second in the Texas Women’s Open which was her first tournament.

Emily Collins with the Kosin Cup after winning the 20th Phil Kosin Illinois Women’s Open.

The real battle on the golf course during the final round was for second place, and four golfers tied for second at 221 a five over par score.

Allyssa Ferrell shot a 3 over par 75 and finished at 221. Joining Ferrell at +5 nine shots back of Collins were (a) Ashley Armstrong from Flossmoor who closed with a 72,(a) Ember Schuldt from Sterling and (a) Lisbeth Brooks from Waunakee Wisconsin who shot a one under par 71.

LPGA player and two-time IWO champion Nicole Jeray shot an even par 72, but was 13 shots back of Collins. The best round of the day went to (a) Bing Singhsumalee of Naperville who shot 70.

With her victory Collins won the $5,000 dollar first place check out of a purse of $25,000.

Some of the news from the tournament is that on August 18th, the old Mistwood clubhouse will finally be torn down. Work will start on a new facility a soon as demolition is complete, the new building or building there will be two of them, will be connected by an underground tunnel. The Gog Blog will have a feature on the third phase of the renovation of Mistwood in the short future.

The new clubhouse should be ready for the start of the 2015 Illinois Women’s Open. Greg Kosin, Phil’s brother came to present the winners trophy to Collins in a ceremony held in the Mistwood performance Center.

Mistwood will be open this fall while the new clubhouse is under construction. So come play Mistwood. (815)-254-3333 and remember “Keep it in the Short Stuff.” Thanks Phil.

Click here to hear the press conference with 2014 IWO winner Emily Collins.