THE 25TH PHIL KOSIN ILLINOIS OPEN at Mistwood Golf Club in Romeoville. The half island third green is one of the best par 5’s in the Chicagoland area. (815)-254-3333. For great food enjoy McWethy’s Tavern inside the clubhouse, details Mistwoodgc.com.   ____________________________________________________________________

Jessica Porvasnik with the Phil Kosin trophy aftrer winning the 25th Illinois Women’s Open

JESSICA PROVASNIK held off a furious charge by Mistwood’s Nicole Jeray, to win the 25th Phil Kosin Illinois Women’s Open.

Provasnick two years out of Ohio State University, and a member of their women’s golf team. In her senior year Ohio State made the match part of the NCAA Championships at Rich Harvest Farms.

Provasnik emerged as the winner, when on-lookers and media types thought she would be in a playoff. But while the scoreboard had her at 4 under par, she knew all along that was not correct. Her birdie putt on 18 turned out to be the winner. The scorer put down the wrong score for her on the first hole, that went into the live scoring.

Runner-up Nicole Jeray rolls in a 10 foot birdie putt on the 16th hole.

Besides being a teaching professional at Mistwood, Berwyn’s Jeray was in her last chance to win the championship, in all three decades it had been held. Jeray was sitting top 10 after rounds 1 and 2, but waited just too long to mount a charge.

Jeray finally started her rally with a birdie 14, and followed with two more on 15 and 16. Firing at the flag on the par 3, 17th, she missed the green short side, but got up and down. Jeray could only par the par 5, 18th hole, and then sit and wait for a playoff that didn’t happen.

Challenging the toughest part of Mistwood known as “Kelpies Corner” which are holes 14-17 Because the fact is the players go over and around a lake. There are plenty of other issues that jump up and grab you. One of them is a cart path, that vaulted leader Kasey Miller’s ball OB on the 15h hole. Miller bogeyed 15 and 17, then like Jeray and amateur Monica Matsubara,missed a playoff by one shot. Matsubara who plays college golf at Northwestern, ended up edging Racine Wisconsin native Sarah Busey for low-amateur.

Anna Appert Lund who finished T-5, hit the shot of the day. Lund’s 7-Iron from 158 yards on the par 3 ninth hole, found the cup for the tournaments only hole-in-one.

Click here to hear interviews with runner up Nicole Jeray and champion Jessica Porvasnik.

Provasnik who been cashing checks at various women’s state opens in recent month’s, is looking forward to a better showing at Symetra Tour-tour school later this year. This week she will follow in the footsteps of last years IWO winner Hannah Kim. Kim who played college golf at Northwestern, won the IWO and the Tennessee Women’s Open in back-to-back weeks.

This years Phil Kosin IWO had a field of 52 players, down from the expected amount. But the scheduling conflict with the Women’s Western Golf Association amateur championship at Royal Melbourne in Long Grove didn’t help. A scoring recap of the IWO is at Mistwoodgc.com.