National Car Rental Illinois Assistant PGA Professional Championship Leaderboard
Rockford, Ill. – June 10, 2024 – Kevin Flack (Mauh-Nah-Tee-See Country Club) won the National Car Rental Illinois Assistant PGA Professional Championship on Monday, June 10 at Mauh-Nah-Tee-See Country Club. Flack went wire-to-wire to win his fourth Illinois Assistant PGA Professional title in six years (2019, 2021, 2022, 2024).
Flack will be joined by Kevin Healy (Beverly Country Club), and Matthew Rion (Briarwood Country Club) at the National Car Rental Assistant PGA Professional Championship at the PGA Golf Club on November 14-17.
“The course was in great shape today. Our superintendent did a great job getting the course ready today,” said Flack. “The course was fast and firm, so we had to be a little careful out there. If you were above the hole you could find yourself in some trouble. I managed to plot my way around the course pretty well and make some birdies when I could. I got off to a good start in the first round and just tried to stay steady the rest of the way.”
Flack held a one-stroke lead over Kevin Nelson (Chicago Golf Club) and Quinn Tank (Park Ridge Country Club) after a 4-under-par 67 in round one. Nelson tested Flack early on in round two, but Flack remained steady in his Championship run. Nelson came out with birdies on the first and third holes to tie Flack at 4-under-par. Flack would respond, however, with birdies on the fourth and fifth holes to regain the lead at 5-under-par. From there, Flack never looked back as his lead would never fall within two strokes for the rest of the round.
He added his third birdie of the round on the par-5 eighth hole and made the turn at 5-under-par for the Championship with a three-stroke lead over the field. A bogey-free back nine secured the victory for Flack who also added another birdie on the par-5 14th hole. In total, Flack finished with a 6-under-par 136 and won the Championship by five strokes.
Due to the PGA of America’s eligibility requirements, Nelson, who finished second in the Championship, was not eligible to qualify for the National Car Rental Assistant PGA Professional Championship.
Healy tied Flack for the lowest score in round two, carding a 2-under-par 69. His second round propelled him up the leaderboard to finish third in the Championship and secure the second qualifying spot for the Illinois PGA Section. In total, Healy finished with a 1-over-par 143.
Rion finished fourth in the Championship after carding back-to-back rounds of 1-over-par 72. Rion claimed the third and final qualifying spot for the Illinois PGA.
The National Car Rental Assistant PGA Professional Championship brings together a field of 132 contestants representing the PGA of America’s 41 nationwide Sections and features a total purse of $150,000. All rounds will be played on the Wanamaker Course at PGA Golf Club. A cut after 36 holes of play will be made to the low 70 scorers and ties.
Begun in 1977, the National Car Rental Assistant PGA Professional Championship is modeled after the PGA Professional Championship, with a field of PGA Professionals and PGA Associates who advanced through 41 Section Championships conducted from May through October this year. The champion of this event earns a berth in the PGA Professional Championship if eligibility is met and maintained.
About the PGA of America
The PGA of America represents the very best in golf. For more information about the PGA of America, visit PGA.org and follow us on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
About the Illinois PGA/Illinois PGA Foundation
The Illinois Section of the PGA of America is a professional organization serving the men and women golf professionals in northern and central Illinois who are the recognized experts in growing, teaching and managing the game of golf. The Illinois PGA is responsible for the administration of competitive golf tournaments, educational opportunities, support programs and growth of the game initiatives. With over 840 members and associates, the Illinois PGA is one of the 41 regional Sections that comprise the PGA of America. The Illinois PGA Foundation focuses its community efforts on promoting the goodwill and growth of the game with an emphasis on activities that benefit youth. Foundation initiatives include: GolfWorks Illinois, youth-based scholarship funds and the Illinois Golf Hall of Fame. For more information about the Illinois PGA and the Illinois PGA Foundation, please visit www.ipga.com and join us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.
# # #
CONTACT:
Kevin Quinn
Illinois PGA Communications
708.336.1294 mobile
kbquinn@pgahq.com