E-Z-GO ILLINOIS PGA PLAYERS CHAMPIONSHIP LEADERBOARD
2024 ILLINOIS PGA BERNARDI PLAYER OF THE YEAR POINTS LIST
2024 ILLINOIS PGA TEAM GOLF LEADERBOARD
GOLF, Ill. – October 1, 2024 – Jeff Kellen (North Shore Country Club) carded matching rounds of 5-under-par 67 at the E-Z-GO Illinois PGA Players Championship to claim the final Regular Division Major Championship of the Illinois PGA’s 2024 season. In total, Kellen recorded a two-day score of 10-under-par 134 to claim his second Illinois PGA Players Championship victory (2018, 2024).
“It was a fun couple of days,” said Kellen. “I haven’t played my best golf this summer. But to finish the year with a great showing and a chance to win a Major at a place like Glen View Club is really special.”
Kellen began the second round in a tie for first with Tim Streng (Wildcat Golf Academy). Kellen and Streng held a one-stroke lead over a group of three players sitting at 4-under-par after the first round. Andy Svoboda (Butler National Golf Club), Kyle Irlbacker (Kemper Lakes Golf Club), and Kevin Nelson (Chicago Golf Club) all trailed the leaders by one stroke heading into the final round.
Much like in round one, Kellen had control of the final round from the beginning despite both of his playing partners (Streng and Svoboda) making pushes to catch him. Kellen would birdie the first hole of the second round, but his round really got started on the par-5 sixth hole.
After bogeying the fourth hole to fall back to 5-under-par. Kellen made an eagle on the sixth hole thanks to an impressive second shot that left him less than a foot for a three. Kellen’s lead grew to two strokes as he moved to 7-under-par for the Championship.
Kellen would close out his front nine of the final round with back-to-back birdies on holes eight and nine. On the ninth hole, Kellen hit his tee shot into the front greenside bunker. With the pin placed in the front of the green, Kellen was faced with a difficult up and down for birdie. However, he hit a great bunker shot that nearly went in and he tapped in for birdie. With just nine holes left, Kellen was 9-under-par and held a commanding four-stroke lead.
A steady performance on the back nine was all Kellen needed to close out the Championship. He built on his lead when he added his third consecutive birdie on the par-4 10th hole. Kellen hit his approach just past the pin on the right-hand side of the green. Left with a tricky downhill slider, Kellen poured in the putt to move to 10-under-par and gave himself a five-stroke lead over the field.
Kellen would rattle off a few routine pars as he plotted his way around Glen View Club. He made a couple of impressive pars on holes 14-16. He left his tee shot short of the green on the par-3 14th hole but managed to save par after a great chip shot. He then saved par on the par-5 15th hole, which proved to be a big moment in the Championship as playing partner, Svoboda, made an eagle and cut Kellen’s lead to three strokes.
The par-4 16th hole proved to be the turning point of the Championship. Kellen and Svoboda both missed the fairway off the tee. Kellen hit his tee shot behind a tree in the left rough, and Svoboda’s tee shot just rolled into the rough along the right hand side of the hole. Svoboda played first, and hit a fantastic approach shot, leaving himself about eight feet for birdie. Blocked out by the tree, Kellen was forced to hit a shot out to the right-hand side and ended up with a tough lie for his third shot. With the ball resting just outside of the greenside bunker, Kellen took his stance with his feet in the bunker, and the ball well above his feet. He choked down to the steel of the club and hit a perfect chip shot leaving himself a tap in par. Svoboda was still left with a chance to cut into Kellen’s lead but was unable to convert his birdie putt. Kellen remained at 10-under-par and kept his three-stroke lead with two holes to play.
A two-putt par on the 17th hole and yet another up and down on the 18th hole completed Kellen’s bogey-free back nine as he carded his second consecutive 5-under-par 67 to clinch his second Illinois PGA Players Championship.
“I knew I had a decent lead,” said Kellen. “I was just trying to hit solid shots and ended up leaving myself in a couple of squirely spots. I just told myself to not make any bogeys on the way in and to make good swings and we will see what happens.”
Svoboda ended his Championship with a birdie on the 18th hole and carded matching rounds of 4-under-par 68 for a two-day total of 8-under-par 136.
Streng fired a final round even-par 72 to finish in solo third place with a total score of 5-under-par 139.
Kevin Flack (Mauh-Nah-Tee-See-Club), Mike Troy (Zigfield Troy Par 3 Golf Course), and Kevin Nelson (Chicago Golf Club) rounded out the top five of the E-Z-GO Illinois PGA Players Championship with 4-under-par 140s.
In addition to crowning the final Regular Division Major Champion of the year, the Illinois PGA Bernardi Player of the Year was determined. Andy Svoboda secured his first career Illinois PGA Bernardi Player of the Year Award in just his first year as an Illinois PGA Member.
“I couldn’t be happier with winning Player of the Year. It’s a great achievement,” said Svoboda. “When I look back, it was an incredible year. Finishing second at the PGA Professional Championship jump-started the season. That got me into the PGA Championship and then I qualified for the U.S. Open, which was incredible.”
On the Illinois PGA circuit, Svoboda competed in eight (8) Bernardi Point events. His sole victory of the year came at the Illinois PGA Stroke Play #5 at Crystal Lake Country Club, but he finished inside the top 10 at each event he played in including all four Illinois PGA Major Championships. Svoboda recorded runner-up finishes at the Harris Golf Cars Illinois PGA Match Play Championship and at the E-Z-GO Illinois PGA Players Championship. He also finished T3 at the Nadler Golf Cars Illinois PGA Professional Championship and was the Low PGA Professional at the 75th Illinois Open with a T7 finish.
“I really enjoyed playing in the Section events. The Illinois PGA Section has a lot of great players,” said Svoboda. “The Section runs great events. There are a lot of great players in the Section, and it was really fun to compete against everyone each week. I’m looking forward to next year and hopefully I can win one of the Major Section events next year.”
The inaugural Illinois PGA Team Golf Champion was also determined at the E-Z-GO Illinois PGA Players Championship. The team of Brian Carroll (The Hawk Country Club), Frank Hohenadel (Mistwood Golf Club), Doug Bauman (Biltmore Country Club), Danny Mulhearn (Glen Oak Country Club), Brandon O’Kray (Onwentsia Club), and BJ Paul (Bolingbrook Golf Club) carded a team total of 115-under-par through seven events (all Illinois PGA Stroke Plays and the Illinois PGA Players Championship) to win the first Illinois PGA season long Team Golf format.
The E-Z-GO Illinois PGA Players Championship concluded the 2024 Illinois PGA Bernardi Player of the Year point events. The Illinois PGA only has two point-earning events left in the 2024 season. They are the Illinois PGA Senior Match Play at Ridge Country Club, and the Illinois PGA Senior Players Championship at Twin Orchard Country Club. Both events will take place over the next two weeks.
“Every year is special,” said Kellen. “It’s such a great experience for all of us Illinois PGA Members to come out and play in events that are hosted by our fellow clubs and our fellow members. Our events are run by a wonderful Section so it’s great to get the opportunity to come out here and play and I’m already looking forward to next year.”
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 apprentices, 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.
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