Kelly Closes Out Second Come From Behind Victory at Illinois State Amateur
For the second time in three years, Tee-K Kelly hit the back nine in the final round of the Illinois State Amateur Championship trailing the leader. As he did in Rockford two years ago, Kelly found a way to win, albeit in much more dramatic fashion at the 85th Illinois State Amateur Championship at Panther Creek Country Club. Three pars in the aggregate playoff made Kelly the first two-time winner of the State Am since Bloomington’s Todd Mitchell went back-to-back in 2002 and 2003. (Read More / Results)
Tee-K Kelly, 2015 Illinois State Amateur champion
Raymond Knoll (-3) and Conor Dore (-9)
Rank
Player
Hometown
Score
1
Tee-K Kelly
Wheaton
-9
2
Conor Dore
Chicago
-9
3
Nick Hardy
Northbrook
-8
4
Alex Burge
Bloomington
-6
5
Jack Watson
Lincolnshire
-4
Runner-Up Conor Dore
Day 2
Course Record 65 Earns Meinhart Share of Lead
On a day that saw scoring go a full stroke lower than in the opening round, a pair of golfers took aim at the competitive course record during the second round of the 85th Illinois State Amateur Championship at Panther Creek. Derek Meinhart, a mid-amateur from Mattoon, took the battle for the course record—a 6-under par 65—to place him at 7-under par and level with recent Whitney Young High School graduate and Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville commit Conor Dore for the lead at the midpoint of the championship. Dore, a native of Chicago, tallied a 66 on Wednesday afternoon on the Springfield layout. (Read More / Round 2 Results / Round 3 and 4 Tee Times)
Derek Meinhart (-7)
Conor Dore (-7)
Brian Bullington (-6) and Tee-K Kelly (-5)
Rank
Player
Hometown
Score
T1
Conor Dore
Chicago
-7
T1
Derek Meinhart
Mattoon
-7
3
Brian Bullington
Frankfort
-6
4
Tee-K Kelly
Wheaton
-5
T5
Charlie Netzel
Western Springs
-2
T5
Jack Watson
Lincolnshire
-2
Derek Meinhart’s 65 set a Panther Creek competitive round record
Day 1
Bull Market: Bullington Charges to Early Lead at 85th Illinois State Amateur
Recent University of Iowa graduate Brian Bulllington fired a 5-under par 66 to take the first round lead in the 85th Illinois State Amateur Championship at Panther Creek Country Club in Springfield on Tuesday. Bullington carded one eagle and six birdies in a round bookended by a bogey on the opening hole and double bogey on the finisher. Despite that, Bullington holds a two-shot advantage over Belvidere mid-amateur Kevin Flack, whose 3-under par 68 led the morning wave on a hot and windy day in the state capital. (Read More / Round 1 Results / Round 2 Tee Times)