86th Illinois State Amateur Championship
July 19-21 | St. Charles Country Club
Nick Hardy (-28) won the Illinois State Amateur in record-breaking fashion
Day 3
Hardy Rises, Records Fall in Historic Illinois State Amateur Championship
ST. CHARLES, Ill. - Northbrook native and University of Illinois junior Nick Hardy broke through, winning the 86th Illinois State Amateur Championship in epic fashion and rewriting the record books in the process Thursday at St. Charles Country Club.
Hardy, who finished second and third in the past two State Ams, left no doubt, firing an 8-under 64 in the third round Thursday to open up a four-shot lead, before walking to the finish line with a final-round 65.
Hardy’s four-round total of 260 bested the previous mark, 270, shot by Robert Zender in the 1971 event, by a whopping 10 strokes. Hardy’s 28-under-par was also the best score in relation to par, toppling the 13-under-par mark set by former PGA Tour member Jerry Haas in 1984. Hardy’s 10-stroke margin of victory was only shy of Rob Grube’s 11-shot victory in 2006.
“Going into the final round, I didn’t care if I won by one or if I won by 10. I just wanted to win,” Hardy said. “I kept battling out there all day and it happened to be 10. It means a lot to me.”
Two-time and defending champion Tee-K Kelly of Wheaton came in second, finishing at 18-under par. Charlie Netzel of Western Springs and 36-hole leader Brian Ohr of Northbrook finished tied for third at 17-under. (Read More / Final Results / Facebook Photo Gallery)
Nick Hardy (-28)
Tee-K Kelly (-18) and Brian Ohr (-17)
Rank
Player
Hometown
Score
1
Nick Hardy
Northbrook
-28
2
Tee-K Kelly
Wheaton
-18
T3
Charlie Netzel
Western Springs
-17
T3
Brian Ohr
Northbrook
-17
5
Trent Wallace
Joliet
-16
Day 2
Former High School Teammates Make Up Final Pairing At 86th Illinois State Amateur
A pair of former high school teammates, Brian Ohr and Nick Hardy, will make up the final pairing of the 86th Illinois State Amateur Championship at St. Charles Country Club on Thursday. Ohr held on to the lead following Wednesday’s second round, a 5-under 67, while Hardy sliced the lead to one following a round of 66.
The former Glenbrook North teammates reversed roles on Wednesday, with Ohr going out in the morning, carding six birdies against his first bogey of the championship. Hardy teed off in the afternoon, knowing he was seven shots back of Ohr, but closed the gap to one shot by day’s end.
“The round went well today,” Ohr said. “The score isn’t as good as yesterday, but I’m actually happier about today. I didn’t have the ball-striking as much, I hit 18 greens yesterday but only 13 today, so I scrambled a bit and had to just limit my bogeys.”
The field was cut to 38 players, who will compete in the 36-hole final day on Thursday, with temperatures forecasted to approach triple digits. Play will begin at 7 a.m. for the third round and 11:30 a.m. for the final round, with the pairing of Ohr and Hardy teeing off at 8:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. for their respective rounds.
(Full Recap / Round 2 Results / Round 3+4 Tee Times / Facebook Photo Gallery)
Brian Ohr (-14)
Nick Hardy (-13)
Charlie Netzel (-12)
Rank
Player
Hometown
Score
1
Brian Ohr
Northbrook
-14
2
Nick Hardy
Northbrook
-13
3
Charlie Netzel
Western Springs
-12
4
Patrick Flavin
Highwood
-11
T5
Pete Kuhl
Morton
-8
T5
Raymond Knoll
Naperville
-8
T5
Jake Erickson
Springfield
-8
Day 1
Stellar Finish Takes Ohr To Top After Day One of 86th Illinois State Amateur
A birdie-eagle-birdie-birdie closing stretch helped Northbrook’s Brian Ohr soar to a 9-under par 63 and a two-shot lead after the opening round of the 86th Illinois State Amateur Championship at St. Charles Country Club. The 19-year-old posted the first bogey-free round of his career en route to equaling the course record.
“Everything was working. A couple fairways were tight, so I’d say my driver was working well,” Ohr said. “I hit a lot of fairways and once you do that you have a lot of opportunities to attack the pins and make a lot of birdies.”
Nick Hardy and Charlie Netzel enter Wednesday’s second round two shots back of Ohr after firing 7-under 65s. Zach Burry, Pete Kuhl and Trent Wallace are in fourth after tallying 6-under 66s. Round 2 will begin at 7:30 a.m. on Wednesday.
(Full Recap / Round 1 Results / Round 2 Tee Times / Facebook Photo Gallery)
Brian Ohr (-9)
Nick Hardy (-7)
Charlie Netzel (-7)
Rank
Player
Hometown
Score
1
Brian Ohr
Northbrook
-9
T2
Nick Hardy
Northbrook
-7
T2
Charlie Netzel
Western Springs
-7
T4
Zach Burry
Quincy
-6
T4
Pete Kuhl
Morton
-6
T4
Trent Wallace
Joliet
-6
Preview
LEMONT, Ill. - For the first time in more than seven decades, the state’s biggest amateur golf championship visits St. Charles, when the 86th Illinois State Amateur Championship returns to St. Charles Country Club July 19-21. The Tom Bendelow-designed facility will host 136 of the state’s best in a three-day, 72-hole championship. The full field will compete on Tuesday and Wednesday, with only the low 35 and ties advancing to the 36-hole finale on Thursday. (Full Preview / Tee Times)
