CHICAGO DISTRICT GOLF ASSOCIATION

NORTH RIVERSIDE, Ill. - Years away from state-wide competitive golf would typically garner rust for the average player. That was not the case for Scot Frankenreider (Peoria) Wednesday at Riverside Golf Club, as the recently turned 55-year-old captured the 36th Illinois State Senior Amateur Championship in his first year back to CDGA-administered competition in more than a decade.

Frankenreider, who stepped away from the competitive side of the game to follow his children's athletic endeavors, appeared to have not skipped a beat this season after making it through the qualifying rounds of the Illinois State Amateur and State Mid-Amateur Championships. Although he didn't make it through the two-round cuts at either event, Frankenreider surely made his presence known at Riverside after not only making the cut, but holding the lead after each of the first two days.

Playing Wednesday's finale alongside Mike Karney (Crystal Lake) and Ted Pecora (Winnetka) in the last group, Frankenreider's overnight lead quickly expanded. Starting on Riverside's back nine, his bogeys on Nos. 11 and 17 were more than offset by birdies on Nos. 12 and 16 and an eagle at the par-5 15th. A double bogey-bogey-double bogey start virtually knocked Karney out of contention early on, while Pecora kept pace by notching birdies on Nos. 16 and 17 to remain three shots back.

"Luckily, most of the week I made some mistakes, but usually I followed those up with a birdie or, you know, a couple of good holes," said Frankenrider following the victory.

A two-man race heading to Riverside's front nine, steady play from Pecora, the Championship's low super senior, brought the 67-year-old home in even-par 35 after one bogey and one birdie. His final-round 69 tied for the lowest round of the event.

Taking a different path into the clubhouse, at times even literally, Frankenreider carded three birdies, two bogeys and two double bogeys throughout the first seven holes of his closing nine to "tighten the collar” and find the Championship tied with just the 53rd and 54th holes remaining.

"I hit that stretch on the back nine and hit a couple of errant shots, had two penalty shots, but had putts that I could've made on both holes and didn't," said Frankenreider. "I was just trying to gut it out – stay positive and stay patient."

Matching Pecora's par at No. 8, Frankenredier opted to play up Riverside's 10th fairway from the ninth tee after Pecora nearly found the penalty area up the left side. Frankenreider lost a shot to the same penalty area on Tuesday.

"Down the left side there, it's very tight, and the first two times I played it, I hit bad shots there, I actually had a penalty shot there my last round," said Frankenreider. "I took it to the right and it's very open and I hit probably my best tee shot of the day there. I left myself with about 200 yards in and didn't hit a great iron shot there, but had a good look at it."

Both getting up-and-down for par on the closing hole, Frankenreider and Pecora were headed to a three-hole aggregate playoff - a spot the latter was all too familiar with, falling to Tim Sheppard (East Peoria) in 2018 at Riverside in the same event.

Starting with holes 1 and 17, Frankenreider carded a pair of fours to take a one-shot advantage to No. 18 after Pecora failed to hole his par putt at the first.

After finding the left fringe from the tee, Frankenreider's Championship-clinching second putt circumnavigated the hole, leaving the door open. Thankfully for Frankenreider, Pecora's par bid came up short to conclude the tournament.

"I couldn't believe it - that went all the way around the hole, almost like it went around twice, but I never have had that,"said Frankenreider of the putt. "I fully expected Ted to make that putt because he had made all kinds of putts like that today. I was very fortunate that it didn't happen."

For Frankenreider, his first State Championship victory was extra special following his time away from the competitive game - time that didn't seem to play a factor this week at Riverside.

"I have been playing really well this summer," said Frankenreider. "I've dedicated a lot of time to the game and have put myself in these pressure situations by playing in the State Am, the (State) Mid-Am and some USGA qualifiers, so we'll see. Hopefully I can build upon it and keep playing and keep healthy."

Next up on the CDGA's championship slate is the 7th CDGA Senior Amateur Four-Ball Championship Sept. 26-29 at Crystal Lake Country Club. The tournament is the eighth and final of the 2022 season.