Midwest Golf House | Contact: Casey Richards |
11855 Archer Avenue | (630) 685-2324 |
Lemont, IL 60439 | crichards@cdga.org |
Contact: Tim Merrick | |
(630) 685-2302 | |
tmerrick@cdga.org | |
Contact: Jacob Bomeli | |
(630) 685-2345 | |
jbomeli@cdga.org |
For Immediate Release | July 20, 2021 |
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DEFENDING FARNAM, B1G CHAMP MCCLEAR TIED FOR ROUND 1 IL STATE AM LEAD | |
Tuesday, July 20, 2021 - ROMEOVILLE, Ill. - Ethan Farnam (Crystal Lake) is his own toughest critic.
Entering the 90th Illinois State Amateur Championship as the event’s defending champion, having emerged victorious at Cantigny Golf in 2019 before COVID necessitated the 2020 iteration’s cancelation, Farnam was nonplussed at being regaled about his play leading up to his title defense. “Everyone’s like ‘Hey, didn’t you just win this event?’ But it was two years ago,” Farnam said. “I have not been playing good, so it’s pretty frustrating when everyone’s telling you how good you are because you won this event and you’re really not playing that good.” Even Farnam was satisfied with himself following a 7-under 65 in the opening round Tuesday at Mistwood Golf Club. The 22-year-old Saint Mary’s (California) senior shares the first-round lead with Mac McClear (Hinsdale), a rising junior at Iowa who won the Big Ten individual championship in May. Starting on the back nine, Farnam “hit every drive perfect,” but battled some “shaky” and “nervy” wedge play early and stood at 2-under with four holes to play. However, the lefty proceeded to go on a tear to close his round, playing the final four holes at 5-under. The stretch was jump-started by a tap-in eagle on the par-5 sixth - one that nearly missed being his second albatross in one week - and concluded with a 20-foot eagle putt on the par-5 ninth. “That was my longest putt of the day, so that felt nice,” Farnam said. McClear’s round was one more rooted in consistency than fueled by a surge like Farnam’s. The 20-year-old, playing in his first State Am since debuting as a 16-year-old in 2017, mitigated one bogey on the day with eight birdies. Riding the confidence garnered from winning the Big Ten, McClear was pleased with all assets of his game on a sunny and hot morning. “A lot of things were working today,” McClear said. “Pretty much everything was good. I drove it well, hit a lot of good iron shots. My wedges were particularly good. That’s something I’ve been working on and it paid off today. And it always helps to make a couple putts. “[Winning the Big Ten] obviously gave me a lot of confidence to know that I can win big tournaments and win against some of the best players in the country,” McClear said. “I just tried to keep that confidence rolling, keep doing the same things and it seems to be working so far.” Jordan Less (Elmhurst) - the 2019 CDGA Co-Player of the Year and 2019 State Am runner up - headlines a three-way tie for third following a 5-under 67. Joining Less to round out the top five are Anthony Ruthey (Port Byron) - a rising redshirt sophomore at SIUE who concluded his round with five consecutive birdies - and Jake Hennessy (Oak Lawn) - a recent Dallas Baptist graduate and Beverly Country Club member who qualified for the U.S. Amateur last week. The entire field will play another 18-hole round on Wednesday, before the field is cut to the low 35 and ties in advance of Thursday’s final 36 holes. Quotes of Note Ethan Farnam on the importance of driving the ball well at Mistwood…
Mac McClear on how he has evolved since his State Am debut in 2017…
Mac McClear on the challenge that Mistwood Golf Club provides…
Anthony Ruthey on his stretch of five straight birdies to close his round...
Jake Hennessy on how his opening round unfolded...
Notables
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Chicago District Golf Association The Chicago District Golf Association (CDGA) is authorized by the United States Golf Association (USGA) as the governing body for amateur golf in our region. The CDGA is a membership organization consisting of nearly 90,000 individual golfers and 400 clubs in Illinois and parts of Indiana, Michigan and Wisconsin. Golfers receive member offers, a Handicap Index® from the USGA® and competitive playing opportunities, while clubs receive USGA rating and measuring services, turfgrass diagnostics and educational seminars. Midwest Golf House and the Bob Berry Sunshine Course are home to the CDGA Foundation, which annually serves more than 1,000 individuals with special needs and wounded veterans while also bringing playing opportunities to youth golfers. Founded on March 18, 1914, the CDGA is one of the largest and oldest golf associations in the United States. | |
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