MSU golfer takes lead in Illinois Women's Open

ROMEOVILLE - Michigan State sophomore-to-be Aimee Neff took control of the Illinois Women's Open by firing a sizzling 7-under-par course-record 65 Friday for a commanding lead.

Neff, a native of Carmel, Ind., carded six birdies and an eagle over the par-72, 6,120-yard inland Irish links-style Mistwood Golf Club in Romeoville. Her only trouble was a three-putt bogey on the par-3 14th.

Neff, who advanced to the round of 16 in the U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship, will head up in the final group Saturday with 8-under 72-65-137. The previous Mistwood competitive course record was 5-under 67, shared by five players.

Neff shared half of the first-round lead with Spring Valley's Carrie Riordan, who plays for Eastern Illinois. Riordan finished with 1-over 73 to sit at even par 144 and will also play in the final group of three amateurs. The third member is Evanston's Jennifer Hong, a member of the Northwestern golf team and 2005 Women's Western Amateur winner, at 73-70-143 in a tie for second.

The other half of that tie for second is University of Illinois standout Seuk Ki Park of Northbrook with 74-69-143. She will play in the second-to-last group featuring the three lowest pros who are competing for a $1,000 bonus awarded to the Low Professional. Also in that group are Allison Finney, a veteran LPGA touring pro from Winnetka (74-73-147), and Mary Jacobs of Godfrey, a 2007 NCAA All-American from Arizona (75-73-148).

Katherine Hepler, a 13-year-old sponsors exemption from Lincoln who earlier this year qualified for the Futures Tour event in Decatur, tied Hong for the second-lowest score of the day, 2-under 70 for 78-70-148 and a tie with five others for eighth, and one of six players to break par for the day. One of those was defending champion Nicole Schachner of Libertyville, who opened with an 81 after breaking her driver and bounced back with a second-round 71.

Neff shot 4-under 32 on her front nine and 3-under 33 coming in. She had birdies on 1, 4, 13, 15, 16,17 with the eagle coming at No. 8.

"My front nine was really clean," Neff said. "I hit it good and had a lot of good looks at birdies because I was hitting it close. So was the back [nine clean], and I had some really good two-putts, but I didn't hit it as close as I did on the front. I only had one three-putt, the bogey at 14."

Neff's eagle 3 on the 431-yard, par-5 No. 8 was a rare occurrence in the IWO. "I had a really good drive with only about 200 yards left in," she said. "I hit a 3-wood off the upslope to about 10 feet and made the putt."

The cut came at 11-over 155, with 42 players making it into Saturday's final round, which begins at 10 a.m.

The Illinois Women's Open is a 54-hole stroke play format, followed by a cut after 36 holes to the low 40 percent and ties (39 players) for Saturday's final. The 2008 purse will be $12,000, plus $1,000 to the low professional. The top 24 and ties will share the purse.

ILLINOIS WOMEN'S OPEN

Mistwood Golf Club Romeoville, Ill.

Par 72-72-72-216 6,120 yards

Second round results:

a-Aimee Neff, Carmel, IN, 72-65-137 a-Jennifer Hong, Evanston, 73-70-143 Seul Ki Park, Northbrook, 74-69-143 a-Carrie Riordan, Spring Valley, 71-73-144 a-Ashley Freeman, Belleville, 74-72-146 a-Kristin Paulson, Ottumwa, IA, 71-75-146 Allison Finney, Winnetka, 74-73-147 a-Ashley Armstrong, Flossmoor, 74-74-148 a-Marisa Milligan, Normal, 73-75-148 Mary Jacobs, Godfrey, 75-73-148 a-Stacey Miller, Bloomington, 73-75-148 a-Samantha Sloan, Lansing, 75-73-148 a-Katherine Hepler, Lincoln, 78-70-148 a-Chelsea Harris, Normal, 78-71-149 a-Julie Tomlinson, Noblesville, IN, 75-74-149 a-Meg Gilley, Flossmoor, 75-76-151 a-Hailey Koschmann, Lake Forest, 75-76-151 a-Rebecca Lederhausen, Hinsdale, 77-74-151 a-Nicole Schachner, Libertyville, 81-71-152 Brittany Johnston, Akron, OH, 76-76-152 a-Samantha Postillion, Burr Ridge, 80-72-152 a-Kimberly Hunley, Aurora, 77-75-152 a-Jessie Hauser, Hartland, WI, 76-76-152 a-Kerry Postillion, Burr Ridge, 76-77-153 a-Stephanie Mory, Champaign, 73-80-153 a-Carly Werwie, Kenosha, WI, 77-76-153 a-Raquel Hopton, Valparaiso, IN, 80-73-153 a-Jan Bowers, Lincoln, 79-74-153 Catalina Mackelfresh, Chicago, 77-77-154 Alexis Mihelich, Mokena, 78-76-154 a-Nora Lucas, Glenview, 77-77-154 Chelsea Bach, Roscoe, 75-79-154 a-JJ Flynn, Mt. Zion, 79-75154 a-Michelle Caporusso, Mt. Prospect, 78-76-154 a-Kimberly Gottwald, Fort Wayne, IN, 78-76-154 a-Erin Sullivan, Burr Ridge, 78-77-155 a-Nikki Miller, Waukegan, 79-76-155 a-Beth Weinstein, Highland Park, 83-72-155 MaryBeth Skrodzki, Western Springs, 77-78-155

Failed to make the cut: a-Amanda Vogt, Melbourne, IA, 80-76-156 a-Nicole Puch, Mt. Prospect, 79-77156 a-Rachel Reed, Peoria, 75-82-157 a-Rachel Mayer, Flossmoor, 78-79-157 a-DeAnne Stolarik, Zion, 77-81-158 Megan Godfrey, Homewood, 80-78-158 a-Jessica Lederhausen, Hinsdale, 77-81-158 a-Angela Dehning, Hazel Crest, 77-81-158 a-Sarah Paulson, Ottumwa, IA, 83-76-159 a-Brittany Rendell, Winnetka, 83-76159 a-Kris Yoo, Schaumburg, 77-82-159 Lisa Quinn, Chicago, 79-81-160 a-Brittany Atterbury, Rockton, 85-75-160 a-Jacqueline Bardgett, Chesterfield, MO, 78-82-160 a-Molly O'Connor, Wheaton, 85-76-161 Sarah Pesavento, Oakbrook Terrace, 80-81-161 a-Michelle Puch, Mt. Prospect, 81-80-161 a-Erin Sweeney, Woodstock, 83-78-161 a-Nicole Spear, Naperville, 84-77-161 a-Nicole Simon, Barrington, 80-82-162 a-Heather Grant, LaGrange, 81-81-162 a-Mandi Vavrinchik, Elmhurst, 76-86-162 a-Jordan Hatch, South Beloit, 78-84-162 a-Carissa Burdi, Carol Stream, 79-84-163 a-Megan Trachok, Chicago, 84-79-163 Jennifer Lymangood, Fremont, IN, 80-84-164 a-Sandy Prisby, Hinsdale, 77-87-164 a-Katie Suckow, Waukee, IA, 83-81-164 a-Claire Costello, Winnetka, 80-85-165 a-Lauren May, St. Charles, 81-84-165 a-Abbie Many, Mt. Prospect, 86-79-165 a-Chelsey Gannon, DesMoines, IA, 82-83-165 a-Maureen Liddy, Green Bay, WI, 83-83166 a-Marietta Smith, Mt. Prospect, 86-80166 a-Lindsey Carr, Frankfort, 85-82-167 a-Kaitlyn Wampler, Bloomington, 85-83-168 a-Michelle Mayer, Flossmoor, 84-84168 a-Alexandra Anderson, Swansea, 77-92-169 Brandi Malkovich, Clarendon Hills, 79-90169 a-Ryann Gilley, Flossmoor, 85-84-169 a-Jamie Reints, St. Charles, 85-85-170 Jenny Wiegand, Kirkland, 85-86-171 a-Laura Carson, Lake Bluff, 84-89-173 a-Eleanor Costello, Winnetka, 87-86-173 a-Carly Flynn, Mt. Zion, 85-89-174 a-Tori Stock, Woodstock, 82-92-174 a-Nicole Bronson, Carol Stream, 86-90-176 a-Megan Grevas, Rock Falls, 92-85-177 a-Irish Whalen, Hanover, 92-86-178 a-Megan Sujack, Elmhurst, 90-88-178 a-Veronica Bernier, Homer Glen, 91-88-179 a-Allison Goodman, Norridge, 95-87-182 a-Sheila Connolly, Lemont, 94-89-183 a-Amy Hoffman, Lake Bluff, 98-87-185

Claudine Boettger, Aurora, 92-DQ Jody Christensen, Winnetka, 84-WD Abby Cotter, WD Jennifer Ferrell, Aurora, WD a-Kelsey Hirmer, Elwood, WD a-Tiffany Hockensmith, Bloomington, IN, DNS

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