Illinois PGA match play title down to four
The final four of the 61st Illinois PGA Match Play Championship is set and three of the field’s top six seeds have advanced to the semifinals, along with one player who continued his hot streak, winning his fifth match in three days.
Kevin Marion, the 108-seeded professional of Old Elm Club, defeated past Illinois PGA Match Play Champion Bryan Luedtke 3 & 2 to join an elite group in Thursday’s final four. Marion knocked off the number 5 seed Brian Brown earlier in the day and took down the 13-seeded Luedtke to secure a coveted semifinal spot.
“In the early matches I ran into some guys who weren’t playing that well so I took advantage of that, but I’m just making pars,” said Marion. “If you make a lot of pars on this course you put yourself in good shape.”
The number one overall seed, Rich Dukelow, continued his tear through the bracket, defeating Jim Billiter 5 & 4 in the morning matches and edging Billy Rosinia 2 Up in the quarterfinal match.
The lone left-handed player in the final four is 2010 Illinois PGA Match Play Champion Travis Johns, who locked in his semifinal spot with a spectacular shot on the par-3 199-yard 17th hole. Johns smacked a 4-iron over the water and dropped it within two feet of the flag. With his tap-in birdie, he claimed the hole and match 2 & 1 against David Paeglow of Kishwaukee C.C.
The fourth and final semifinalist is Curtis Malm, who knocked off Matt Slowinski, a one-time Match Play Champion.
Dukelow and Marion will tee things up first Thursday morning, followed by Johns and Malm. The winners of the semifinal matches will play at 12:30 p.m., and a new Illinois PGA Match Play Champion will be crowned.
Golf
Illinois PGA Tournament Results
The 61st Illinois PGA Match Play Championship
Kemper Lakes Golf Club - Kildeer, 7119 Yards
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
Quarterfinal Results
(1) Rich Dukelow, Orland Park, Cantigny Golf, def. (8) Billy
Rosina, Indian Head Park, Flagg Creek GC, 2 Up.
(108) Kevin Marion, Highland Park, Old Elm Club, def. (13). Bryan Luedtke, Woodstock, Plum Tree National GC, 3 & 2.
(2) Travis Johns, 34, Oswego,Twin Lakes GC, def. (10) David
Paeglow, DeKalb, Kishwaukee CC, 2 & 1.
(6) Curtis Malm, Aurora, St. Charles CC, def. (3) Matt Slowinski, Glen Ellyn, Glen Oak CC,1 Up.
Round 4 Results
(1) Dukelow def (17) Jim Billiter, Gurnee, Merit Club, 5 & 4.
(8) Rosina def. (24) Jonathan Prior, Libertyville, Knollwood Club, 2 & 1.
(13) Luedtke def. (29) Doug Baumann, North Barrington, Biltmore CC, 6 & 4.
(108) Marion def. (5) Brian Brown, Clarendon Hills, Naperville CC, 6 & 5.
(2) Johns def. (18) Eric Ilic, Carol Stream, Links and Tees Golf Facility, 4 & 3.
(10) Paeglow def. (26) Jordan Schroeder, Bartlett, Barrington Hills CC,1 Up.
(3) Slowinski def. (110) Scottie Nield, Inverness, Inverness GC, 3 & 1.
(6) Malm def. (54) Jason Calhoun, Wilmette, Loyola University, 3 & 2.