Orrick shoots 65 to take 90th Illinois PGA title
The likelihood of Steve Orrick winning the 90th Illinois PGA Championship Wednesday didn’t seem good.
No club professional from outside the Chicago area had won the event since Mike Sipula in 1952, and Orrick had two better established playing partners in the final threesome at Stonewall Orchard in Grayslake. University of Illinois coach Mike Small had won the IPGA title nine times and Curtis Malm, assistant pro at St. Charles Country Club, had been the hottest player in the section this season with titles in the Match Play and Assistants championships.
Small, Malm and everybody else was no match for Orrick, however. The Country Club of Decatur head pro shot a sizzling 65 — including a 5-under-par 31 on the back nine — to take the title by five shots.
Orrick posted a 9-under-par 207 for the tourney’s 54 holes to beat Malm, who shot 66 in Tuesday’s second round to open a three-stroke lead on Small. Orrick was a stroke back in third at the start of the day but found himself the sole leader after Malm made bogeys at Nos. 3, 4 and 5 and then put a ball in the water at No. 9 for still another.
“It was pretty awful for awhile,” said Malm. “I had a horrid start, and some of the worst tee shots I’ve ever hit were on 3, 4 and 5.”
But Orrick definitely won this title more than Malm lost it.
“I wasn’t paying attention to what Curtis was doing,” said Orrick. “I just hoped my putter would get hot, and it did.”
Orrick was in position to win the IPGA title in 2008 at Medinah Country Club but it didn’t happen. Playing in the final twosome, he finished runner-up to Small. Orrick had won the IPGA Fall Classic at Eagle Ridge in Galena in 2008 and 2009, but the IPGA Championship is much more prestigious.
“Steve’s a really good player. I knew he’d shoot something good, but I didn’t see 65,” said Malm. “He was unbelievable.”
In his sixth season at the Country Club of Decatur, Orrick posted his best-ever tournament round and achieved a career highlight. His best previous performance came at the 2010 Professional Players National Championship at French Lick, Ind., where he came up one stroke short of qualifying for the PGA Championship.
Kishwaukee’s Dave Paeglow, playing six groups in front of the leaders, shot 67 and edged Small for third. Paeglow, at 1-under 215, was the only player besides Orrick and Malm to finish under par at the only public facility in the championship’s three-course rotation. It’ll be played at Olympia Fields in 2013 and Medinah in 2014.
Illinois PGA results
The 90th Illinois PGA Championship at Stonewall Orchard Golf Club in Grayslake.
Wednesday.Aug. 29, 2012 Par 72-72-72--216 - 6992 Yards
Final results
1. Steve Orrick, Mt. Zion (CC of Decatur) 72-70-65-207 (-9)
2. Curtis Malm, Aurora (St. Charles CC) 72-66-74-212 -4
3. David Paeglow, DeKalb (Kishwaukee) 72-76-67-215 -1
4. Mike Small, Champaign (U of Illinois) 70-71-75-216 E
T5. Travis Johns, Oswego (Twin Lakes GC) 73-74-70-217 +1
T5. Jim Sobb, Barrington (Ivanhoe Club) 72-72-73-217 +1
7. F. Hohenadel, Tinley Park (Midlothian) 70-77-72-219 +3
T8. Simon Allan, Chicago (Westmoreland) 73-77-70-220 +4
T8. J. Schroeder, Bartlett (Barrington Hills) 72-77-71-220 +4
T8. Dan Olsen, Chicago (Beverly CC) 74-73-73-220 +4
T8. Chad Callan, Oglesby (Deer Park GC) 72-71-77-220 +4
T8. R. Dukelow, Orland Park (Cantigny Golf) 73-71-76-220 +4
T13. Garrett Chaussard, Chicago (Cog Hill) 75-76-72-223 +7
T13. B.Rosinia, Indian Head Park (Flagg Creek) 71-78-74-223 +7
T13. Scott Baines, Chicago (Bryn Mawr) 74-73-76-223 +7
T16. Jason Lee, Forest Park (Ridgemoor) 75-73-76-224 +8
T16. B. Brown, Clarendon Hills (Naperville) 78-71-75-224 +8
T16. Mike Harrigan, Chicago (PGA LM) 71-76-77-224 +8
T16. Kyle Sanders, Wheaton (Chicago GC) 75-71-78-224 +8
T16. Connie DeMattia, Golf (Cantigny) 71-74-79-224 +8
T16. J. Pajula, Lake Zurich (Stonewall Orchard) 75-71-78-224 +8
22. Jake Pasch, Glencoe (Skokie CC) 78-71-76-225 +9
T23. Eric Ilic, Carol Stream (Links and Tees) 77-77-72-226 +10
T23. Matt Slowinski, Glen Ellyn (Glen Oak) 77-70-79-226 +10
T25. H. Chemers, Lake Forest (Conway Farms) 75-77-75-227 +11
T25. John Platt, Plainfield (Green Garden ) 74-76-77-227 +11
T25. B. Luedtke, Woodstock (Plum Tree) 73-75-79-227 +11
T25. Katie Dick, Chicago (Bryn Mawr) 76-70-81-227 +11
T29. L. Olson, Champaign (Champaign CC) 77-75-76-228 +12
T29. Gary Groh, Highland Park (Bob OLink) 77-75-76-228 +12
T29. Kyle Bauer, Golf (Glen View Club) 75-79-74-228 +12
T32. Bob Sloan, Lansing (Idlewild CC) 78-74-78-230 +14
T32. Danny Mulhearn, Wheaton (Glen Oak) 73-78-79-230 +14
T32. S. Gillie, Pingree Grove (Randall Oaks) 74-79-77-230 +14
T32. Jonathan Duppler, Elgin (Elgin CC) 75-80-75-230 +14
T36. John Guyton, Wheaton (Chicago GC) 83-70-78-231 +15
T36. Mike Haase, Bull Valley (Boone Creek) 74- 80-77-231 +15
T36. Brett Packee, Vernon Hills (Core Golf) 75-79-77-231 +15
T36. Chris Cain, Vernon Hills (Ballybunion) 74-72-85-231 +15
T40. Kevin Healy, Sugar Grove (Black Sheep) 76-77-79-232 +16
T40. Todd Russell, Aurora (Springbrook) 79-74-79-232 +16
T40. John Varner, Chicago (Beverly CC) 73-77-82-232 +16
T40. Kevin Rafferty, Lake Zurich (Dicks SG 76-80-76-232 +16
T40. C. Johansen, Warrenville (Blackberry Oaks) 80-76-76-232 +16
T45. Chris Gumbach, Elmhurst (River Forest) 78-73-82-233 +17
T45. Michael Troy, Naperville (Zigfield Troy) 77-77-79-233 +17
T45. Visanu Tongwarin, Plainfield (Mistwood) 75-79-79-233 +17
T45. Rob Drogos, Schaumburg (Indian Hil) 76-78-79-233 +17
T45. Jason Calhoun, Wilmette (Loyola U) 78-77-78-233 +17
T45. G. Simons, Oak Brook (GolfTEC) 82-73-78-233 +17
T51. Steve Murray, Byron (PrairieView GC) 80-75-80-235 +19
T51. Benjamin Putka, Antioch (GolfTec-DP) 77-78-80-235 +19
T51. T. Russell, Arlington Heights (Bryn Mawr) 75-81-79-235 +19
T51. John Billiter, Gurnee (Sportsmans CC) 79-77-79-235 +19
T51. Steven Daly, Lake Bluff (Shoreacres) 81-75-79-235 +19
56. Jim Billiter, Gurnee (Merit Club) 79-75-82-236 +20
T57. Andy Shuman, Long Grove (Twin Orchard) 82-73-82-237 +21
T57. Casey Brozek, Crystal Lake (Crystal Lake) 75-80-82-237 +21
T57. N. Papadakes, Wadsworth (Old Elm Club) 76-80-81-237 +21
T57. BJ Paul, Westmont (GolfTec-Naperville) 78-78-81-237 +21
T57. Jason Rasmussen, Harvard (Ivanhoe Club) 79-77-81-237 +21
62. Richard Lorenz, Schaumburg (Riverside) 75-79-84-238 +22
T63. D. Hannon, La Grange Park (La Grange) 80-74-85-239 +23
T63. Mark Labiak, Hinsdale (Ruth Lake) 83-72-84-239 +23