BARRINGTON, Ill. – The 50th Illinois State Junior Amateur concluded Thursday after 54 holes of competitive golf. Mac McClear (2019) of Hinsdale, Ill., earned champion honors after finishing the final round with an even-par 71.
The Illinois State Junior Amateur (ISJA) is a 54 hole, stroke play event, with a cut after 36 holes to the top 50 and ties. The field, made up of male junior golfers from Illinois ages 12-18, played the second round on the par 71 course from 6,587 yards.
The Illinois Junior Golf Association is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to providing playing opportunities for its members ages 8-18, conducting educational clinics and events, and serving as a junior golf informational clearinghouse.
McClear, who has signed with the University of Iowa, carded four birdies and ten pars en route to his first place finish. He finished the tournament with a 6-over-par 219 tournament total, which included a first round score of 1-over-par 72 and a second round score of 5-over-par 76.
When asked about his round McClear said, “I had pretty good control of my game today compared to the last two days. It wasn’t until I laid it up into the middle of the fairway on No. 18 that I knew I had it, up until then I wasn’t so sure. I made a 10-12 foot putt for par on No. 7, which was pretty clutch. I got a little momentum and birdied Nos. 8 and 9, which got the round going.”
As champion of the 50th ISJA, McClear has earned exemptions into the 2020 Illinois Open and the 2020 Illinois State Amateur.
Coming in tied for second were Jack Crawshaw (2019) of Winnetka, Ill., and Parker Wisdom (2019) of Bloomington, Ill., who each finished the tournament with a 9-over-par 222 total. Tied for fourth place were Bradley Goldstein (2019) of Highland Park, Ill., and Garrett Tighe (2019) of Algonquin, Ill., after carding a 10-over-par 223 tournament total.
In solo sixth was Danny Fisher (2019) of Lake Forest, Ill., who finished the tournament with a 11-over-par 224 total. Benjamin Sluzas (2021) of Lockport, Ill., and Evan Myers (2019) of Northbrook, Ill., finished tied for seventh after finishing with a 12-over-par 225 tournament total.
Rounding out the top ten, with a tournament total of 13-over-par 226, were Daniel Tanaka (2020) of Wilmette, Ill., and Robert Beaubien Jr (2019) of Barrington, Ill.
