ITASCA, Ill. – The cut has been made at the 40th Chick Evans Junior Amateur Championship at Itasca Country Club. Entering Match Play, Thomas Baker (2020) of Rockford, Ill., is the number one seed in the Boys Division; while in the Girls Division, Katherine Lemke (2021) of Geneva, Ill., finished atop the Stroke Play leaderboard.

The Chick Evans Junior Amateur (CEJA) is the highest level of IJGA competition and is intended to highlight the best players in the state while giving players the opportunity to earn national recognition. This championship is open to boys and girls ages 12-18 who have earned exempt status. The field will play 36 holes of Stroke Play before a cut is made for Match Play. The low 16 boys and eight (8) girls will advance to Match Play.

Baker moved his tournament total to a 7-under-par 137 after carding a 1-under-par 71 during the second round. His round included a bogey-free front nine.

Also making the cut to Match Play in the Boys Division are:

2 Dominic Scaletta  2021, Inverness, IL -3 F -1 70 71 141
T3 Patrick Adler  2021, Winnetka, IL -1 F -3 74 69 143
T3 Samuel Mortell  2021, Chicago, IL -1 F -2 73 70 143
T3 John Wild  2022, Glen Ellyn, IL -1 F E 71 72 143
T3 Noah Zyung  2024, Glenview, IL -1 F -1 72 71 143
T7 Matthew Buckley  2020, Elmhurst, IL 1 F -2 75 70 145
T7 Will Caronchi  2022, Willow Springs, IL 1 F -2 75 70 145
T7 Will Stewart  2021, Lake in the Hills, IL 1 F 4 69 76 145
T10 Tyler Irwin  2021, Arlington Heights, IL 2 F -2 76 70 146
T10 Cooper Watt  2023, Rockford, IL 2 F E 74 72 146
T12 Jake Wiktor  2021, River Forest, IL 3 F -1 76 71 147
T12 Zachary Mulhearn  2021, Wheaton, IL 3 F -1 76 71 147
T12 Paulius Malcius  2022, Lemont, IL 3 F 3 72 75 147
T12 Jason Gordon  2023, Northbrook, IL 3 F 4 71 76 147
16 Weston Walker  2023, Peoria, IL 4 F 3 73 75 148

 

In the Girls Division, Lemke finished the Stroke Play rounds with a 9-over-par 153 total. She came into the tournament having recently won the IJGA-CDGA Junior Amateur at Prairie Landing. This is Lemke’s second appearance at CEJA, her first being in 2019 where she finished T9.

Also making the cut in the Girls Division were:

T2 Elyssa Abdullah  2025, Hinsdale, IL 10 F 9 73 81 154
T2 Maria Perakis  2021, Glenview, IL 10 F 7 75 79 154
4 Catie Nekola  2022, St. Charles, IL 11 F 4 79 76 155
5 Kendall Farm  2021, Carol Stream, IL 12 F 2 82 74 156
T6 Symantha Rohwedder  2020, Prospect Heights, IL 13 F 1 84 73 157
T6 Lisa Copeland  2026, Naperville, IL 13 F 7 78 79 157
8 Molly Lyne  2020, Cary, IL 14 F 7 79 79 158

 

The first and second rounds of Match Play will take place on Wednesday, July 22, beginning at 7:00 AM CST at Itasca Country Club.

Girls Match Play Bracket               Boys Match Play Bracket