ITASCA, Ill. – The 36th Annual Chick Evans Jr Am Championship came to a close Friday after a week of competitive golf. In the Girls Division, which was scheduled to finish Thursday but concluded Friday after having been suspended due to weather conditions, Caroline Smith (2020) of Inverness, Ill., defeated Margaret Hickey (2017) of Glencoe, Ill., 4&3 in the final match. In the Boys Division, Jake Wright (2016) of Naperville, Ill., defeated Devin Johnson (2017) of Geneva, Ill., 4&2 to take home top honors.

This is the 36th Annual Chick Evans Jr Am Championship features 195 junior golfers from throughout the state of Illinois ages 12 to 18. This event is a 36-hole, stroke play event where players are attempting to qualify for the match play rounds. The Boys Division will be cut to the low 32 boys for up to five rounds of match play, while the Girls Division will be cut to the low 16 for up to four rounds of match play. The Boys Division is playing the par 72 Itasca CC from 6,467 yards, while the Girls Division played the course from 5,518.

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.

In the Girls Championship match, the two started the round all square but Smith took an early lead with a birdie on the par 3 No. 6 to go 1up in the match. She held her lead gaining strokes until No. 13. The two halved Nos. 14 & 15 with pars, giving Smith the 4up lead with 3 to play. The match ended on No. 15.

This was Smith’s first appearance at CEJA, which she earned after winning the Maggie Rogers/Girls CEJA Qualifier at Inverness CC earlier this month. The 2020 grad has tallied two other IJGA victories this year, one at the Players Challenge #1 @ White Pines GC and the second coming at Regional #3 at Bonnie Dundee GC.

In the Boys Division Championship match, Johnson and Wright started their match on No. 10 with pars, a string of birdies from Johnson put him 2up through the fourth hole, but Wright answered with his own birdies on the following holes to bring the match back to all square. From there Wright took the lead going 2up at the turn and holding on to his lead finishing the match 4&2.

This is also Wright’s first appearance at CEJA, earning his qualifying spot at Oakbrook GC on July 11. The Naperville native qualified to play in the IJGA’s other Major Championship this year – the Illinois State Jr. Amateur Championship. This is Wright’s first IJGA victory.

RESULTS

For more information about the IJGA, visit ijga.org or call 630-257-9806.