When Mitchell learned Raves for Ravi · Raves for Ravi. standing on the ninth tee, his final hole, tied with two-time champion Todd Mitchell at 11 under par. Patel watched Mitchell,

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Naperville’s Ravi Patel, an 18-year-old graduate of NeuquaValley High School, became theyoungest to win the championship.The event, played at Ironhorse GolfClub in Tuscola, was the first weather-shortened Illinois State Amsince the tournament switched tomedal play in 1963. Patel is, by allaccounts, the first champion to wearan earring.

The finish might be one for thebooks as well.

Neither age, weather nor acces-sory had much to do with Patel’svictory. Playing in his first StateAmateur, the Northwestern recruitwas 11 under par for the tourna-

ment, shortened from 72 holes to54, and led all three rounds. His65-69-68—202 was three shotsahead of Blake Johnson ofWinnetka and State Mid-Amateurchampion John Ehrgott of Peoria.

“I don’t even know if I understandit yet,” said Patel after he received histrophy. “I got some good breaks andtook advantage of them.”

Patel, who birdied his first twoholes after a rain delay lasting almostfour hours, made some of his breaksand had some come his way. Mostimportantly, he held it together witha veteran group of players on his tailthe final day.

In the final round, Patel was

IRONHORSE G.C., TUSCOLA • AUG. 14-16 • PAR 71 • 6,922 YARDS

POS. PLAYER HOMETOWN 1 2 3 TOTAL1 Ravi Patel Naperville 65 69 68 202

2 Blake Johnson Winnetka 69 68 68 205

John Ehrgott Peoria 67 68 70 205

4 Steven Taylor Canton 69 69 68 206

Zach Barlow Percy 69 66 71 206

6 Tim Streng Arlington Heights 67 72 68 207

Todd Mitchell Bloomington 67 68 72 207

8 Matt Bova Bloomington 69 70 71 210

9 Tommy Bliefnick Decatur 73 68 70 211

10 Joe Emerich Palatine 68 72 72 212

Carlos Sainz Elgin 69 70 73 212

Andy Mickelson Minooka 70 68 74 212

13 Charlie Waddell Wilmette 73 68 72 213

Jonathon Krick Peoria Heights 71 70 72 213

Larry Blatt Orland Park 75 68 70 213

16 Thomas Greene Roselle 73 67 74 214

William Cullen Bloomington 73 70 71 214

Eric Burch Rockford 73 70 71 214

Nick Bova Bloomington 72 67 75 214

Brad Marek Arlington Heights 71 72 71 214

Michael De Runtz Western Springs 72 70 72 214

22 Brian Hickey Chicago 71 69 75 215

Matt Miller Bloomington 66 75 74 215

24 Curtis Minkel Pekin 74 70 72 216

Clayton Parkhill Champaign 68 72 76 216

Joel Hirsch Chicago 69 74 73 216

Zach Jecklin Dekalb 71 71 74 216

28 John Finnin Crete 74 70 73 217

Alex Wagner St. Charles 73 69 75 217

30 Brad Benjamin Rockford 71 71 76 218

31 Philip Arouca Wilmette 68 73 78 219

Mitchell Gregson Waterloo 66 70 83 219

33 Derek Meinhart Matoon 75 69 76 220

Keith Jungen Freeport 74 68 78 220

35 J.D. Seymour Naperville 70 74 78 222

36 Tom Portner Mt. Vernon 72 70 81 223

37 Mike Slovitt Medinah 71 73 80 224

38 Ryan Franks Quincy 71 72 85 228

39 Brandon Lawson Elburn 75 69 WD

Note: Top 15 finishers and ties earn exemptions to the 2008 State Amateur

Illinois StateA M A T E U R

The 77th Illinois StateAmateur certainly willhave its proper place in

the record books.

When Mitchell learnedthe fate of his tee shotat the last hole, he losthis grip on his club andhis shot at the trophy,which Patel (oppositepage) hoisted minuteslater.

The 2007 Illinois State Amateur will be memorable for several reasons, not the least of which was the finish that

gave the title to Ravi Patel.

By Reid Hanley • Photos by Buzz Orr/CDGA

Raves for Ravi

standing on the ninth tee, his finalhole, tied with two-time championTodd Mitchell at 11 under par. Patelwatched Mitchell, who moments earlier had blasted a 3-wood 285yards onto the green of the previoushole to set up birdie, have a “TinCup” moment and hit his tee shot inthe middle of the lake that guards theninth green of the par 4.

“I figured he was going to get his (teeshot) somewhere near the green,” saidPatel. “I had driver ready and was getting

focused to hit my shot. I had my strategydown and everything. I saw it (Mitchell’sdrive) and changed my plans.”

Patel instead hit a hybrid in the fair-way, knocked a wedge onto the greenand two-putted for the win.

Mitchell, who has never finished outof the top eight in six State Amateurs,proceeded to drop and plop two moreballs in the lake and eventually took a 9.The former Yankee minor leaguer finished tied for sixth.

“I don’t think it was nerves,” said the

29-year-old Mitchell. “I just hit a badshot and, under the circumstances, itwas really bad.”

The ninth turned out to be a greatfinishing hole and was the setting formany dramatic moments. The 365-yard par-4 is bisected by a largelake and invites big hitters to take ashot at the green. Mitchell went for itall three rounds. He hit the green inTuesday’s first round, went over onWednesday and got rinsed, andwrung out, on Thursday.

Ehrgott came to the last hole threebehind the leaders and also went for it.Splash. He nearly holed his next shotafter taking a drop and made a great parto tie Johnson for second place at 8-under-par 205.

“It really made for a great finish,”said Ehrgott, who knew he needed aneagle. “The 18th is a better golf hole, butfor a dramatic finish, that ninth hole isunbelievable.”

Patel, who played high school golfonly his freshman year, played on theAmerican Junior Golf Associationnational circuit and won the 2006Midwest Players at Twin Orchard in

Long Grove. He felt his national tournament exposure helped himdown the stretch. After Mitchell two-putted for birdie on the eighth, histhird birdie in a stretch of four holes,Patel curled in a 10-footer for birdie tostay even going into the final hole.

Mitchell applied the pressure, butPatel, who carried his own bag all 54holes, didn’t blink. Ironhorse was thefirst State Amateur for Patel, who had atop-20 finish in the Illinois Open, buthe didn’t come to Tuscola to check outthe outlet mall.

“I only come to events thinkingabout winning,” said Patel. “Last weekat the Illinois Open I thought I had a legitimate chance at winning. I’vebeen feeling it pretty much all summer. I’ve been putting myself inposition in a lot of junior invitation-als. I’m always there the last day, usu-ally top 10 or top five. It’s been a mat-ter of closing things out. I came hereto win.”

Reid Hanley, recently retired from coveringsports for the Chicago Tribune, is a freelance writer from Clarendon Hills.

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ROUND 1Incoming Northwesternfreshman Ravi Patelenjoys a bogey-free day,carding back-to-backbirdies at three differentpoints in his round.Mitchel Gregson birdiesseven of his first 11holes.

ROUND 2Four birdies in a rowstarting at the second,and seven overall, helpZach Barlow of Percy toa 66, one stroke behindPatel. Mitchell and JohnEhrgott both shoot 68and make it a three-waytie for second.

ROUND 3Mitchell climbs into a tiefor the lead with birdiesat 5, 7 and 8, then hitshis drive at the last hole,the ninth, into the water,ending his run and giving Patel a deceivingfinal margin of victory:three shots.

Recap

Patel -6Miller -5Gregson -5T. Mitchell -4Ehrgott -4Streng -4

Patel -8Barlow -7T. Mitchell -7Ehrgott -7Gregson -6

Patel -11Johnson -8Ehrgott -8S. Taylor -7Barlow -7

Golf may be a young man’s game, but you’d never know it by watching

66-year-old Joel Hirsch.

The two-time Illinois State Amateur champion from Chicago was the oldest

player in the 2007 State Amateur, but he was still around for the final day when

99 younger players were back home. Hirsch, who won the State Am in 1988

and 1989, shot 69-74—143 to make the cut. In

an event where 46 had yet to turn 21, that’s an

accomplishment. Hirsch finished with a 2-over 73

for a 214 total and a tie for 24th.

“I love competing,” said Hirsch, a member of

the Illinois Golf Hall of Fame. “It’s so much fun.

When you get to play with these young kids, it’s

really a treat. I have so much respect for them.

There are some terrific young players and I just

like to hang around. As long as I’m healthy

enough to compete, I’m going to do it.”

Hirsch has always been a stickler for physical

fitness and has worked hard on his game with

teaching pros Ed Oldfield and Bob Koschmann. He has cut back his interna-

tional play, but this year he was 17th at the British Senior Amateur and runner-

up at the Canadian Senior Open. Over his career he has played in 38 USGA

events—his first in 1958—and has won every major amateur event in Illinois.

“I’ve been fortunate,” said Hirsch, whose company, St. Andrews Properties,

now owns Crain Creek Golf Course, north of Springfield. “The single thing I’m

most proud of in my golf career is the longevity.”

• Champion Ravi Patel graduated from Neuqua Valley High School this

spring, but only played on the Wildcats’ golf team his freshman year. The

Illinois High School Association prohibits players from playing in non-high

school events during the high school season. Patel chose to play in national

events instead of on the high school team. He is rated among the top 40

juniors in the country according to Golfweek.

“It’s kind of a goofy rule,” he said. “You have to weigh your options of com-

peting against the best players or playing high

school golf. I figured I’d get more experience,

more exposure. High school golf was fun, the

traveling and everything. I would like to have won

a state championship, but there is the State Am.”

• Patel is the youngest State Amateur

champ, beating by six months D.A. Points, the

1995 winner.

• Matt Bova won the Battle of the Bovas by

finishing three shots ahead of his older brother,

Nick, with a final round of even-par 71. The Bova

brothers, from Bloomington, went into the final

day tied at 3-under par 139. Matt finished eighth

while Nick tied for 16th.

Both played college golf at Division III power Methodist College in North

Carolina. Nick, 22, graduated in May and was a two-time All-American. He

tied for fifth at the NCAA D-III Championship and was the South Conference

player of the year. In 2005, he tied for third at the State Amateur. Matt, 20,

will be a junior this fall. He finished sixth at the 2006 State Amateur.

—Reid Hanley

He’s Still Going . . . and Going . . .

Joel HirschMitchell had previously won two State Am titles,but this time it was Patel (below) who was allsmiles walking off the final green.