86th Illinois State Women's Amateur Championship

June 24-26, 2019

Illini Country Club,  Springfield, IL

Wednesday Press Release

 

The final day of match play saw 4 talented young women tee off early to determine who would play in the championship match later in the day.  The results were as follows:

 

Emilyee McGiles, Orland Hills, defeated Victoria Hays, Alton, 2 & 1. Sarah Arnold defeated Mackenzie Hahn, Spring Grove, 5 and 4.

 

This set up the final match of Emilyee McGiles, Orland Hills, v. Sarah Arnold, St. Charles.  McGiles is a junior at Southern Illinois University.  She plays for the Saluki’s Women’s Golf Team which won their conference for the first time in the past 12 years. Emilyee has a long history of competing in IWGA events, originally competing in the IWGA Illinois State Junior Am and for the past 3 years competing in this Championship. She will continue to compete at the USGA level as well as for the Salukis for the foreseeable future.

 

Sarah Arnold will be a freshman at Western Kentucky University. She was part of the 2018-2019 IHSA Girls State Championship Team from St. Charles North High School. This summer, in addition to playing in the championship match for the IWGA Illinois Women’s Amateur Championship, she also qualified for the USGA Girl’s Junior Championship being held in July in Stevens Point, WI and has multiple wins on the MAJGT.

 

Not surprisingly the match was hotly contested with the lead changing hands 6 times in the first 17 holes leading us back to a tie after 17.  At that point the competitors were called off the course due to weather. When play resumed a little over an hour later Sarah Arnold prevailed on the 18th hole to be crowned the 2019 Women’s State Amateur Champion.

 

The IWGA would like to thank the Illini Country Club and it members for the hospitality provided to both the contestants and our board members. The course was well groomed and challenging and is a deserving championship venue. 

 

Thank you to all who participated.