Scot Frankenreider successfully defended his 2022 title by claiming the 37th Illinois State Senior Amateur Championship at Rockford Country Club Wednesday.Day Three: Wednesday, Sept. 20
That finish prompted the 56-year-old to work on making “a couple of tweaks” to his swing this season, with the hope of mitigating those problems should he be in a similar situation again.
Related Links: (Results) / (Photo Gallery)Those changes manifested in the form of another title Wednesday, as Frankenreider captured the 37th Illinois State Senior Amateur Championship at Rockford Country Club. A final-round 3-under 68, and three-round total of 207, was good enough for a seven-shot victory over Glenn Przybylski (Frankfort). Frankenreider was the only player in the field to finish the event under par in his title defense at 6 under.
Frankenreider, who held the lead after each of the first two rounds again this year, stated on Tuesday that some nerves had also played a factor in last year’s edition. Playing in the final group Wednesday with Brad Kay (Arlington Heights) and Tim Sheppard (East Peoria), both senior champions in their own right, Frankenreider’s opening drive found the trees left of the fairway. While a Sheppard birdie applied pressure, a par by Frankenreider helped calm any anxiety.
“I was in the trees and had to chip out, hit a so-so chip,” he recalled. “I had an 8-to-10-foot downhill putt after [Sheppard] had made birdie to climb a couple closer. I think once I made that par on the first, I felt a lot better and from there on out, I was really calm all day.”
His first red figure of the day came on the par-3 fourth, before a bogey on the par-4 seventh. Frankenreider’s aforementioned ball-striking and length off the tee, another arrow in his quiver, showcased themselves with a slew of birdies on Rockford’s back nine. He birdied the par-5 10th and par-3 11th before another birdie on the par-5 15th.
Following Wednesday’s final round, Frankenreider had led after each of the last six rounds of play in the Illinois State Senior Amateur - three this year and three last year. For somebody who took some time away from the game to care for his family, his return to the competitive senior golf scene, and specifically this week at Rockford, has showcased the current state of his game and how he attacks a golf course.
“On this course, there were some lines that I could take because of my length, that I could really forget about some trouble and just swing away,” said Frankenreider. “It was nice, I cut a couple of corners. [My] iron play was great too, distance control was phenomenal today.”
The Peoria native is the first player to go back-to-back in the Illinois State Senior Amateur since Dave Ryan in 2015-16 and just the fifth all-time to do so. With two titles under his belt, along with valuable lessons learned from both victories, Frankenreider knows a third title isn't out of the question next year.
“Hopefully, keep heading in the right direction,” he said. “Getting back in and putting myself in these situations, the more you do it, the easier it gets.”
Coming up, Frankenreider will highlight a field of seniors who will compete in the eighth and final CDGA Championship of the 2023 season, when the 8th CDGA Senior Amateur Four-Ball Championship is contested at Elgin Country Club, Oct. 2-5.
Day Two: Tuesday, Sept. 19
“I survived today,” Frankenreider said following his round. “It was tough conditions and I wasn’t swinging it as well as I was yesterday; yesterday was kind of autopilot and today was a lot of work. I felt like the round could’ve gone worse.”
After an opening-round 66 on Monday, Frankenreider’s 73 included two birdies, four bogeys and 12 pars, and culminated in a three-shot advantage for the 56-year-old. Tuesday marked the fifth-consecutive State Senior Am round with Frankenreider’s name atop the leaderboard.
Joining Frankenreider in Wednesday’s final group is a familiar face in Brad Kay (Arlington Heights). Playing alongside the defending champion each of the first two days, the 2018 CDGA Senior Amateur champion posted a 4-over 75 Tuesday and sits at even par for the tournament at day’s end.
“Scot’s been fun to watch these first couple of days,” said Kay regarding his playing partner. “He does not make many mistakes. That will have to go into the strategy tomorrow.”
Tim Ratty (Highland Park) secured Low Super Senior honors (given to the best score from a player 65 or up through two rounds) in the 66-year-old’s first State Senior Am appearance since 2012. Ratty carded rounds of 73 Monday and 74 Tuesday, and is in a four-way tie for 10th place.
In total, 37 players advanced from Tuesday’s second round to compete for the title on Wednesday morning. Among those is two-time champion Tim Sheppard (East Peoria), whose rounds of 71 and 72 put him in the final group with Frankenreider and Kay. Sheppard is looking to become just the second player to win three or more Illinois State Senior Amateur titles.
Final-round play is set to begin at 8 a.m. on Wednesday, with the final group going off at 10 a.m.
Day One: Monday, Sept. 18
Frankenreider, who triumphed last year at Riverside Golf Club, began his round with birdies on Nos. 2, 5 and 6. A blemish in the form of a bogey on No. 7 halted the momentum for a bit, before the lost stroke was recouped with another red figure on No. 8. Frankenreider turned at 32 before an eagle on the par-5 10th. Consistency in the form of pars on the way in solidified the 5-under 66. Playing in the same group as the first-round leader, 2018 CDGA Senior Amateur winner Brad Kay (Arlington Heights) carded a 4-under 67, including five birdies and just one bogey. Newly-eligible senior John Wright (Aurora) was the only other player to finish in red figures, as he posted a 2-under 69 to sit in third place.
Others to sit within striking distance following play on Monday include two-time Illinois State Senior Amateur winner Tim Sheppard (East Peoria) at even par, as well as 2019 Illinois State Senior Am champion Jeff Ott (Dunlap) and reigning CDGA Senior Amateur victor Ted Pecora (Winnetka) at 2 over.
Another 18-hole stroke-play round is slated for Tuesday, with tee times scheduled to commence at 8 a.m. The field will then be cut to the low 35 and ties, who will advance to Wednesday’s final round. A Low Super Senior will also be awarded following play on Tuesday.
Preview
The 110th season of amateur golf championships conducted by the CDGA continues with the 37th Illinois State Senior Amateur Championship, Sept. 18-20, at Rockford Country Club in Rockford. Three rounds of stroke play await a field featuring 79 of the state's top amateurs age 55 and up.
Schedule
Monday, September 18
The entire field will play 18 holes of stroke play in the morning.
Tuesday, September 19
The entire field will play 18 holes of stroke play to determine the low 35 and ties advancing to Wednesday. The Low Super Senior will also be crowned.
Wednesday, September 20
The low 35 and ties from Tuesday will play 18 holes to determine a champion.
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Related Links: (Full Preview) / (Round 1 Tee Times) / (Round 2 Tee Times) / (Field) / (2022 Recap) / (Event History)
Championship Information
Qualifying
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