Part of the
Golfer's Network USA
(view other network sites)
The longest running Amateur Tournament in Illinois. Open to amateur Men, Women, Seniors and Juniors.
Tremendous history and very hard to win, if you get your name on the Pursie Pipes Trophy, The Women's trophy, or the BW
Bruce trophy, you are in "Hall-of-Fame" company.


Portner, Harris take home SIGA Championship titles

MOUNT VERNON - Tom Portner is a champion - again.

With birdies on No.'s 17 and 18 Sunday at Green Hills Golf Club, Portner finished with a 3-under-par 68 for the round and an 8-under-par 134 for the tournament as he captured his third SIGA Championship title and first since 2006.

"I was glad I was able to do it one more time," said Portner, who became just the second player in the last 20 years to win the Pursie Pipes Trophy three times. "I really, really fought the first six, seven, eight holes."

Portner entered the final round with a three-stroke lead over Southern Illinois University sophomore Jake Erickson and Matt Pool, who were tied for second with a 69.

And after a two-hour rain delay, it was Erickson who came out of the gate the strongest in erasing Portner's lead in the first two holes. The SIGA Hall of Famer bogeyed No. 1, while the 19-year-old Erickson birdied No.'s 1 and 2 to pull him into a tie for the lead.

"I didn't expect to come out and play as bad as I did early, but I knew somebody was going to make a run at me," Portner said. "That didn't bother me. It's an 18-hole golf tournament and I never worry about the first few."

Portner briefly regained the lead when Erickson bogeyed No. 4, but a long drive off the tee on No. 6 set up a birdie for the Springfield native that brought the two even once again.

And then came No. 9 and the turning point of the round.

"I hit a horrible shot (on No. 9) and short-sided myself," Erickson said. "And (Portner) birdies and then I'm back down two (strokes)."

Erickson bogeyed 9, while Portner sank a 22-foot putt to give him an even score of 35 entering the turn. He increased the advantage back to three strokes with a birdie on 10 before carding six straight pars heading to 17.

"I really needed to make that putt (on No. 9)," Portner said. "If nothing else, than for me to get some momentum going."

With the 46-year-old former champion not showing any signs of wavering, Erickson's chances of chasing him back down gradually faded. He finished in second place with a 138, but also came away with lessons learned after his battle with Portner.

"I knew he wasn't going to give me anything," Erickson said. "He out-hit my wedges all day. I would be 30 yards out and he would put (the ball) 10 yards closer every time."

In the meantime, Pool birdied 14 to put him at 1-over for the round and five strokes back of the lead - but bogeys on 16 and 18 gave him a 74 finish and a tie for third place with a 143.

"I kind of scraped it around and got the most out of it," Pool said on his round. "It could have been better if I had made a couple more putts, but it is what it is."

The toughest battle of the day came in the Men's Net division, where Chris Ashby finally fought off Ryne Wade in a four-hole playoff that was eventually decided on No. 7. Ashby and Wade each finished the tournament with a 135.

In the Women's Gross, 2008 champion Chelsea Harris regained the SIGA title with a 14-stroke victory over Roberta Sentel. The Austin Peay junior and Metropolis native carded a 68 Sunday to finish the tournament with a 135.

"My chipping was pretty good," Harris said. "I was getting up and down quite a bit. I was pulling the ball quite a bit (Sunday) and I don't normally hit a pull."

86th SIGA Championship
Sponsored by Williams Enterprises Final Results
Men's Gross Saturday Sunday Total
Portner, Tom   66 68 134
Erickson, Jake   69 69 138
Pool, Matt   69 74 143
Miller, Jeffrey   72 71 143
Bullard, Brandon   74 69 143
Fowler, Michael   73 71 144
Harp, Jared   70 75 145
Mitchell, Andrew   77 70 147
Craig, Barry   75 73 148
Murphy, Logan   71 78 149
Hale, Jerry   76 75 151
Warren, Bryan   75 76 151
Crosier, Michael   76 76 152
Wilson, Jerry   77 75 152
Hallam, Kelly   78 75 153
Keller, Ryan   74 79 153
Eastham, Webb   76 78 154
Hudson, Ryan   76 78 154
Rude, Neil   76 78 154
Harp, Josh   79 76 155
Simpson, Thomas   77 79 156
Jones, Aaron   83 79 162
Reach, Bradley   99 91 190
Brewer, Robert   78        WD    WD
Hart, Chris   75        WD    WD
Ringle, Todd   77        WD    WD
         
Men's Net Saturday Sunday Total
Ashby, Chris*   68 67 135
Wade, Ryne   67 68 135
Ridgeway, Kyle   68 72 140
Griesemer, Shawn   71 73 144
Miller, Matt   71 75 146
Thompson, Chuck   72 83 155
Ridgeway, Rocky   80 75 155
Sentel, Kenny   76        WD    WD
         
Senior Men Saturday Sunday Total
Williams, Tom*   72 69 141
Bradshaw, Terry   70 71 141
Perkins, Dave   76 76 152
White, John   76 77 153
Graham, Danny   78 76 154
Vogt, Randy   77 82 159
Mills, Cliff   84 79 163
Krutsinger, John             WD        WD    WD
         
Women's Gross Saturday Sunday Total
Harris, Chelsea   67 68 135
Sentel, Roberta   78 71 149
Bond, Lauren   76 76 152
Hudson, Mycah   77 76 153
Wheatly, Sabrina   73 81 154
Powles, Hilary   84 76 160
Ball, Carly   78 84 162
Keim, Rachel   82 83 165
Houseworth, Sue   92 87 179
Ireland, Kathleen   97 89 186
         
*Won in playoff



Tom Portner accepts the SIGA Men's Championship trophy.


Tommy Williams accepts the SIGA Senior Men's Championship trophy.


Chelsea Harris took first place in the Women's Championship Division.

Part of the Golfer's Network USA