McLeansboro GC Goes Back-to-Back at the Tony Stevens Cup
Whittington, IL - Today was a full day of golf for the Tony Stevens Cup at Rend Lake Golf Complex. The sky was moody, spitting rain periodically throughout the day to further dampen the already wet course. Twelve teams from across Southern Illinois competed for the title this year. Four of the eight clubs entered two teams. Each team consisted of six players who would play in a four-ball round, modified Chapman round, and a foursomes round for a total of 27 holes. The course played to a total par 108, or 36 each nine.
Following the first round - 9-holes, four-ball - McLeansboro Golf Club #1 held the lead at three-under (-3) par. The sides of Landon Vaughan plus Bryan Warren and Jeff Gray plus Shayne Downen are what pulled them ahead. Vaughan and Warren carded three-under to get them to that leading number. Not far behind at two-under (-2) par were three teams tied for second: Benton Country Club #1, Red Hawk Golf Club, and Green Hills Golf Club. Together Nate Sanders plus Bryce Doughty and Corey Smith plus Jason Drew put Benton Country Club in the mix, while Jordan Campanella and Bryan Kelley placed Red Hawk in the tie. It took Eli Sentel plus Brett Hall and Tom Portner plus Matt Heffley to show that Green Hills was still a threat. Indian Hills Golf Club #2 and Benton Country Club #2 were tied for fifth at even (E) par.
Following the first round, players grabbed a quick bite to eat and then hit the course again for the second nine. This time playing a modified Chapman format. Benton Country Club #1 really showed its teeth in this second format, soaring to the top with a total of six-under (-6) par. Once again Sanders and Doughty made up ground for their team by carding three-under par for the round, needing just a one-under score from their team to take the lead. McLeansboro Golf Club #1 did not far fall behind though, coming in at a total of five-under (-5) par. This time it was the side of Nate Neal and Austyn Downen that would bring a two-under round to help out their team. In third was Indian Hills Golf Club #2 at one-under (-1) par with Red Hawk Golf Club behind them at even (E) par.
A quick turn around following the second round had the players back out for the foursomes. With teams tight at the top, it was sure to be a battle to finish strong. McLeansboro Golf Club did what they needed to do, which was hold steady. Vaughan and Warren added another one-under round to the team’s log to keep them from losing any strokes and finish with a total of five-under (-5) par. Benton Country Club #1 tried to stay on top but ultimately fell back into second place at three-under (-3) par after the final nine. Red Hawk Golf Club came in third at three-over (+3) par. Green Hills Golf Club and Indian Hills Golf Club #2 finished in a tie for fourth at five-over (+5) par. The rest of the teams finished in the following order: Greenview Golf Club #1, Indian Hills Golf Club #1, McLeansboro Golf Club #2, Benton Country Club #2, Greenview Golf Club #2, Fairfield Public Golf Club, Rend Lake Golf Club.
McLeansboro Golf Club’s team of Austyn Downen, Shayne Downen, Jeff Gray, Nate Neal, Landon Vaugh, and Bryan Warren are bringing the trophy back to McLeansboro for a second time in a back-to-back victory.