The Hole Story Vol. 14, Issue 2 | Page 14

ISJA PREVIEW PREVIEW The 48th annual Illinois State Junior Amateur Championship will be contested June 27- 29, 2017, at Makray Memorial Golf Club in Barrington, Ill. The highest level of IJGA competition, the ISJA Championship is intended to highlight the best male juniors in the state of Illinois and retains its position as a top state junior championship in the country in terms of the level of American Junior Golf Association (AJGA) Performance Stars awarded. The field is made up of boys ages 12-18 who are residents of the of Illinois. These players have either earned exempt status or have qualified at one of the six (6) local qualifiers. There are three past ISJA champions in the field this year: Connor Prassas of Winnetka, Ill. (2016 Champion), Ethan Farnam of Crystal Lake, 14 Illinois Junior Golf Association Ill. (2015 Champion), and Brendan O’Reilly of Hinsdale, Ill. (2013 & 2014 Champion). The winner of the 2017 ISJA will receive an exemption into the 2018 Illinois Open and an exemption into the 2018 Illinois State Amateur. This event is recognized by AJGA, Junior Golf Scoreboard and by the World Amateur Golf Rankings. The host facility, Makray Memorial Golf Club, is a premier 18-hole championship caliber course in Illinois with four sets of tees, strategic bunkers, bent grass tees, fairways and greens, blue grass roughs and spectacular views. Additionally there is a state of the art practice facility which includes 1 1/2 acres of bent grass teeing ground, 2 practice putting greens and a short game area.