Harris, Schuldt, Pettersen co-leaders in Illinois Women's Open

Writing from Romeoville, Illinois

Tuesday, July 28, 2015

Two talented pros and a prodigal amateur share the lead in the 21st Phil Kosin Illinois Women’s Open entering Wednesday’s final round.

One pro is Chelsea Harris, the assistant coach of the women’s team at Illinois State. She added an even-par 72 on Tuesday to her opening 70 and stands at 2-under 142 going into the concluding 18 holes at Mistwood Golf Club.

The other pro is Ember Schuldt, the pride of Sterling. The 2014 Illinois graduate now trying to make her way on the Symetra Tour carded her second straight even-par 71, a round highlighted by a chip-in birdie on the front nine.

The amateur is Madasyn Pettersen, the 15-year-old Rockford resident whose second round of 2-over 74 earned her a share of the lead. She had held it by herself after an opening 68, which remains the low round of the championship.

They’re a stroke ahead of Brooke Ferrell and two ahead of Bing Singhsumalee and Leithann Cabush, all of whom are amateurs.

Those looking for a steady player in the final round might want to back Harris, who had one birdie and one bogey.

“It was tempo again,” Harris said. “I have a tendency to get quick in everything I do, so I work on my tempo. But I don’t think of anything over the ball. It’s ‘crickets.’ ”

And, perhaps, a groan on her lipped-out birdie opportunities on the last three holes.

Schuldt’s card was more involved, with five birdies, including one at the last, along with a pair of bogeys and an untidy 5 on the par-3 ninth.

“I’m very excited about my position and excited about tomorrow,” Schuldt said.

She’ll make money at the least, which has only been the case twice in 10 adventures on this season’s Symetra Tour, the stepping-stone to the LPGA.

Then there’s Pettersen, who struggled to a 2-over 38 on the front, but birdied two holes on the back to offset a double-bogey 6 on the par-4 13th. The last of her birdies was on the par-5 18th, created by a 290-yard drive, a pin-high 6-iron, and a near chip-in to about 5 inches.

The rest of her day? Not so great, she inferred.

“Hopefully my full swing is better tomorrow,” Pettersen said. “There were not a lot of greens hit, not a lot of fairways. As a scrambler, I had a lot of practice.”

Ferrell backed up her opening 71 with an even-par 72, highlighted by three straight birdies on Nos. 14, 15 and 16. She pocketed six birdies, six pars and six bogeys.

Singhsumalee and Cabush each scored 1-over 73, Cabush playing the last 13 holes in 1-under.

The cut fell at 11-over 155, with 30 players advancing to the final round.

– Tim Cronin