Pettersen romps to IWO title at Mistwood

Writing from Romeoville, Illinois

Wednesday, July 29, 2015

A new rangefinder was 15-year-old Madasyn Pettersen’s goal.

“I came here to be the low amateur,” Pettersen said after raising the Kosin Cup – not for low amateur in the 21st Phil Kosin Illinois Women’s Open, but for the whole deal – after fired a career-low 6-under-par 66 with nine birdies to finish at 8-under-par 208 and score a five-stroke victory at Mistwood Golf Club.

Grabbing the low am title – which she did – means a gift certificate worth $750 in the Mistwood pro shop that would more than take care of the rangefinder’s cost.

Belying her youth, she played like a veteran, withstanding the early charge of fellow competitor Chelsea Harris, who birdied four of the first five holes to move to 6-under and gain a three-stroke lead on Pettersen.

The kid’s answer? Three birdies in four holes. And when Harris bogeyed the seventh and eighth, Pettersen was back in the lead.

There she stayed. While amateur Brooke Ferrell was going around Mistwood’s testing back nine in 4-under 32 to post a 2-under 70 and finish at 3-under 213, and Harris’ 71 brought her in at a like total, Pettersen poured it on by pouring birdies in. To wit:

• Birdie at the treacherous par-3 14th, played over the water with a wind-in-the-face 5-iron to 15 feet.

• Birdie at the par-5 15th after a second shot that finished pin high to the left of the green.

• Birdie at the par-4 16th after an approach to 15 feet.

• Birdie at the par-3 17th after a tee shot to 12 feet.

• Birdie at the par-5 18th after a second shot that bounced to the fringe behind the green and a nifty chip to five feet.

“I won!” she mouthed to her family, including 9-year-old Bella, her little sister and loyal caddie, after the final putt fell.

She not only won, she dominated. Records are sketchy, but Pettersen, who will be a junior at Rockford’s Auburn High School this fall, is certainly the youngest winner of the IWO, and no other player, much less champion, has birdied the final five holes of any round, much less to win going away.

Pettersen’s finish left Harris, an assistant women’s team coach at Illinois State, breathless.

“She played lights out,” said Harris. “I got outplayed today. I had it early and lost it.”

They were the last twosome and finished in under four hours, but some considered them slow because the pentultimate group was two holes ahead at one point. That margin was a little more than a hole at the end, but it may have bugged Harris that Pettersen surveyed many a putt from many an angle.

“I prefer to play a little faster,” Harris said.

On the other hand, Pettersen was making everything she looked at by the end, and nothing saves time more than sinking a long putt.

“This spring I said to myself, ‘I want to putt like Jordan Spieth,’ ” Pettersen said.

A grip change and several hours of practice later, she was sinking long putts with great regularity.

“Nine birdies today, I think that’s pretty darn good,” Pettersen said.

Ember Schuldt of Sterling took fourth and was the only other player under par, her even-par 72 leaving her at 2-under 214. Bing Singhsumalee was fifth at 1-over 217 after a closing 72.

– Tim Cronin