Three tap-ins: Final day of the 93rd Illinois State Amateur Championship

Three items from Thursday at Atkins Golf Club in Urbana, courtesy N-G staff writer Zach Piatt:

Bragging rights

Champaign native David Keenan had the best finish of the five local golfers. He played consistent golf for about the first three and a half rounds, sitting at 2 under par overall with just six holes to play. But the former Salt Fork and Parkland College standout played the final six holes at 6-over to finish the tournament at 4-over 292. His tie for 16th, however, automatically qualified him for next year’s State Amateur. Lyle Burns was the only other area golfer to make Thursday’s final, and the Champaign resident who starred in high school at Mahomet-Seymour finished 33rd at 12-over 300.

Smith’s big day

Marcus Smith’s 7-under-par 65 in Thursday’s final round was the best 18-hole score of anyone in the field all week, and it nearly earned him the championship. He was 8 under through 14 holes, cashing in on four birdies and two eagles. His first eagle came on the sixth hole, when he drilled a 15-foot putt. His second was on the 11th hole, making one twice that length. Sandwiched between them was a chip-in birdie on the ninth hole. “The first 18 was kind of rough,” said Myles Smith, his brother and caddie, “but he started flowing when we got to that second 18, so it felt good.”

Day 1 leader’s result

Jason Gordon held a one-stroke lead after shooting a bogey-free 6-under-par 66 in the tournament’s opening round. The next day, the soon-to-be sophomore on the Michigan men’s golf team and native of Glenbrook did the complete opposite, finishing with a 6-over 78. Luckily, his first-round score was good enough to help him get into Thursday’s 36-hole final, but he didn’t do much better, carding back-to-back 76s to finish tied for 26th at 8-over 296.