Kyle Slattery 5th at Illinois Open, earns his biggest pro check

Kyle Slattery earned his biggest check as a fledgling pro golfer Wednesday.

The former Boylan star who graduated from Southern Illinois-Edwardsville last spring shot 70-74-70—214 at White Eagle Golf Club in Naperville the last three days. His 2-under-par score paid off $4,567 and was only two strokes out of second place, which was worth $12,455. Bryce Emory won at 8-under 208.

“It was a good day. I am happy where I finished,” Slattery said. “It was good to put a couple of birdies on the back nine. I got off to a slow start on the front nine. I started hitting better shots and got in a lot better position on the back nine. I missed a couple of putts here and there. I was grinding for par most of the day.

“Any good finish in an event is a confidence boost. The best part about it is there are a couple of parts of my game that I wasn’t comfortable with. I wasn’t great off the tee this week.

“It’s good to know I can still contend for a tournament when my driver should have been better. When my game comes around I should be in good position to win a golf tournament.”

Mauh-Nah-Tee-See assistant pro Kevin Flack, a Rockford Lutheran graduate, earned $1,453 after tying for 21st at 3-over-par 219. Former Lutheran golfer Jeff Kellen, now an assistant pro at Butler National, won $537 for finishing at 12-over-par 228 and former Boylan golfer Danny Gorman earned $529 at 14-over 230.

Brad Benjamin is the only Rockford-area golfer to ever win the Illinois Open.

Baker 21st at nationals

TJ Baker, who won the Class 2A state title as a Boylan senior last fall, tied for 21st out of 235 golfers at a tournament for state champion teams and individuals from all 50 states at Pinehurst Resort in North Carolina. Baker shot 70-78-73 over three days to finish 5-over par at the National Invitational. He was 15 strokes out of first place.

Sayyalinh sisters 15th

Guilford sophomore Kayla Sayyalinh and her sister Kateyln Sayyalinh, last year’s NIC-10 and Women’s City champion, both shot 150 over two rounds in the Illinois State Junior Girls Championship Tuesday and Wednesday at Hickory Point in Decatur.

Katelyn shot 72 after an opening 78. Kayla, a Guilford sophomore, shot 79 Wednesday. She had been in fourth place after an opening 71.

Rochelle senior Megan Thiravong, last week’s Women’s City champion, shot 79-76—155, Eva Greenberg 80-76—156 and her older sister, Boylan sophomore Ella Greenberg, shot 79-78—157.

Shannyn Vogler of Moline won the title at 7-under 137.

Matt Trowbridge: mtrowbridge@rrstar.com; @matttrowbridge