Mistwood Golf Club will be featured in our upcoming Summer Issue as a Preferred Property. The contestants that take on Mistwood will be in awe of its beauty and amenities.
Romeoville, IL – Top women golfers from Illinois, the Midwest, around the country and internationally are set to compete for the 24th Phil Kosin Illinois Women’s Open (IWO) trophy at Mistwood Golf Club July 16-18. This local premier women’s golf event in Illinois, sponsored by BMO Harris Bank, will be the 20th time the competition has been held at Mistwood Golf Club. The Ray Hearn designed course in Romeoville has hosted the top event for women since 1999.
Illinois has had two hotly contested Championships featuring female golfers, highlighting both professional and amateur players, with the recent KPMG Women’s PGA Championship at Kemper Lakes, and the 118th Women’s Western Golf Association’s National Amateur Championship held last week at Mistwood Golf Club. Summer competition continues at the upcoming IWO where professional and amateur players compete head-to-head for the same trophy.
“The Illinois Women’s Open is open to both professional and amateur players creating a unique opportunity for players at all stages of their career to test themselves against the best golfers in the Midwest,” said Andy Mickelson, director of golf at Mistwood Golf Club.
The inaugural IWO in 1995 was established by the late Phil Kosin whose vision to mirror the ILPGA State Open for men, but for women, was highly supported by the local professional players. Since the inception, the quality of competition has grown every year, and has transitioned into a ‘must play’ tournament on the collegiate summer schedule.
Mistwood Golf Club has evolved into one of the top public golf facilities in America and one of the premier golf experiences in the Chicago area. The recent multi-million dollar course renovations by architect Ray Hearn, which earned “Renovation of the Year” by GOLF Magazine, and the new award-winning Performance Center makes Mistwood an ideal test for the top female players.
A field of more than 70 competitors from across the U.S. and the world will be competing including defending champion Alexandra Farnsworth from Nashville, TN and Tristyn Nowlin from Richmond, KY, the runner up in the 2018 WWGA National Championship recently held at Mistwood. There is also a talented group of local Illinois players, which include:
- Rachel Rhee, Glencoe, IL (2017 IHSA State Champion)
- Kate Lillie, St. Charles, IL (2016 WWGA Junior Champion)
- Jenna Pearson, Wheaton, IL (2006, 2011 IWO Champion)
- Nicole Jeray, Berwyn, IL (1998, 2003 IWO Champion)
BMO Harris Bank returns as the sponsor for the four-day event, which starts with a pro-am on July 15, followed by 54-holes of stroke play competition.
The IWO is a 54-hole stroke play event. After the second round, the field will be cut to approximately the low 40 percent plus ties, assuming a full field. Entries were open to all female professionals, and all female amateurs with a current USGA Handicap Index of 15.0 or less. Contestants must be 17 years of age as of July 16, 2018.
For more information about the Illinois Women’s Open, contact Mistwood Golf Club at (815) 254-3333 or visit www.mistwoodgc.com.
About Mistwood Golf Club
Mistwood Golf Club, which opened in 1998, is one of the most-talked-about Chicago area golf destinations. It features 18-holes designed by award-winning architect Raymond Hearn, a top golf performance center and a spectacular clubhouse facility. Following an acclaimed multi-million-dollar course renovation by Hearn, which was recognized as the top renovation of the year by GOLF Magazine in 2014, Mistwood has become one of the most popular venues in Chicago.
The course is wrapped around a beautiful 65-acre lake and features 19 Scottish-style sod wall bunkers bringing a feeling of Scotland to the Midwest. In addition to the award-winning course renovation, there is a new Scottish-style 26,000 square-foot clubhouse and a 5,000 square-foot Performance Center that offers custom fitting, club repair services and instruction.
The centerpiece of the new Scottish village-style clubhouse is McWethy’s Tavern, which is made up of a Scottish pub, two dining areas, two outdoor patios and space for private events. Its menu features steaks, chops, sandwiches and other items done with Scottish flair. The building also includes a banquet facility for up to 250 people, pro shop and locker rooms. Mistwood is a unique facility. It can accommodate a golfer’s dream experience for playing and improving, as well as a bride’s dream wedding with amazing food and atmosphere. Visit www.mistwoodgc.com.
