BEACH PARK, Ill. – The Mid-American Junior Golf Tour’s regular season concluded today at Thunderhawk Golf Club with the 2017 Autumn Open. In the Boys Division, Connor Neighbors (2019) of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, took the top spot on the leaderboard. A playoff in the Girls Division determined Adrienne Rohwedder (2019) of Prospect Heights, Ill., the champion.
The Autumn Open was a 36-hole, stroke play competition contested at Thunderhawk Golf Club October 21-22. The field was made up of junior golfers ages 12-18 from Illinois, Iowa, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Saudi Arabia, Nova Scotia, and Vietnam. The Boys Division played the par 72 golf course from 7,030 yards, while the Girls Division played the course from 6,123 yards.
The MAJGT is designed for exceptionally talented junior golfers throughout the Midwest ages 12-18 and is nationally recognized by the Junior Golf Scoreboard and American Junior Golf Association with all of its events providing national exposure.
Neighbors carded a final round of 1-under-par 71 to move his tournament total to an even-par 144. His final round included five birdies and nine pars ultimately leading to his first MAJGT victory.
Coming in runner-up was Ian Johnston (2019) of Swisher, Iowa, who carded a tournament total of 4-over-par 148. In third was Marcus Smith (2020) of Rockford, Ill., who carded a two-day total of 6-over-par 150. Rounding out the top five were Michael Hauer (2020) of Woodbury, Minn., and James Gilmore (2019) of Verona, Wis., who each carded a 7-over-par 151.
In the Girls Division, A. Rohwedder and Gabby Tremblay (2019) of Hayward, Wis., each carded a 19-over-par 163, which forced a playoff. The sudden death playoff lasted two holes. A. Rohwedder took home her second MAJGT victory, her first coming in 2014 at the Autumn Open.
Coming in third was Soonbi Kwon (2021) of Orland Park, Ill., with a two-day total of 20-over-par 164.
The capstone event of the MAJGT 2017 season, the Fall Shootout puts Team Chicago against Team Midwest in a Ryder Cup style event. The Fall Shootout will be contested October 28-29, at Bull Valley GC.
