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2025 Summer Series Event #3 Recap – Ironwood Golf Course, Normal, IL
The Amateur Players Tour rolled into Normal, IL for the third summer event of the 2025 season at the always-challenging Ironwood Golf Course. With near-perfect weather conditions—sunshine, temperatures in the low 80s, and barely a whisper of wind—it was the ideal day for competitive golf. A robust field of 66 players teed it up across five divisions and Senior Net, all chasing victory, prize money, and crucial Player of the Year points. The leaderboard action didn’t disappoint, with three divisions heading to playoffs and others featuring back-and-forth duels. Let’s dive into each division’s highlights.
Division 1 – Heller Holds On with Gritty Finish
Nicholas Heller came out firing with a birdie on the opening hole, immediately setting the tone for the day. Though he stumbled with a bogey on the par-4 second, Heller bounced back by steadying the ship, stringing together seven consecutive pars to shoot a composed even-par 36 on the front nine. His calm demeanor and ability to avoid big mistakes kept him out in front as his competitors struggled to match his consistency.
Jason Anglin was the closest threat early on, also making a strong push with solid play through the first seven holes. However, back-to-back bogeys on 8 and 9 created a two-shot swing and gave Nick a bit of breathing room at the turn.
The back nine brought drama, particularly at the 10th hole where Heller made a surprising double bogey—opening the door for Anglin, who made par to pull even. But Heller responded like a true champion, notching back-to-back birdies on 11 and 12 to retake control. Jason matched him with a birdie of his own on 12, staying within one stroke, but faltered down the stretch with costly bogeys on 15 and 17. Heller’s composure held strong, making six straight pars to close and securing a wire-to-wire victory with an even-par 72. Anglin finished three shots back at 75, while Shane Thompson, who was in the mix at the turn, fell apart late with a disastrous finish (+7 over his final four holes), ultimately landing five shots off the lead.
Division 2 – Punkay Rallies Late for Clutch Win
Division 2 featured one of the day’s most competitive and dramatic battles. Gary Rockow came out of the gates looking like the man to beat, playing textbook golf with five straight pars to open his round. A bogey on 6 was quickly offset by a brilliant birdie on the tricky 9th, giving him an impressive 36 on the front nine. That score was good enough for a three-shot lead over Mike Lingenfelter and a four-shot cushion over Dan Punkay heading to the back nine.
Things started to unravel for Rockow on the 12th, where a bogey in the middle of a birdie-friendly stretch gave both Mike and Dan the opportunity they needed to gain ground. Dan, playing smart and aggressive when needed, made up significant ground with solid play over the next few holes, including a crucial birdie on the 17th that turned the tournament on its head.
Heading to the par-4 18th, the pressure was mounting. Gary had bogeyed 17 and needed to stop the bleeding. Unfortunately, a closing bogey sealed his fate. Mike remained consistent, closing with two pars to shoot 76. But it was Punkay who made the most of the opportunity, following his birdie on 17 with a clutch par on 18 to post a 75 and edge out Mike by one stroke and Gary by two. Punkay’s 75 was not only a tournament-winning score—it was a career-best under pressure.
Division 3 – Whitley Blazes Early, Survives Late
Chris Whitley entered the day still riding the momentum of his runner-up finish at Mattoon, and despite arriving at Ironwood with no time to warm up due to traffic delays, he wasted no time asserting himself. He came out on fire, carding three birdies in his first five holes and playing like a man on a mission. The early -3 run stunned the field and instantly made Whitley the man to chase.
A double bogey on the 6th halted his momentum slightly, but he steadied with three straight pars to close out a front-nine score of 35 (-1). On the back nine, he gave a stroke back with a bogey on 10 but quickly rebounded with another birdie on the par-5 11th. At that point, Whitley sat at even par through 13 and had built himself a cushion.
His final five holes were a different story. Whether it was mental fatigue, nerves, or the quick start catching up with him, Whitley stumbled with a +7 finish over the closing stretch. However, his lead was large enough to withstand the late collapse, finishing with an 79 and a comfortable four-shot win over both Adam Dean and Chicago chapter guest Mike Prepelica.
Division 4 – Boyd Outlasts McMahon in Playoff Thriller
Division 4 brought one of the day’s most compelling narratives. Thomas Boyd opened with a solid 40 on the front nine, built on a foundation of controlled play and only four bogeys. Don McMahon, playing in the same group, matched Thomas blow-for-blow early but was undone by a double bogey on 6 and a closing bogey on 9 to fall two shots behind.
The back nine saw massive momentum swings. Boyd’s round almost unraveled with a bogey-double-bogey stretch on 10-12, handing McMahon a one-shot lead. Don looked poised to win his first APT title outright, especially after a bounce-back birdie on the 12th. But both players struggled with the pressure coming down the stretch.
Don carried a one-shot lead to 18 but bogeyed the final hole, while Boyd made a gritty par to force a playoff. The two went toe-to-toe in the extra holes, with Thomas eventually prevailing on the second playoff hole. The clutch par under pressure sealed a signature win for Boyd and marked his second career APT victory.
Division 5 – Pavese Edges Schroeder in Battle of Titans
In what is quickly becoming one of the best budding rivalries in Division 5, Ed Pavese and Myron Schroeder squared off again with high stakes and high-level golf. Myron was the steadier of the two early, playing bogey golf with no big mistakes for a front-nine 42. Ed, battling early nerves, posted a 45 with a couple of costly doubles.
But on the back nine, Ed found a new gear. He played holes 10 through 13 at just +1 to catch Myron, who couldn’t pull away. The two players matched each other nearly shot for shot the rest of the way, and both finished tied—sending the division to its second playoff in as many events.
Pavese seized the moment with a composed bogey on the second playoff hole, while Schroeder faltered with a triple bogey. With that, Ed earned his second straight win and firmly positioned himself in the Division 5 Player of the Year race.
Senior Net – Don’s Redemption in a Jam-Packed Leaderboard
In an extraordinary ending to a jam-packed leaderboard, Don McMahon and Myron Schroeder once again found themselves battling, this time in the Senior Net division. Both players carded net-68s, narrowly besting a trio of contenders—Dan Punkay, Mike Lingenfelter, and Thomas Boyd—who all posted impressive net-69s.
With five players within a single shot, it was anyone’s tournament. In the playoff, McMahon erased the memory of his Division 4 loss and came out on top, winning on the first extra hole. It was Don’s first career APT victory—an emotional and well-deserved breakthrough that capped off a stellar performance.
Payouts and Next Up
The event featured a prize purse of $3,895. The day’s biggest winner was Dan Punkay, who not only claimed the Division 2 title but also placed in Senior Net and cashed in big on the Closest to the Pin contest, walking away with a total of $910 in winnings.
Next up, the tour heads to its premier summer event: the Central Illinois’ “Battle at the Capital” in Springfield, IL. This elevated 2-day tournament will take place at The Rail Golf Course and Piper Glen Golf Course. With double the prize pool and Player of the Year points on the line, the field is expected to be stacked and the action even more intense.
Stay tuned!
