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Career Milestones, Tight Finishes Highlight $7,492 Day at Country Club of Decatur
The Amateur Players Tour Central Illinois Chapter made its way to Country Club of Decatur in Decatur, Illinois, where players battled a demanding golf course along with plenty of summer heat and humidity. Temperatures climbed into the upper 80s, making for a challenging day from start to finish.
Despite the conditions, the competition remained tight across nearly every division. Three of the five divisions were decided by just one or two shots, a first-time Central Illinois competitor walked away with a trophy, one player broke 80 for the first time in her career, and another posted the lowest round of the entire tournament.
With a massive $7,492 total purse, including a pair of $500 Closest to the Pin prizes, there was plenty on the line in Decatur.
Division 1 – Shah Wins Central Illinois Debut
You couldn’t ask for a much better introduction to the Central Illinois Chapter than the one Minoy Shah (Marion, OH) enjoyed.
Playing in his first Central Illinois event after coming over from the Columbus Chapter, Shah immediately found himself in the winner’s circle, firing a 76 (+4) to capture the Division 1 title.
It certainly wasn’t an easy victory. Mitch Myers (Argenta, IL) stayed right on his heels and finished just one shot back with a 77 (+5), while Matt Minder was another stroke behind at 78 (+6).
But Shah did enough to hold everyone off, turning his first appearance with the chapter into a one-shot victory.
Division 2 – Punkay Posts Low Round of the Day
Nobody in the entire field went lower than Dan Punkay (Champaign, IL).
Punkay turned in an outstanding 75 (+3), which stood as the lowest gross round across all divisions at Country Club of Decatur.
He needed the strong performance, too. Colton Kool (Eureka, IL) kept the pressure on with a 77 (+5), but Punkay’s 75 ultimately gave him a two-shot victory.
Behind the top two, Ty Jones, James Minton and Michael Lingenfelter all finished tied for third at 78 (+6), further illustrating just how competitive Division 2 was throughout the day.
Division 3 – Johnson Survives Tight Three-Man Race
There was virtually no breathing room at the top of the Division 3 leaderboard.
Rick Johnson (Sullivan, IL) emerged from the tightly packed field with an 80 (+8) to earn the championship, but he needed every shot to get it done.
Mike Paubel (Lake St. Louis, MO) finished just one stroke behind with an 81 (+9), while Zachary Moore (Lincoln, IL) was only another shot back with an 82 (+10).
With just two strokes separating the top three, Johnson’s 80 proved just enough to secure the title.
Johnson nearly made it a two-trophy afternoon as well, later posting a net 68 (-4) to finish runner-up in the Senior Net competition.
Division 4 – Frank Breaks 80 for the First Time—and Wins
One of the best stories of the entire tournament belonged to Stevie Frank (Lake St. Louis, MO).
Frank entered the day having never broken 80. By the time she walked off the course, she had not only shattered that barrier—she had a trophy to go with it.
Frank fired a career-best 77 (+5), recording her first-ever round in the 70s and doing it when it mattered most.
Her breakthrough performance gave her a three-shot victory over Jason Walling (Southport, IN), who finished second with an 80 (+8). Dave Draucker and Mark Smith shared third at 83 (+11).
Breaking 80 for the first time is memorable enough. Doing it while winning an APT event makes it even sweeter.
Division 5 – Declue Wins One-Shot Battle
Division 5 provided another finish that came right down to the wire.
Wayman Declue (Dupo, IL) posted a 92 (+20) and held off Lucas Cycotte (Decatur, IL) by a single stroke to capture the championship.
Rusty Lingenfelter (Naples, FL) was right there as well, finishing third with a 94 (+22).
That meant just two strokes separated the top three, but Declue’s 92 was enough to emerge from the battle with the victory.
Mid-Am Net – Walling Takes Trophy in Scorecard Playoff
After coming up just short in Division 4, Jason Walling wasn’t about to leave Decatur empty-handed.
Walling and Thomas Agnew (Saint Louis, MO) both turned in outstanding net rounds of 66 (-6) to finish tied atop the Mid-Am Net leaderboard.
With the two deadlocked after 18 holes, the trophy was determined by a scorecard playoff, with Walling winning the tiebreaker to capture the Mid-Am Net title.
Selena Droce finished third with a strong net 71 (-1), making her the only other player in the contest to finish below par.
For Walling, the Mid-Am title capped an impressive day that also included a runner-up finish in Division 4.
Senior Net – McMahan Holds Off Johnson
The day’s theme of close finishes continued in Senior Net.
Bill McMahan (Fenton, MO) posted an excellent 67 (-5) to capture the title, edging Division 3 champion Rick Johnson by just one stroke.
Johnson nearly completed the double with his 68 (-4), while Dave Draucker and Mark Smith tied for third after matching net 69s (-3).
The quality scoring extended well beyond the leaders, with six players finishing under par in Senior Net.
Closest to the Pin – $1,000 Awarded
There was some serious money on the line in the day’s Closest to the Pin contests, with $500 awarded to each winner.
Steve Minder collected one of the $500 prizes, while Don McMahon claimed the other, accounting for a combined $1,000 in CTP payouts.
Those prizes helped push the day’s overall purse to an impressive $7,492.
Looking Ahead – A Week Off Before a Central Illinois Doubleheader
After another busy stretch of summer tournament golf, the Central Illinois Chapter will enjoy a week off before returning with a two-event weekend.
The action resumes on Saturday, August 23, at Pine Lakes Golf Club in Washington, Illinois.
There won’t be much time to rest afterward, as the chapter turns right around on Sunday, August 24, for another event at Panther Creek Country Club.
With the season entering its closing stretch and the Player of the Year races becoming increasingly important, two tournaments in two days will give players a huge opportunity to make their move in the standings.
