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Women’s Golf: Burr Ridge’s Postillion loses IWO in playoff
Updated: September 3, 2012 1:08PM
ROMEOVILLE — The hottest golfer in the final round of the 18th annual Phil Kosin Illinois Women’s Open was Burr Ridge’s Samantha Postillion, but she came up short on winning the title after losing a one-hole, three-player playoff.
Samantha Troyanovich of Grosse Pointe Shores, Mich., won the annual tournament at a newly redesigned Mistwood Golf Course in Romeoville. Troyanovich won her first career tournament by making a 3 1/2-foot birdie putt on the 506-yard, par-4 third hole. Postillion missed a 40-foot putt to settle for par. The third member of the playoff was Lauren Mielbrecht of Gulf Stream, Fla., who actually had the best opportunity to win in regulation, but missed a five-foot putt on the 18th green.
Postillion, a sophomore transfer at Illinois, carded the lowest round of the day with a 69 by firing five birdies and scoring two bogeys. All three playoff participants were 1-under-par for the tournament at 215 over 54 holes.
Postillion nearly joined her mother, Kerry, who is a three-time IWO champion with titles in 1996, 1997 and 1999. Kerry finished with a 235 total, an 80 in the final round.
“I knew the leader was 3-under, and I knew I had to start going at every pin,” Samantha Postillion said in a statement after the tournament. “It was different (playing aggressively), I don’t normally play as aggressive as I did. I felt the adrenaline going and I felt confident.”
Samantha and Kerry Postillion played for the sixth time together in the IWO. Samantha Postillion’s previous-best finish was 16th in 2008 after taking 18th last year. She missed the cut three previous times. Kerry Postillion, who plays in only a few tournaments during the summer, tied for 34th, her worst place finish in 11 appearances at the IWO.
In her first two years, Samantha Postillion received an exemption from late tournament director Phil Kosin since she was under the age limit of 18.
“Mistwood did not change too much,” Samantha Postillion said. “The layout was the same except for hole No. 3. The bunkers looked great. It was more of a bunker-style course.”
Samantha missed at least two days of summer school at Illinois to compete in the IWO. She transferred after playing one year at Texas. She will play in the Chicago District Amateur next week and at the Arizona State Amateur before returning to school. Her family owns a second home in the Phoenix area.
Hinsdale Central’s Erin Ahern tied for 37th.
