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Saturday
Jul242010

Fouch leads IWO by two entering final round

Special to Golf In Chicago by Joanne Miller
Writing from Romeoville, Illinois
Friday, July 23, 2010

Allison Fouch of Indianapolis waited out a two-hour thunderstorm delay to grab a two-stroke lead after 36 holes of the 16th Phil Kosin Illinois Women’s Open at Mistwood Golf Club. Her second round score of 3-over-par 75 brought her a two-round aggregate of 1-over 145, and a two-stroke lead over fellow LPGA tourists Nicole Jeray and Michelle Ellis entering Saturday's final round.

That trio, and the rest of the field, played around and through several weather obstacles. On the hottest day of the year, battling a heat index of 105 degrees, winds gusting to 25 mph, play was interrupted late in the day for two hours due to lighting.

When the horn blew at 5:23 p.m., four groups remained on the course, including the leaders. The delay, occasioned by a storm that blew up immediately northwest of Mistwood, was lengthened when a severe thunderstorm featuring 70-mile-per-hour winds roared through. However, the golf course was playable after the storm passed, and play concluded before sunset.

Fouch, like Ellis encouraged by Jeray to play in the Open, sank two twenty-footers on Nos. 9 and 18 for her only birdies of the day.

“I didn’t putt as well today as I did yesterday, I think I had seven more [putts],” Fouch said.

Fouch said she would be ready for a charge from the other competitors.

“I know what can happen out here and with two good players within striking distance we’ll just have to see where you find yourself coming into 17 and 18,” Fouch said

Ellis, who registers out of Chicago Heights, gutted out a five-over 77 to finish tied for second with Jeray, who still calls Berwyn home. They stand at 147, Jeray there after a 3-over 75. Ellis had birdies on the 1st and 16th, but stumbled throughout the round.

“It was tough with the wind and I wasn’t getting the ball close to the hole," Ellis said.

Lansing amateur Sammi Sloan, author of a 2-under 70 on Thursday, ballooned to a 7-over 79 and is at 5-over 179, tied for fourth with 15-year-old amateur Katherine Hepler of Lincoln.

Said Sloan, “It was definitely tough out there. I’m going to go out there tomorrow and go after it and be aggressive.”

Weather permitting, the final round of the IWO will begin at 10:20 a.m. on Saturday. The cut to the low 30 players fell at 14-over 158, and exactly 30 made it.

Leaders after two rounds

Mistwood GC, par 72, 6,000 yards

Allison Fouch, Indianapolis, 70-75-145
Nicole Jeray, Berwyn, 72-75-147
Michelle Ellis, Chicago Heights, 70-77-147
a-Katherine Hepler, Lincoln, 76-73-149
a-Samantha Sloan, Lansing, 70-79-149
a-Nikki Miller, Waukegan, 72-78-150
Kendra Hanson, Forest City, Iowa, 77-75-152
a-Hailey Koschmann, Lake Forest, 74-78-152
a-Kris Yoo, Schaumburg, 72-81-153
a-Amy Meier, Rochester Hills, Mich., 75-79-154
a-Jamie Lavin, Deerfield, 80-75-15
a-Ann Vrdolyak, Flossmoor, 78-77-155
Allison Finney, Winnetka, 78-77-155
a-Alexis Bennett, Rockford, 77-78-155
a-Michele Nash, Indianapolis, 78-77-155
a-Elizabeth Nagel, DeWitt, Mich., 76-79-155
a-Carly Werwie, Kenosha, Wis., 76-79-155
a-Nora Lucas, Glenview, 75-41-155
a-Rebecca Lederhausen, Hinsdale, 74-81-155
Jessica Schneider, Elgin, 74-81-155
a-Kristi Cardwell, Kokomo, Ind., 73-82-155
Erika Oldenkamp, Hinsdale, 78-78-156
a-Kaela Klune, Itasca, 77-79-156
Jenna Pearson, Wheaton, 81-76-157
a-Meg Gilley, Flossmoor, 78-79-157
a-Christine Meier, Rochester Hills, Mich., 73-84-157
a-Kristin Paulson, Ames, Iowa, 74-84-158
a-Kim Hunley, Aurora, 75-83-158
a-Mary Kay Thanos-Zordani, Chicago, 82-76-158
a-Alex Lederhausen, Hinsdale, 73-85-158

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