ILLINOIS PGA MATCH PLAY CHAMPIONSHIP WINNER TRAVIS JOHNS
                            PHOTO BY MIKE SCHOAF IPGA

The first Illinois PGA section major championship of the year is in the clubhouse, with
Travis Johns of Oswego winning his first Illinois PGA Section major. Johns moved to
Illinois in the last year from Texas, where he competed in North Texas PGA section
tournaments.

Johns finished the grueling seven match tournament by closing out Ivanhoe C.C.
Head Professional Jim Sobb 4 & 2 in the championship match, which was held at
Kemper Lakes C.C. in Kildeer.

CLICK HERE TO HEAR INTERVIEWS, JIM SOBB FOLLOWED BY TRAVIS JOHNS:                                                  

Download | Duration: 00:12:57

The final day started with Johns from the Parfection Park Driving Range, closing out
Jason Lee from Ridgemoor C.C. 3 & 2 in the semi-finals. In the other bracket it took
Sobb 20 holes to defeat Bryan Luedtke of Plum Tree National Golf Club.

In the championship match Johns started out with quickly, jumping ahead 2 UP after
just three holes. But with a birdie on four and a hole winning par on six, Sobb pulled
even but for the last time.

Johns executed a great greenside bunker shot on seven, that led to a birdie and and
a 1 UP lead. After Johns missed an opportunity on the eighth hole when Sobb drove
his ball left in the trees and had to punch out, Johns did make a par on nine which gave
him a 2 UP lead at the turn after Sobb made bogey driving his ball in the right trees.

Sobb fought back with a par on ten, and when Johns missed his par saving putt, the
match was back to a 1 UP Johns lead. But driving troubles putt Sobb in trouble on 11,
and a birdie by Johns again left him 2 UP.

Sobb made a great second shot from the edge of the left trees on 12 to earn a halve,
then his par on the par 3 13th brought the match back within one. It would be the last
hole Sobb would win.

With Sobb's drive in the left bunker on 14, a par was all Johns needed to regain a 2 UP
lead. A lead that became 3 UP when Sobb found the trees right on 15, and Johns put
his third shot inside 10 feet leading to a conseeded birdie.

Johns (a lefty) pushed  his drive on 16 into the left rough, that left him a trickey second
shot because of a low-hanging tree banch. After Sobb blasted a drive right down the
center of the fairway, his approach shot for a back right tucked pin, struck a tree banch
and dropped into the pond. Johns approach was just over the back of the green, but his
chip in close led to Sobb conseeding the hole and match.

Sobb entered the week coming off winning the IPGA Senior Match Play Championship
one week back at Shore Acres. Which meant Sobb played 12 matches in just 11 days.

"No doubt some tired legs at the end, "Said Sobb." I think I won't pick up a club now for
about two weeks." Sobb said he is "looking forward" to the National Club Championship
at French Lick Resort in late June.

Johns said a recent tip helpd him straighten out his shoulders and got him hitting the
ball better.

"I really enjoyed the week and all of my matches," Johns said. "All of my matches were
against true gentlemen, which really says a lot about our section."

Johns says he is not sure where he will try and qualify for the Illinois Open yet, but is
looking forward to it and the Illinois PGA Section Championship at Olympia Fields as well.


 IVANHOE C.C. HEAD PROFESSIONAL JIM SOBB DURING THE CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH
                                 PHOTO BY MIKE SCHOAF ILLINOIS PGA

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE ILLINOIS PGA SECTION VISIT WWW.IPGA.COM. FOR MORE
ON THE ILLINOIS MATCH PLAY CHAMPIONSHIP LISTEN TO GOLFERS ON GOLF MONDAY
MAY 24TH BETWEEN 6-7 PM ON WJJG-AM. THE SHOW CAN BE REPLAYED VIA THIS WEBSITE.