This year the IWGA recognizes two outstanding graduating high school seniors with $2000 awards in memory of Julia H Dodds and in honor of Helen Spencer.  Criteria for both awards include: Character, Scholarship, Leadership and Sportsmanship.  The 29th Julia Dodds Scholarship winner is Lexi Onsrud a graduate of University High School in Normal.  The 1st Helen Spencer Scholarship winner is Emma Thorman of Macomb and a graduate of Macomb High School.  Both girls will be attending Illinois Wesleyan and will be golf teammates.

Sarah Arnold prevailed on the 18^th hole to be crowned the 2019 Women’s State Amateur Champion.

Jan Bowers of Lincoln successfully defended her title for the fourth time in the last five years at Bollingbrook GC. Jan shot a final round 74 for a three day total of 230.

As we begin a new decade, the IWGA continues to make changes to address the current golfing environment.  We will be implementing a new format for the State Amateur Championship. We feel this change will benefit players and bring a high-quality field to Pine Meadow in June. In recent years our Junior Championship has been outstanding. We are happy to be able to alternate between two fine venues for this tournament in Aldeen (Rockford) and this year’s site, Hickory Point in Decatur. Our Senior tournament is returning to Soangetaha Country Club in Galesburg, which has proved in the past to be a perfect course for this championship.

The IWGA is pleased to announce the establishment of the Helen Spencer Junior Girls Award to annually honor an outstanding graduating high school senior with a financial contribution to her future education in the amount of $2000.  The first award will be announced in May of 2020.