Northern Amateur: Gilkison edges O'Reilly in aggregate playoff
7/24/2020 | by AmateurGolf.com Staff
see also: View results for Northern Amateur, Sand Creek Country Club
Josh Gilkison of Kent State and Brendan O'Reilly of Illinois both shot 11 under at Sand Creek Country Club
Gilkison, a rising senior at Kent State, and O'Reilly, a rising senior at Illinois, finished the 54-hole tournament at 11-under 205, three shots ahead of the rest of the field.
The pair matched scores until the par-5 15th, when Gilkison drew even with a birdie, only to give it right back with a bogey on the par-3 16th. The par-4 17th looked like it would be the key hole of the tournament, with a two-shot swing giving Gilkison a one-shot lead heading to the 54th hole. But again he gave it back with a bogey and the two went to extra holes.
In the three-hole aggregate playoff, Gilkison went 1 under to edge out O'Reilly and take the Northern Amateur title. With the win, Gilkison becomes the third Kent State player in the last six years, joining Chase Johnson and Ian Holt.
Josh Gilkison (L) and Brendan O'Reilly (Northern Amateur photo)
The defending champion, Mitch Davis of the University of Indiana, finished in a tie for third at 8 under par with Nate Vontz of Creighton University and Timothy Lim of Drake Unviersity.
Gilkison showed good form coming into the event, coming off of a 9th place finish in the Ohio Amateur.
Results: Northern Amateur
| Place | Player | Location | Pts | Scores |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Springboro, OH | 400 | 65-70-70=205 | |
| 2 | Hinsdale, IL | 300 | 67-67-71=205 | |
| T3 | Lincoln, NE | 200 | 72-71-65=208 | |
| T3 | Hoffman Estates, IL | 200 | 68-71-69=208 | |
| T3 | Valparaiso, IN | 200 | 69-69-70=208 |
About the Northern Amateur
Popular national amateur tournament played from 1967-2001 (with a solid list of past champions) returned to the schedule in 2011. 54-hole stroke play championship with a field of 96 players. Par-3 contest held after round 1.
Most Popular Articles
2025 PGA TOUR Q-School Guide: Sites, Scores, and Who Advanced
Dec 5, 2025Second Stage is complete and Final Stage awaits at Sawgrass — follow every Q-School leaderboard and the players still chasing
2025 LPGA TOUR Q-Series: Final Qualifying Stage FINAL SCORING
Dec 8, 2025Helen Briem earns medalist honors, 31 players headed to the LPGA next year
2025 PGA TOUR Q-School Final Stage: Ewart Leads Five New TOUR Card Winners
Dec 14, 2025A.J. Ewart topped Final Stage at TPC Sawgrass, leading five players who secured PGA TOUR membership for 2026.
Australian Open at Royal Melbourne: Preview, amateur bios, and how to watch
Nov 30, 2025Rory McIlroy headlines one of the championship's top fields in years - at least four amateurs will have their chance at glory
Inside Gil Hanse’s Restoration of Baltusrol’s Upper Course: A Return to Tillinghast’s
Dec 11, 2025Renowned architect Gil Hanse reveals how he brought Baltusrol’s Upper Course back to life by honoring A.W. Tillinghast’s original