The 2026 Illinois High School Association golf season has plenty of talent back on the course.
Practice opens on Aug. 10 with competitions beginning Aug. 13. Regionals are held on Sept. 30 followed by sectionals on Oct. 5. The boys and girls state finals are Oct. 9-10 in Bloomington, Normal and Decatur.
Here are the Peoria area’s eight boys and girls golfers to watch in 2026. The individuals are listed in alphabetical order.
BOYS
Shane Cunningham, Richwoods
The sophomore had a great first varsity season. Cunningham tied for 42nd place at the 2025 Class 3A state finals at The Den at Fox Creek in Bloomington. He opened the state finals by shooting a 5-over 77. Cunningham was a regional runner-up, while winning the Big 12 Conference Tournament in a playoff.
Nolan Eccles, Dunlap
The 2025 Journal Star Golfer of the Year ended last season by winning the Class 2A state championship. He shot a 3-under 68 in the final round at Normal’s Weibring Golf Club, finishing his round with a 3-under 32 on the back 9. The senior was tied for the lead with a 2-under 71 following the first round. He was also a runner-up regional finisher.
Crew Fortin, Illini Bluffs
The senior is the only IB golfer to be a state medalist, improving his finish from 2024 by a place. His tied for ninth place at the Class 1A state finals. He carded a 6-over 150 over the two days at Prairie Vista Golf Course in Bloomington. Fortin’s best round came on Day 2, shooting a 1-over 73. Fortin won the regional championship and finished fifth at sectionals.
Colin Kemp, Pekin
The junior was the fourth-place finisher in the Class 3A state finals at Bloomington’s The Den at Fox Creek. His opening round 4-under 68 put him in third place before shooting a 2-over 74 on the final. During his state finals run, Kemp won a regional championship and was tied for ninth at the sectional. He won the Mid-Illini Conference Tournament.
GIRLS
Leah Brown, Pekin
The senior made the cut of the Class 2A state finals. She tied for 52nd at Hickory Point Golf Course. Her first round at the state finals resulted in a 6-over 78 highlighted by a 1-under 35 on the back 9. She then finished her 2025 campaign with a 13-over 85. Brown was the third-place finisher at the Washington Regional, then tied for 16th at the sectional.
Josie Heffron, Peoria Notre Dame
The senior made a big postseason impression at the Class 1A PND Regional, shooting a 16-over 89 at Newman Golf Course. This gave Heffron the individual medalist honors highlighted by an eagle on the par-5, 430-yard 16th. PND advanced to sectionals as a team thanks to Heffron’s help. Heffron missed out on the state finals by three strokes.
Sydney Hunt, Dunlap
The 2025 Journal Star Golfer of the Year wrapped up her junior season with a top-15 finish at the Class 2A state finals. Hunt tied for 15th with a two-day total of 8-over 152 at Hickory Point Golf Course. This was bolstered by her final round even-par 72, picking up two birdies on the front 9. She won a regional and Mid-Illini Tournament championship.
Gillian Tyra, Metamora
The senior was the top golfer for Redbirds during the 2025 season. She made the Class 1A state finals, carding a 22-over 94 at the Red Tail Run Golf Course in Decatur. Tyra missed the cut for the final day. Her postseason began with Metamora winning the Peoria Notre Dame Regional by six strokes, shooting an 18-over 89 as runner-up finisher.
Adam Duvall is a Journal Star sports reporter. Email him at aduvall@pjstar.com. Follow him on Twitter @AdamDuvall.
This article originally appeared on Journal Star: 2026 Journal Star Fall Prep Preview | Peoria-area golfers to know
Reporting by Adam Duvall, Peoria Journal Star / Journal Star
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By Adam Duvall, Peoria Journal Star | USA TODAY Network
