CHICAGO DISTRICT GOLF ASSOCIATION

CRYSTAL LAKE, Ill. - An event only featuring one repeat champion in its seven-year history would typically host more than three teams on its trophy. The CDGA Senior Amateur Four-Ball Championship trophy, however, continues to be an exception to that thanks to the tandem of Tim Sheppard (East Peoria / Pekin CC) and Tom Kearfott (El Paso / El Paso GC), as the two captured the event`s seventh iteration, their fifth in total, on Thursday at Crystal Lake Country Club.

Calling it their "World Series of Golf" following the win, Sheppard and Kearfott were beaming with pride as if they had won for the first time all over again after defeating Steven Jacobs (Highland Park / Pine Meadow GC) and Matthew Horwitch (Northbrook / Merit Club), 2 and 1, in the event`s Championship match for the second consecutive year.

"It feels great," said Kearfott. "You know, I`ve got such a wonderful partner, in this event you meet so many really, really good guys, and it`s just a special thing to have this five out of six years, actually, we`re five out of seven, but we didn`t play one year. I tell you what, you get a partner like Tim Sheppard, and it is a lot easier to win."

After earning the event`s No. 2 seed following an opening-round 66 during Monday`s stroke play, the back-to-back defending champions never trailed during the Round of 16 and Quarterfinals to cruise to Wednesday afternoon`s Semifinal round.

That`s where the seemingly immortal team appeared beatable - facing adversity in a 3-down deficit to 2019 champions Brad Kay (Arlington Heights / Ivanhoe Club ) and Brien Gerber (Bolingbrook / Bolingbrook GC) through 11 holes after dropping the previous two following the turn.

Kay and Gerber`s second bogey of the day on No. 12 opened the door for the eventual champions, as they ripped off three-consecutive wins to tie the match before a closing birdie sent the two to Thursday`s finale.

"When we got to the back, like I told Sheppy the other day, we were three down after hole 11, well, there`s seven holes left and I said, `We gotta win one before we lose one,` and it just so happened that we won three holes in a row to get it back to even. We got to the house a 1-up winner," said Kearfott of the Semifinal win.

Moving on to Jacobs and Horwitch on Thursday, a familiar foe that the two had defeated not only last year, but also in the 2020 Semifinals, Sheppard and Kearfott carded an early birdie at the first to obtain a 1-up lead. Dropping Nos. 4 and 9, the tandem refused to repeat Wednesday`s start to the back nine and won the 10th and 11th to regain the lead.

A Horwitch birdie at No. 12 brought the Championship match to the 13th tee all tied up.

Utilizing their length off the tee, Sheppard and Kearfott carded back-to-back birdies on the par-5 14th and 15th holes to go 2 up with three to play.

"On No. 15, I thought I absolutely flagged my second shot and then we saw it take that big bounce and it was over the green," said Sheppard. "I was like, `Oh my god,` because I was over the green yesterday in two and I knew how treacherous it was. I had a spot I had to land it in and I pretty much dotted it, and then it trickled down and caught a piece of the hole, like it did the hole before, and thank goodness I knocked it in after that."

After all four competitors found virtually the same spot off the tee at No. 16, Jacobs found position A - just five feet left of the hole and likely in for birdie. After Kearfott`s lengthy birdie attempt drifted beyond the hole by a healthy amount, Sheppard continued his magical play down the stretch by chipping in from in front of the green to match the competition with a birdie of his own.

One final scare at No. 17 via a near holeout from the front-right bunker by Jacobs was more than enough for the Sheppard/Kearfott pairing, as Sheppard cozied his birdie bid up next to the hole for a give-me par and the win.

Their fifth win in six tries, Sheppard and Kearfott don`t appear to be sick of each other just yet.

"We really match up well," said Sheppard. "We compliment each other`s games and, like Tom said, we`re both grinders and we don`t feel like we`re ever out of it, even if we`re three or four down, you`re going to get our best shots until we`re done."

Jacobs/Horwitch and the remainder of the field will have to wait until 2023 to give their best shots at dethroning the champs once again.

For the CDGA, the 7th CDGA Senior Amateur Four-Ball Championship concluded its 2022 championships schedule. The 2023 slate is set to begin next spring with the 8th CDGA Mid-Amateur Championship.