Press Releases
CHICAGO DISTRICT GOLF ASSOCIATION
For Everyone Who Plays the Game| Midwest Golf House | Contact: Casey Richards |
| 11855 Archer Avenue | (630) 685-2324 |
| Lemont, IL 60439 | crichards@cdga.org |
| Contact: Tim Merrick | |
| (630) 685-2302 | |
| tmerrick@cdga.org | |
| Contact: Jacob Bomeli | |
| (630) 685-2345 | |
| jbomeli@cdga.org |
| For Immediate Release | August 19, 2022 |
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| EVANSTON GOLF CLUB TO WELCOME STATE`S TOP MID-AMS | |
| Friday, August 19, 2022 - LEMONT, Ill. - The top 25-and-older golfers from around the state of Illinois are set to embark upon Evanston Golf Club in Skokie Aug. 22-23 for the 30th playing of the Illinois State Mid-Amateur Championship. The second of three CDGA-administered state titles, the 2022 Illinois State Mid-Am marks the fourth time that Evanston will host a CDGA championship. The 54-hole event will begin with a grueling 36-hole test on Monday. The low 35 and ties will then advance to the final 18-hole round Tuesday to determine a champion. ABOUT THE FIELD The field of 78 players was determined by exemptions and three qualifiers at Lick Creek Golf Course, Palatine Hills Golf Course and Balmoral Woods Country Club in late July and early August. A total of 24 players were exempt, with 262 players attempting to qualify for the Championship. Registration was open to any Illinois resident with a Handicap Index® not exceeding 7.4 and who will reach their 25th birthday on or before the start of the event. PLAYERS TO WATCH Greg Bauman (Crystal Lake) was the only player to finish under par in his 2017 Illinois State Mid-Amateur victory at Exmoor Country Club. Jake Erickson (Chatham) is the 2019 CDGA Mid-Amateur champion with his victory at Northmoor Country Club. Erickson also finished eighth in the 91st Illinois State Amateur Championship at Westmoreland Country Club last month, his ninth top-20 finish in his twelve event appearances. Ryan Kowalski (Mt. Prospect) captured the 2021 CDGA Mid-Amateur Championship at Lake Shore Country Club in his first appearance in a CDGA-administered event. Kowalski did not compete in last year's State Mid-Amateur, before missing the cut in the 2022 CDGA Mid-Amateur Championship in May. Andrew Price (Lake Bluff) is the 2014 Illinois State Mid-Amateur champion following his victory at Flossmoor Golf Club. Price also won the 2016 CDGA Amateur Championship at Calumet Country Club over Todd Mitchell. John Ramsey (Glenview) emerged victorious in the 2020 Illinois State Mid-Amateur Championship at Edgewood Valley Country Club, before recently advancing to the U.S. Mid-Amateur from qualifying at the La Grange-based track on Aug. 15. Ramsey rides a wave of momentum that also includes a third CDGA Amateur Four-Ball Championship victory (2017, 2020) earlier this month, alongside Chadd Slutzky at Ridgemoor Country Club. Chadd Slutzky (Deer Park) is a two-time Illinois State Mid-Amateur champion (2015, 2019) and just qualified for the U.S. Mid-Amateur at Edgewood Valley on Aug. 15. He also enters this year's iteration as the reigning CDGA Amateur Four-Ball champion, alongside John Ramsey, following the capture of their third title (2017, 2020) at Ridgemoor Country Club earlier this month. John Zur (Glenview) enters the Illinois State Mid-Amateur Championship as the reigning CDGA Mid-Amateur champion following his triumph over Tim Sheppard in May at Naperville Country Club. OTHERS TO WATCH Brian Atkinson (Wilmette) is set for his first Illinois State Mid-Am after also qualifying for the U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship at Edgewood Valley Country Club on Aug. 15. Atkinson is sure to use his extensive course knowledge to his advantage, as he is joining the field as the home club exemption. David Feder (Chicago) is the reigning Illinois State Senior Amateur Champion following his victory last September at The Preserve at Oak Meadows. Feder was also a finalist in the 20th CDGA Senior Amateur Championship earlier this year, eventually falling to champion David Ryan. David Keenan (Champaign) finished a stroke shy of Larry Blatt in a three-hole aggregate playoff at Bloomington Country Club last August. Keenan was also runner up in the 2021 CDGA Mid-Amateur to Ryan Kowalski. Michael Natale (Burr Ridge) has partnered with Steve Sawtell to win two CDGA Amateur Four-Ball Championship titles (2016, 2018). Graham O'Connor-Brooks (Libertyville) reached the Semifinals of the 102nd CDGA Amateur Championship at his home club of Glen Flora in June before teaming with Michael Fastert to advance to the Semifinals of the 7th CDGA Amateur Four-Ball Championship earlier this month. Steve Sawtell (Northfield) has two CDGA Amateur Championship titles to his name (2004, 2009) and two CDGA Amateur Four-Ball Championship victories alongside Michael Natale (2016, 2018). Maxwell Scodro (Lake Forest) finished as the medalist in the Balmoral Woods qualifier on Aug. 4 before advancing to the U.S. Mid-Amateur from the Flossmoor Golf Club qualifier on Aug. 8. Scott Tenbroeck (Evergreen Park) earned co-medalist honors with a 3-under 69 in the Lick Creek qualifier on July 26. Brett Tomfohrde (Chicago) finished as runner-up in the 2021 CDGA Amateur Championship last summer at Bull Valley Golf Club before making match play in the 7th CDGA Mid-Amateur Championship in May at Naperville Country Club. Brian Zimmerman (Normal) tied for medalist honors with a 3-under 69 in the Lick Creek qualifier on July 26. EVANSTON GOLF CLUB Initially opened in 1898, Evanston Golf Club had three 9-hole temporary locations before the Donald Ross-designed 18-hole track opened in 1919. Though Evanston has not hosted a CDGA-administered championship since the 2003 CDGA Amateur Championship, the club's third CDGA Am, it has no shortage of history. Serving as a founding member of both the CDGA and the Western Golf Association (WGA), Evanston has played host to a number of national events, such as the 1926 Chicago Open, 1962 U.S. Senior Amateur Championship, three Women's Western Amateurs (1943, 1947 and 1988), four Women's Western Juniors (1929, 1930, 1933 and 1966) and the 2018 Western Junior. Located on 150 acres of land just north of Chicago, the par-70 layout is sure to offer a strong test while playing from over 6,800 yards for the Championship. LAST YEAR'S CHAMPIONSHIP Chicago's Larry Blatt captured the 29th Illinois State Mid-Amateur Championship a year ago at Bloomington Country Club in a three-hole aggregate playoff over David Keenan. The now 35-year-old Blatt has since embarked upon a professional career in golf after he and Keenan were the only two participants to turn in under-par scores after three rounds at Bloomington. | |
| Chicago District Golf Association The Chicago District Golf Association (CDGA) is authorized by the United States Golf Association (USGA) as the governing body for amateur golf in our region. The CDGA is a membership organization consisting of nearly 90,000 individual golfers and 400 clubs in Illinois and parts of Indiana, Michigan and Wisconsin. Golfers receive member offers, a Handicap Index® from the USGA® and competitive playing opportunities, while clubs receive USGA rating and measuring services, turfgrass diagnostics and educational seminars. Midwest Golf House and the Bob Berry Sunshine Course are home to the CDGA Foundation, which annually serves more than 1,000 individuals with special needs and wounded veterans while also bringing playing opportunities to youth golfers. Founded on March 18, 1914, the CDGA is one of the largest and oldest golf associations in the United States. | |
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