John Zur bested Tim Sheppard, 3 and 1, in the Championship Match on Wednesday to claim the CDGA Mid-Amateur title.

7th CDGA Mid-Amateur Championship
May 16-18 • Naperville Country Club (Naperville)

Day Three: Wednesday, May 18

ZUR ATTAINS ELUSIVE FIRST TRIUMPH; DEFEATS SHEPPARD FOR CDGA MID AM CROWN
NAPERVILLE, Ill. - Ever since he began his competitive golf career as a junior growing up on the North Shore, John Zur (Glenview / Bob O’Link GC) has been dedicated to improving his game. However, those two decades of hard work had largely gone unrewarded.

“I’ve been working on my game a long time, and honestly the results haven’t shown themselves,” Zur said.

“Until this week.”

The week that transformed Zur’s golf career consisted of 89 holes at Naperville Country Club, as the 35-year-old Glenview native claimed the 7th CDGA Mid-Amateur Championship with a 3-and-1 triumph over senior stalwart Tim Sheppard (East Peoria / Pekin CC) in a rainy Championship Match on Wednesday. Following his victory, Zur recalled his travails of struggling in Illinois State Amateur qualifiers as a Glenbrook South high schooler and never making match play in a Mid-Am (age 25 and up) event in the ensuing years. This suboptimal history made Zur appreciative of claiming his maiden victory.

Related Links: (Full Recap) / (Match Play Tree) / (Photo Gallery)

MATCH PLAY RESULTS

Championship Match
(10) John Zur def. (8) Tim Sheppard, 3 and 1

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Day Two: Tuesday, May 17

OPPOSITES ATTRACT AT NAPERVILLE, AS SHEPPARD AND ZUR READY FOR CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH
NAPERVILLE, Ill. - The two competitors to emerge from Tuesday’s Quarterfinal and Semifinal rounds of the 7th CDGA Mid-Amateur Championship at Naperville Country Club juxtapose one another in many respects.

Tim Sheppard (East Peoria / Pekin CC) - a 61-year-old central Illinois native who has eight CDGA event titles to his name - will square off with John Zur (Glenview / Bob O’Link) - a 35-year-old from the North Shore who is in search of his maiden CDGA triumph.

The paths Sheppard and Zur took to Wednesday’s finale are also distinct. Sheppard has yet to see the 18th hole in his three matches, including 3-and-1 and 6-and-4 victories over medalist Josh Bradbury (Germantown Hills / Arrowhead CC) and Zach Jecklin (Glen Ellyn / Butterfield CC), respectively, on Tuesday. Sheppard was 4 down to Bradbury through eight holes before winning five-straight to turn his day around. 

Zur, on the other hand, has needed a total of 54 holes to clinch his three wins. His Tuesday morning 5-and-4 Quarterfinal victory over Jack Watson (Lincolnshire / Conway Farms GC) was relatively routine, setting the stage for a dramatic Semifinal tilt with Michael Fastert (Wheeling / The Sanctuary) in the afternoon. Zur played the final two holes of regulation at 3-over par, allowing Fastert to erase a two-hole deficit. After matching birdies on No. 1, Zur rolled in a birdie on the downhill second hole to secure his spot opposite Sheppard.  

The first CDGA-administered championship of the season will culminate with Wednesday`s Championship Match, which will tee off at 8 a.m.

Related Links: (Match Play Tree) / (Photo Gallery)

MATCH PLAY RESULTS

Semifinals
(8) Tim Sheppard def. (4) Zach Jecklin, 6 and 4
(10) John Zur def. (3) Michael Fastert, 20 holes

Quarterfinals
(8) Tim Sheppard def. (1) Josh Bradbury, 3 and 1
(4) Zach Jecklin def. (12) K.C. Matkaitis, 2 and 1
(10) John Zur def. (15) Jack Watson, 5 and 4
(3) Michael Fastert def. (6) Charlie Waddell, 1 up

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Day One: Monday, May 16

BRADBURY MEDALS, ADVANCES TO 7TH CDGA MID-AMATEUR QUARTERFINALS
NAPERVILLE, Ill. – The 2022 CDGA Championship campaign began under breezy spring conditions on Monday at Naperville Country Club, as the 7th CDGA Mid-Amateur Championship field was whittled down to eight players age 25 and up. Josh Bradbury (Germantown Hills / Arrowhead CC) led the pack, carding a 3-under 69 Monday morning to earn medalist honors.

Bradbury utilized a bogey-free 32 on the front nine of the Tom Bendeow design to take the No. 1 seed for the afternoon’s match play. There, he defeated Kyle Davenport (Champaign / Urbana G&CC), 1 up, to advance to the Quarterfinals. Meeting him will be Tim Sheppard (Pekin CC / East Peoria), the senior stalwart who carded a 1-over 73 before besting Ciaran Conroy (Prairie Landing GC / Warrenville), 4 and 3. Additionally, Charlie Waddell (Chicago / Shoreacres), a Quarterfinalist last year at Lake Shore Country Club, advanced to Day Two following a 6-and-5 victory over Ben Strobel (Glencoe / Lake Shore CC).

Of those who failed to advance to match play was defending champion Ryan Kowalski ( / Mt. Prospect GC), as well as the other three Semifinalists from last year`s event - David Keenan (Champaign / Lincolnshire Fields CC), Cole Taylor (Oakland / CDGA Member’s Club) and Scott Phegley (Peoria / WeaverRidge GC).

The first CDGA-administered championship of the season continues with Tuesday`s Quarterfinal and Semifinal matches before Wednesday morning’s title tilt.

Related Links: (Stroke Play Results) / (Match Play Tree) / (Photo Gallery)

MATCH PLAY RESULTS

Round of 16
(1) Josh Bradbury def. (16) Kyle Davenport, 1 up
(8) Tim Sheppard def. (9) Ciaran Conroy, 4 and 3
(12) K.C. Matkaitis def. (5) Nick Brandt, 1 up
(4) Zach Jecklin def. (13) Mike King, 20 holes
(15) Jack Watson def. (2) Brett Tomfohrde, 2 up
(10) John Zur def. (7) Michael Natale, 2 up
(6) Charlie Waddell def. (11) Ben Strobel, 6 and 5
(3) Michael Fastert def. (14) Brian Hickey, 5 and 3

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Preview

CDGA`S 109TH SEASON OF CHAMPIONSHIP GOLF BEGINS AT NAPERVILLE COUNTRY CLUB
LEMONT, Ill. – After initially being slated as the host site for the 2020 CDGA Mid-Amateur Championship before its cancelation due to COVID-19, Naperville Country Club is set to welcome the Chicago District’s top mid-amateurs for the 7th playing of the CDGA Mid-Amateur Championship. The event, which is set to begin the Association’s 109th season of championship golf, is scheduled for May 16-18 and will feature a field of 72 amateurs age 25 and older.

FORMAT
The entire field will play 18 holes of stroke play on the morning of Monday, May 16, with the low 16 advancing to match play. The first round of matches will be contested Monday afternoon, with the Quarterfinals and Semifinals occurring on Tuesday, May 17. A champion will be crowned following the Championship Match on the morning of Wednesday, May 18.

ABOUT THE FIELD
Registration was open to all CDGA members age 25 and older with a Handicap Index® from the USGA® of 7.4 or below. More than 400 individuals signed up for the event, with exemptions and four qualifiers earlier this spring held at Maple Meadows Golf Club, Sunset Valley Golf Club, Kankakee Elks Country Club and Fox Bend Golf Course determining the final field.

Related Links: (Full Preview) / (Stroke Play Tee Times) / (Field) / (2021 Recap) / (Event History)

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Championship Information

The CDGA Mid-Amateur Championship debuted its current format in 2015. Open to CDGA members age 25 or older with a handicap index not exceeding 7.4, the CDGA Mid-Am features an 18-hole stroke play round to determine a 16-player match play bracket. Arlington Heights` Ryan Kowalski is the defending champion, notching his first CDGA Mid-Am crown in 2021 at Lake Shore Country Club.

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Qualifying