Greg Seelinger and Glenn Przybylski claimed their third straight CDGA Senior Amateur Four-Ball crown, besting John Wright and John Finnin, 3 and 2, in the Championship Match
10th CDGA Senior Amateur Four-Ball Championship September 29 - October 2 • Olympia Fields Country Club - South Course (Olympia Fields)
Day Four: Thursday, Oct. 2
PRZYBYLSKI/SEELINGER OVERCOME LAYOFF, RARE DEFICIT TO NOTCH THREE-PEAT
OLYMPIA FIELDS, Ill. - When Glenn Przybylski (Frankfort / Sanctuary GC) underwent back surgery in June, one word was motivating him throughout recovery and his gradual return to the golf course.
Three-peat.
“I just started playing around Labor Day and really wanted to try to get ready for the [Illinois State] Senior Am, as well as this event,” said the 58-year-old.
Przybylski and partner Greg Seelinger (Downers Grove / Cantigny Golf) claimed the CDGA Senior Amateur Four-Ball Championship for a third consecutive time on Thursday, besting John Wright (Oswego / Oak Brook GC) and John Finnin (Frankfort / Olympia Fields CC), 3 and 2, in the Championship Match Thursday morning on Olympia Fields Country Club’s South Course.
“It's just a real treat to come up on top,” Przybylski said.
“I really wanted to win one for him,” Seelinger, 59, added. “I know it's been hard to be out the whole year and then come in and play in this tough competition.”
Despite the long layoff, Przybylski and Seelinger picked up right where they left off after their previous two triumphs. The duo carded a 3-under 69 in Monday’s stroke play round to earn the No. 5 seed in match play. They then earned their spot in Thursday’s finale with 4-and-3, 5-and-4 and 4-and-3 victories, never trailing once throughout the process.
That all changed on Thursday’s first hole, when a birdie on the opener by Finnin, a longtime Olympia member, presented the reigning champs with their first adversity of the event.
“It looked a little bleak earlier in the match,” Przybylski admitted.
Birdies by Przybylski on Nos. 2 and 4 flipped the script, giving him and Seelinger a 1-up cushion. Eventually, a long birdie putt by Wright on the par-4 eighth punctuated a two-hole streak that saw the challengers move 1 up as the match neared Olympia’s iconic clocktower clubhouse and the halfway point.
“We made the turn and kind of just kept the match within reach,” Przybylski said.
Wright and Finnin appeared primed to double their advantage on the par-5 10th. Finnin found the green in two, with Seelinger long right and Przybylski in a bunker about 50 yards short of the elevated green.
“On No. 10, it wasn’t looking good,” Przybylski recalled.
However, he countered Finnin’s two-putt birdie with an impressive, lengthy up-and-down to keep the match as it was.
“I think the birdie on 10 that Glenn had from the bunker was crazy,” Seelinger said. “That just negated their birdie, which was almost a given.”
After both teams matched pars on No. 11, Przybylski and Seelinger made their move.
Both found the green on the 170-yard par-3 12th, with Seelinger burying his six-footer for birdie to tie the match. Two pars on No. 13 were enough to inch ahead, before it was Przybylski’s turn to notch a birdie 2 on the 135-yard 14th. Suddenly, they were 2 up with five holes to play.
The decisive stretch was emblematic of the synergy Przybylski and Seelinger have developed since partnering up three years ago.
“[Glenn] is such a good player that we don't even think about each other's game really,” Seelinger explained. “We're just kind of focusing on the task at hand.”
Two holes later, the victory was secured in the same fashion as it was at Ivanhoe Club in 2024 - a Seelinger birdie.
This time it came on the 342-yard 16th. Seelinger found the fairway with the blind, uphill tee shot before skillfully playing his approach to 5 feet. With an assist from Przybylski on the read, Seelinger drained the putt to finish off Wright and Finnin.
The victory marked the second three-peat in the event’s relatively brief 10-year history. Five-time winners Tim Sheppard and Tom Kearfott claimed three consecutive iterations from 2020-22 before Przybylski and Seelinger seized control of the competition.
The event marked the conclusion of the CDGA’s 2025 Championship Schedule. The 2026 slate will be released on Dec. 10, with registration to open in early 2026.
MATCH PLAY RESULTS
Final Match
(5) Glenn Przybylski / Gregory Seelinger def. (2) John Wright / John Finnin, 3 and 2
Day Three: Wednesday, Oct. 1
PRZYBYLSKI/SEELINGER, FINNIN/WRIGHT SET FOR CDGA SENIOR AMATEUR FOUR-BALL FINAL
OLYMPIA FIELDS, Ill. – A set of familiar names are readying for their third-consecutive trip to the CDGA Senior Amateur Four-Ball finale, as Glenn Przybylski (Frankfort / Sanctuary GC) and Greg Seelinger (Downers Grove / Cantigny Golf) will look to etch their names onto the trophy once again. This year’s opposition for the back-to-back defending champions in the Final match is the duo of John Finnin (Frankfort / Olympia Fields CC) and John Wright (Oswego / Oak Brook GC). The duel will commence Thursday morning on Olympia Fields Country Club’s South Course in the event’s 10th playing.
Przybylski and Seelinger continued their quest for a third-consecutive title with a Quarterfinal match against David Feder (Chicago / Conway Farms GC) and Larry Silvestri (Lincolnshire / The Grove CC). The eventual victors got out to a commanding lead early, winning Nos. 3 and 4 with consecutive birdies. A birdie at the par-5 sixth for Feder/Silvestri gave the event’s No. 13 seed a fighting chance before Przybylski/Seelinger carded six birdies on the ensuing eight holes, four of which were for wins, to secure a 5-and-4 defeat.
The defending champions then set their sights on the home-club hopefuls in Phillip Saville (Chicago / Olympia Fields CC) and Michael Saletta (Chicago / Olympia Fields CC) following their 19-hole victory in the Quarterfinals. Przybylski/Seelinger again took charge early, winning four of the opening six holes to take a 4-up advantage. A birdie-par-birdie-eagle stretch from Nos. 7-10 for Saville and Saletta cut their deficit to just 1 down. Przybylski and Seelinger responded with three-straight wins at Nos. 11-13 to regain a 4-up lead and coast to their 4-and-3 triumph.
Opposite Przybylski and Seelinger on the match play tree, Finnin and Wright secured a 2-and-1 defeat of Jeff Heimerdinger (Elburn / Aurora CC) and Rodney Bell (Naperville / Aurora CC) in Wednesday morning’s Quarterfinals. Following pars at the opening two holes, Finnin/Wright began a back-and-forth trading of wins at Nos. 3-5 that ended in a 1-up advantage for the eventual finalists. The trend continued, as three more wins for Finnin and Wright at Nos. 7, 10 and 11 were erased by victories at Nos. 13, 15 and 16 for Heimerdinger/Bell. A par at the par-4 17th was all that was needed for Finnin/Wright to secure a 2-and-1 win and a place in the Semifinals.
Seeking their deepest run together in the event after a Semifinal appearance a year ago, Finnin/Wright posted another 2-and-1 success in the afternoon over Curt Minkel (Pekin / Pekin Park District) and Jeff Ott (Dunlap / Coyote Creek GC). A back-and-forth match featured neither team gaining more than a 2-up advantage throughout, as Finnin/Wright overcame a 2-down deficit after the third hole. The two’s fourth birdie of the match at the par-4 16th proved to be the clincher ahead of pars at No. 17.
Przybylski/Seelinger and Finnin/Wright are now set to compete for a chance to hoist the final trophy of the 2025 CDGA Championship season on Thursday at Olympia Fields. The title tilt is scheduled to tee off at 8 a.m.
Day Two: Tuesday, Sept. 30
BACK-TO-BACK DEFENDING CHAMPS, HOME-CLUB HOPEFULS ADVANCE TO QUARTERFINALS AT OLYMPIA FIELDS
OLYMPIA FIELDS, Ill. – Summer-like conditions welcomed the 10th CDGA Senior Amateur Four-Ball sweet-sixteeners back to Olympia Fields Country Club for the opening round of matches Tuesday morning. Eight duos advanced from the Round of 16 to remain in the hunt for the final championship of the CDGA’s 2025 slate.
Top-seeded Edward Madden (Evanston / The Evans at Canal Shores) and Randall Schwartz (Valparaiso, Ind. / Olympia Fields CC) followed up their stroke-play-qualifying round 66 Monday with a 2-and-1 defeat of Mark Esposito (Lakewood / Blackberry Oaks GC) and Vance Antoniou (North Barrington / Butler National GC) to begin their run in the match play bracket. The two secured the victory by winning Nos. 16 and 17.
Schwartz is one of five Olympia Fields members who advanced to Wednesday’s Quarterfinal round, as No. 8-seeded Phillip Saville (Chicago / Olympia Fields CC) and Michael Saletta (Chicago / Olympia Fields CC), along with John Finnin (Frankfort / Olympia Fields CC) and teammate John Wright (Oswego / Oak Brook GC), also moved on. Saville and Saletta secured a 1-up lead with a birdie at the par-3 fifth and held that lead for the remainder of the match en route to a 2-and-1 win of their own. Trailing three groups behind, Finnin and Wright needed one extra hole to secure their win over Steve Putzel (Highland Park / Lake Shore CC) and Jeff Echt (Highland Park / Lake Shore CC). The two carded their seventh birdie of the match to win in 19 holes.
Back-to-back defending champions Glenn Przybylski (Frankfort / Sanctuary GC) and Gregory Seelinger (Downers Grove / Cantigny Golf) also secured a spot in the Quarterfinal round with their 4-and-3 disposal of Rich Balla (St. Charles / St. Charles CC) and Keith Petri (St. Charles / St. Charles CC). Przybylski and Seelinger carded nine birdies in the 15 holes they played, including two-consecutive to begin the match and take a commanding lead early. The two pushed their advantage to as much as 5-up through 12 holes before coasting to their eventual triumph.
Play continues Wednesday with the Quarterfinal and Semifinal matches, with the Championship slated for Thursday morning.
MATCH PLAY RESULTS
Round of 16 Matches
(1) Edward Madden / Randall Schwartz def. (16) Mark Esposito / Vance Antoniou, 2 and 1
(8) Phillip Saville / Michael Saletta def. (9) Jeff Matheson / Tim Byers, 2 and 1
(5) Glenn Przybylski / Gregory Seelinger def. (12) Rich Balla / Keith Petri, 4 and 3
(13) David Feder / Larry Silvestri def. (4) Scott Spielmann / Bob Salzman, 2 and 1
(2) John Wright / John Finnin def. (15) Steve Putzel / Jeff Echt, 19 holes
(10) Jeff Heimerdinger / Rodney Bell vs. (7) Mark Rapplean / Andy Nathan, 3 and 2
(11) Dave Esler / Rick Stewart vs. (6) Mike Henry / Sean Mccaw, 2 and 1
(3) Steven Jacobs / Matthew Horwitch def. (14) Curt Minkel / Jeff Ott,
Day One: Monday, Sept. 29
FOUR TANDEMS CO-MEDAL, MATCH PLAY SET AT OLYMPIA
OLYMPIA FIELDS, Ill.– A mere two strokes was the difference between co-medaling and failing to reach match play on a tightly contested day one of the 10th CDGA Senior Amateur Four-Ball Championship at Olympia Fields Country Club.
The CDGA’s final 2025 championship featured 49 age-55-and-up duos tackling the south suburban gem’s South Course. The teams of Edward Madden (Evanston / The Evans at Canal Shores) and Randall Schwartz (Valparaiso, Ind. / Olympia Fields CC), John Wright (Oswego / Oak Brook GC) and John Finnin (Frankfort / Olympia Fields CC), Steven Jacobs (Highland Park / Pine Meadow GC) and Matthew Hortwitch (Northbrook / Merit Club), and Scott Spielmann (Mt. Prospect / Mt. Prospect GC) and Bob Salzman (Arlington Heights / Mt. Prospect GC) all fired 4-under 68s to earn co-medalist accolades. The duos combined for 22 birdies, three of which came on Spielmann/Salzman’s final three holes, in comparison to only six bogeys.
Two-time defending champions Glenn Przybylski (Frankfort / Sanctuary GC) and Gregory Seelinger (Downers Grove / Cantigny Golf) were among seven tandems who carded 3-under 69s. Their highlights included bookend birdies on Nos. 1 and 18 and a 3-under aggregate score on the South Course’s four par 5s. Their quest for a three-peat will continue into match play as the event’s No. 5 seed.
The cut fell at 2-under 70, which was posted by seven teams. A 7-for-5 playoff determined the remaining slots on the match play bracket, which will start Tuesday at 8 a.m.
Preview
Following a busy spring and summer, the 112th season of amateur golf championships conducted by the CDDGA concludes with the 10th CDGA Senior Amateur Four-Ball Championship, Sept. 29 - Oct. 2 at Olympia Fields Country Club's South Course. One round of stroke play and four rounds of match play await the field of the Chicago District's top amateur tandems age 55 and up.
Schedule
Monday, Sept. 29 The entire field will play 18 holes of stroke play in the morning to determine the low 16 duos that will advance to match play.
Tuesday, Sept. 30 The 16 teams that advanced from Monday’s qualifying round will compete in Round of 16 matches in the morning.
Wednesday, Oct. 1 The Quarterfinals will be contested in the morning, with the Semifinal matches to follow in the afternoon.
Thursday, Oct. 2 The Championship match will be contested in the morning.
CLICK HERE or the image for a full preview and notes package.
New to the CDGA championship slate in 2016, the CDGA Senior Amateur Four-Ball Championship is a team match play event for those over the age of 55. Two-person teams begin the Championship with 18 holes of stroke play on the Monday of the event before the low 16 teams are seeded into a match play bracket. Both team members play their own ball throughout, with the lowest score on each hole counting. The duo of Glenn Przybylski and Greg Seelinger won their second-consecutive Championship in 2024 at Ivanhoe Club.
Greg Seelinger and Glenn Przybylski claimed their third straight CDGA Senior Amateur Four-Ball crown, besting John Wright and John Finnin, 3 and 2, in the Championship Match
Preview
