Chicago native Charlie Kulwin carded rounds of 68 and 69 on the final day of competition to claim the Louis L. Emmerson Trophy.Day Three: Thursday, July 16
“I actually fist-pumped my tee shot on 12 because it was such a big tee shot,” Kulwin said. “After that, I thought, ‘You've got opportunities now.’”
Kulwin capitalized on said opportunities, ripping off three birdies in a row on Nos. 13-15, the last of which was a 25-foot putt from the back fringe to move into first and get to -3 overall.
After a “dumb bogey” where he failed to get up and down from an awkward stance by a bunker on the par-3 17th, Kulwin found a fairway bunker on the par-4, 460-yard finisher. With no other option, Kulwin laid up out of the sand and was left with a 125-yard approach.
“My only thought was, ‘I'm okay losing this tournament, but I'm not going to finish bogey-bogey,’” Kulwin said.
He didn’t.
His wedge settled about 10 feet above the hole, leaving him a downhill left-to-right bid for par. He deftly played the right combination of speed and break before celebrating with a fist pump and exclamation of “I’m like that!”
“When it went in, I couldn't believe it,” Kulwin said. “I knew getting to 2-under gave me a much better chance to win outright than staying at 1-under. That par was huge.”
Then, the wait, with the final pairing of Barger and Ryan Andrews (Libertyville) having teed off 90 minutes after Kulwin. Barger presented the biggest threat, as the hometown hopeful was one shot back and in the midst of an even-par round, stepping to the 12th tee.
However, the hole infamously dubbed “Hog Alley” - which played as the most difficult of the tournament - was Barger’s demise, as two shots into the lateral hazard resulted in an eight. He wound up carding a 3-over 74 and finished tied for fourth.
“On this golf course, especially with how intimidating the back nine is, I knew anything could happen,” Kulwin said of his mindset during the wait. “Fortunately, it worked out for me.”
With the victory, Kulwin earned an exemption into this year’s U.S. Amateur, Aug. 10-16 at Merion Golf Club outside of Philadelphia.
Also earning USGA exemptions were Eickhoff and Crestwicke member Logan Stauffer (Bloomington), who finished in a tie for second at +1 overall. Kulwin, Eickhoff and Stauffer are exempt into Final Qualifying for the 2027 U.S. Am.
Stauffer, the 2018 Illinois State Mid-Amateur champion, competed with a gallery of fellow members in tow throughout the week. His round climaxed with an up-and-down for par on 18 that was met with hearty cheers.
“I saw about 10 signs on the course with my name on it,” Stauffer commented. “As the days went on, more and more people came out to watch me and it was just one big family out there. I grew up with the English family - Kyle and I were on the same golf team in high school. It’s just one big happy family here.”
Kulwin, Stauffer, Eickhoff and the rest of the low 20 and ties all earned exemptions into next year’s event, slated to be contested July 13-15 at Mistwood Golf Club in Romeoville.
The 2026 CDGA Championship season continues July 27-29 with the 11th CDGA Amateur Four-Ball Championship at Skokie Country Club.
QUOTES OF NOTE:
Charlie Kulwin (Chicago) on dealing with the conditions… “I spent a week in Austin, Texas before this and every day is 95 degrees with no wind, so that prepared me. I’ve always thought that when conditions get tough, you just have to suck it up for 15 seconds when standing over the ball and deal with the rest.”
Kulwin on the difficulty of Hole No. 12… “I’ve never fist-pumped an iron shot before, but I did after the tee shot on 12 in Round 4. It’s not very wide and visually it slants to the right, so it’s difficult. You’ve really got to commit to your swing. It’s a super nervy tee shot.
Chadd Slutzky (Deer Park) on his continued success as a Mid-Am… “It’s more of a grind at this point with my age (49). I just try to hang in there and keep grinding and see the putts drop. I’m one of the few guys in this field who has a full-time job.”
Alex Eickhoff (Springfield) on his third-round 67 and T-2 finish… “I made the cut on the number and it freed me up going into today. I just played golf and made it as simple as possible to score. I definitely couldn’t imagine doing this well.”
Logan Stauffer (Bloomington) on the pressure of performing in his backyard… “It’s amazing to have this opportunity. It puts a little more pressure on me to perform, but it’s great. It gave me something to play for. I was glad that I could go out and do the best I could.”
Alexander Creamean (Winnetka) on competing against his brother… “I thought after the first two rounds we were going to get paired together. That has never happened before. We always want each other to play well, but hope that you just play a bit better.”
Michael Springer (La Grange) on what made the course difficult… “The afternoon wave is what did it. Each day, you saw higher scores in the afternoon due to how hot it has been. The course firms up real good in the afternoon. We were joking today that it looked like Shinnecock in the U.S. Open.”
Robert Dofflemyer (Loves Park) on having his wife caddie for him… “She’s been on the bag for every tournament that I’ve played in this year for the most part. It’s been really cool - she is a really good green reader and it’s just nice to have someone to talk to out there when it’s this hot.”
Day Two: Wednesday, July 15
Related Links: (Scoring) / (Photo Gallery) / (Tee Times) / ("Hog Alley" Reel) / (Andrews/Barger Inverview)
Andrews, who is set to compete on the final day of a State Am for the first time in his young career, had a rather subdued second round featuring two birdies and two bogeys. His first bogey of the day came at the par-4 second hole and was quickly neutralized by a birdie at the fourth. He played the subsequent seven holes to the tune of a septet of pars.
A bogey at the par-4 12th provided another minor speed bump for the 19-year-old, as he made his way to what ended up being the most meaningful stretch of play throughout his day. An up-and-down for par at the par-5 14th brought Andrews, who typically keeps his emotions within himself, to let out a hearty fist pump after his downhill, 10-foot putt found the bottom of the cup.
The momentum spurred a birdie on the ensuing hole to give him a share of the lead once again.
“On the front nine, I was leaving a couple of putts short, just right in the heart,” Andrews said. “I knew it was going to get going eventually, but to see that par putt drop, knowing I probably didn’t deserve it too much, and go on to birdie No. 15, it was really good for momentum.”
While it is his first time atop the Illinois State Amateur leaderboard, Andrews is in the midst of a rewarding stretch of play post-high school graduation. Leading into the week, he recently earned CCIW Newcomer of the Year recognition as a member of the nearby Illinois Wesleyan golf team and posted medalist honors at the CDGA Amateur Championship in June en route to a run to the Semifinal round.
“It has certainly been a breakthrough,” Andrews said. “I definitely thought I had been overlooked a little bit. In recruiting, I only had two offers coming out of high school, so, more than anything, I think it’s been proving to myself that I belong here and I can compete.”
A deep breath after a trio of pars ended the co-leader’s day.
“Yeah, I mean, I’ve been trying to do that throughout the rounds,” Andrews said of his exhale. “Just take a deep breath, step back, take it one shot at a time - that’s been my motto all week. Finally, there, I felt a little bit of relief, like, ‘We’re done, we can work toward tomorrow.’”
Joining Andrews in the final group is a State Amateur mainstay in Barger. The 23-year-old has a pair of top-three finishes on his resume across the last four playings of the event, including a second at neighboring Bloomington Country Club in 2023.
Barger, who began his second round on Crestwicke’s back nine, made one birdie, one bogey and seven pars to get his day underway. The bogey at the par-4 12th was just his second of the tournament.
Keeping up his consistent play, Barger birdied No. 1, his 10th hole of the day, before bogeys at Nos. 6 and 9 sandwiched a final birdie at the eighth to post an even-par 71.
“I’ve been hitting the ball great, driving it great, just putting is on and off,” Barger said after the round. “The greens are getting more firm, so you have to play a little smarter with your landing spots. I think today I hit it inside 15 feet all day long, just couldn’t make many putts. Overall, I’m happy with where I stand and I’m looking forward to tomorrow.
“I think all five (bogeys) are three putts, so I just need to stick to my game plan, hitting fairways and hitting it close. Just play smart and birdies will come. I don’t think anyone is going to shoot 65 out here with how firm it is.”
A native of Bloomington, Barger is one of the competitors most familiar with the Lawrence Packard layout that Crestwicke boasts. Such familiarity has been advantageous for the co-leader thus far.
“I’ve been playing out here basically my whole life, so it’s knowing where to hit it and where not to hit it,” said Barger. “I actually haven’t played here in three or four months, I normally play here a dozen times in the summer, so it’s just great being back out here and being in front of my hometown people.”
This time, Barger hopes his local knowledge will have him hoisting the Louis L. Emmerson Trophy he’s been so close to capturing over the years, as well as a ticket to the U.S. Amateur via the exemption for winning the State Amateur.
Chasing closely behind the duo are Jeremy Chen (Evanston), Josh Kirkham (Naperville), Patrick Raupp (Arlington Heights) and John Wild (Glen Ellyn), who share a tie for third at -1. Kirkham, the leader after the opening round, followed up his 66 on Tuesday with a second-round 75.
Jackson Hulsey (St. Charles), a member of the reigning CDGA Amateur Four-Ball Championship-winning duo, is the only other golfer not over par, as rounds of 73 and 69 have him in seventh place at even.
In total, 40 competitors from the initial 138-player field made the cut at +5 or better.
Play is set to begin at 7 a.m. on Thursday, with the final pairing of Andrews and Barger teeing off at 8:30 a.m. The final tee time of the day is scheduled for 1 p.m.
QUOTES OF NOTE:
Ryan Andrews (Libertyville) on how the heat impacted the second round… “Today was a grind. It felt like I was out there for seven or eight hours today but, I mean, the heat is definitely a factor. I just tried to take it shot-by-shot and turned in a good round.”
Jeremy Chen (Evanston) on his familiarity with the tournament, field and course as a native of Taiwan… “Honestly, I'm not too familiar with the course. This was my first time playing it this week, and it's my first time playing in this championship, as well. It's a privilege to be here. I'm really excited to finally qualify for it this year. I'm not too familiar with anything, really, so I'm just keeping a pretty open mind and trying to go out there and play some golf.”
TJ Barger (Bloomington) on his consistent success in the State Am… “I just try not to pay attention to the leaderboard. I stick to the same game plan - don’t get too aggressive, don’t force anything out there. I just stay patient.”
Michael Jorski (Clarendon Hills) on his 10-shot improvement from round one… “Yeah, I mean, I just found a way. I really struggled off the tee yesterday and put myself in the trees a lot. I was able to make a few more putts today. It's nice when you're playing easy golf, just going fairway to green and rolling a few putts in.”
Josh Kirkham (Naperville) on his mindset after the second round… “Yeah, I kind of need to get out of the heat a little bit and think about it. It was one of those days where I just didn't have it. I managed myself pretty well around the golf course, and I definitely maximized my score today. I'll reassess. The heat was getting to me a little bit, and I'll be better prepared for tomorrow.”
Patrick Raupp (Arlington Heights) on his mindset going into the last day… “I’m excited. I’m getting more and more used to playing 36-hole days playing in college at Northern (Illinois), so I’m excited to do that again. I just need to hit it a little bit better than today and see what happens.”
Raupp on finishing birdie-birdie… “I just told myself, ‘I’ve been in this situation before,’ to calm myself down and do what I know I can do.”
John Wild (Glen Ellyn) on how winning the Oklahoma Match Play in June boosted his confidence… “Winning on any stage is huge. It gets you into that mindset, knowing you can get out there and get it done. That always helps, so I'm feeling good for tomorrow. Hopefully I can post another low one.”
NOTABLES:
The scoring average for the second round Wednesday at Crestwicke was 76.12, down slightly from Tuesday’s average of 76.54.
The field carded 15 rounds of even-par or better, two more than Tuesday.
The field carded only two eagles on the day, none of which came on a par 5. The par-4 351-yard 14th netted two twos.
None came on the 550-yard par-5 11th played as the easiest hole on the day with a scoring average of 4.90.
The most difficult hole continued to be the 419-yard par-4 12th, on which the field averaged 4.70 strokes for the second consecutive round. Interestingly, the numbers of birdies (six) and scores of triple bogey or worse (seven) remained the exact same as well.
The 36-hole cut fell at +5, with 40 competitors (low 35 and ties) advancing to Thursday’s 36-hole finale. Last year at Stonebridge Country Club, 38 players made it to Thursday with the cut line falling at +2.
Former Illinois State Mid-Amateur champion Logan Stauffer (Bloomington) was the only of three Crestwicke Country Club members to make the cut. He sits T9 at +2.
Brothers Alexander and John Creamean (Winnetka) shot matching 1-over 72s for the second-consecutive day.
Day One: Tuesday, July 14
In total, eight players in the field finished the first round under par. The entire playing contingent will return Wednesday for the second round, with tee times beginning at 7:30 a.m. The field will then be cut to the top 35 and ties, who will compete over 36 holes throughout the day on Thursday.
QUOTES OF NOTE:
Josh Kirkham (Naperville) on his caddie situation…”I also have an LPGA Tour caddie coming in to caddie for me the rest of the week. My girlfriend was nice enough to carry the bag today, but this puts us in a good spot.”
Ryan Andrews (Libertyville) on how much confidence his medalist performance in last month’s CDGA Amateur provided…”A ton. It showed me that I’m here to compete, and I can. I’m here to win this week, so I’m ready to keep taking it deep.”
Andrews on his hair cut between the recent CDGA Amateur and this event…”It got hot. That’s pretty much all it was. I needed a change and cut it down. Hopefully it works out this week for me.”
TJ Barger (Bloomington) on the significance a State Am win in his hometown would carry…“It’d mean a lot, especially being a local here. Another reason is I’m trying to get back to the U.S. Amateur again. Doing it in front of a hometown crowd would mean a lot.”
Barger on the course conditions and high temperatures…”The ball was definitely traveling a lot more than it usually does. The greens were fairly receptive, more than I thought they would be. As the day went on, they kind of firmed up a little bit. Tomorrow, with an afternoon tee time, it’s about playing smart. Birdies will come. Obviously, it’s about staying hydrated in the heat.”
Dominic Lucchesi (Grayslake) on rebounding from his bogey-bogey start…”You know, 10, 11 and 12 were kind of a tough stretch. On 10, there’s a big tree that overhangs the left side, and I tugged my tee shot a little left. I hit that tree on the punch out, and I had a good look at par, but unfortunately started with a bogey. Then another one on 11, so a bogey-bogey start wasn’t ideal. But I knew there were 34 more holes to play, including tomorrow, to get into contention and make the cut. I knew there were a ton of birdie opportunities out there, so I kind of took advantage of those.”
Lucchesi on his mindset heading into Wednesday’s second round…”I need to straighten out the driver, for sure. I struggled off the tee a little bit today, but I hit some great recovery shots, and my short game did it all around today. The putting was phenomenal, and I’m really confident with that. I just need to get some lunch, hit some balls, and hit a couple of drivers to get that right for tomorrow.”
Patrick Raupp (Arlington Heights) on his eagle on the par-5 sixth, one of only two on that hole…”I hit driver off the tee and ended up kind of in a divot in the fairway. I had 253 to the hole, hit a 2-iron into the front-left bunker and made it.”
Raupp on the state of his game following Round 1…”I think I’m in a really good spot. I’m driving it really well, and I always feel good about that. The putter is starting to make some putts, and I’m hitting it really well with my irons and wedges.”
Logan Stauffer (Bloomington) on a member’s perspective regarding what players have to do to be successful at Crestwicke…“You’ve got to keep the ball below the hole. Give yourself uphill putts, don’t get above it, and don’t short-side yourself. That’s the biggest thing. Then, if they fall in, they fall in. If not, don’t get too hot and move on.”
Stauffer on how the course played in comparison to its regular conditioning…”I thought it was definitely firm enough. It’s drying out out there. The greens are getting hard, and they’re getting faster. I would say when the golf course is good, it’s pretty similar on a day-to-day basis, but with the heat and the rain that we’ve had, it’s kind of slowed some down. It’s a test out there, and tomorrow it’s going to get harder and faster.”
Preview
The 113th season of amateur golf championships conducted by the CDGA continues with the 95th Illinois State Amateur Championship, July 14-16, at Crestwicke Country Club in Bloomington. The week is set to consist of 72 holes of stroke play, 36 holes of which will be played on Thursday, July 16, after the field is cut to the low 35 and ties. In addition to having their named eteched on the Louis L. Emmerson Trophy, the champion of the Illinois State Amateur will receive an automatic exemption into this year's U.S. Amateur Championship, slated for Merion Golf Club in Ardmore, Pa., Aug. 10-16.
Schedule
Tuesday, July 14
The entire field will play 18 holes of stroke play.
Wednesday, July 15
The entire field will play 18 holes of stroke play, with a cut to the low 35 and ties occurring after Round 2 is complete.
Thursday, July 16
The low 35 and ties will play 36 holes of stroke play to determine a champion.
CLICK HERE or the image for a full preview and notes package.
Related Links: (Full Preview) / (Tee Times) / (Field) / (2025 Recap) / (Event History)
Championship Information
The Illinois State Amateur Championship, conducted annually by the Chicago District Golf Association, was first played in 1931 at Quincy Country Club. Initially conducted as match play until 1963, the event is now a 72-hole stroke play competition contested over three days. It is widely considered the premier amateur golf event in the state. Since the Championship was first conducted at stroke play, 46 different golfers have hoisted the Louis L. Emmerson trophy, several of whom are current or former members of the PGA Tour. Elmhurst native and former Northern Illinois University golfer Jordan Less became the first player to win the Illinois State Amateur, CDGA Amateur and CDGA Mid-Amateur Championships in 2025 at Stonebridge Country Club.
The Illinois State Amateur champion earns an automatic exemption into the current year's U.S. Amateur Championship.
Qualifying
You must satisfy the age requirement on or before 7/14/2026 to be eligible.
If you qualify for the Championship, there is no additional fee.
Exempt Players must register through the Exemptions link.
Players will need to complete the registration process to be placed on the waitlist. The credit card used during registration will NOT be charged until you are confirmed into the event.
You must satisfy the age requirement on or before 7/14/2026 to be eligible.
If you qualify for the Championship, there is no additional fee.
Exempt Players must register through the Exemptions link.
Players will need to complete the registration process to be placed on the waitlist. The credit card used during registration will NOT be charged until you are confirmed into the event.
You must satisfy the age requirement on or before 7/14/2026 to be eligible.
If you qualify for the Championship, there is no additional fee.
Exempt Players must register through the Exemptions link.
Players will need to complete the registration process to be placed on the waitlist. The credit card used during registration will NOT be charged until you are confirmed into the event.
You must satisfy the age requirement on or before 7/14/2026 to be eligible.
If you qualify for the Championship, there is no additional fee.
Exempt Players must register through the Exemptions link.
Players will need to complete the registration process to be placed on the waitlist. The credit card used during registration will NOT be charged until you are confirmed into the event.
You must satisfy the age requirement on or before 7/14/2026 to be eligible.
If you qualify for the Championship, there is no additional fee.
Exempt Players must register through the Exemptions link.
Players will need to complete the registration process to be placed on the waitlist. The credit card used during registration will NOT be charged until you are confirmed into the event.
You must satisfy the age requirement on or before 7/14/2026 to be eligible.
If you qualify for the Championship, there is no additional fee.
Exempt Players must register through the Exemptions link.
Players will need to complete the registration process to be placed on the waitlist. The credit card used during registration will NOT be charged until you are confirmed into the event.
You must satisfy the age requirement on or before 7/14/2026 to be eligible.
If you qualify for the Championship, there is no additional fee.
Exempt Players must register through the Exemptions link.
Players will need to complete the registration process to be placed on the waitlist. The credit card used during registration will NOT be charged until you are confirmed into the event.
You must satisfy the age requirement on or before 7/14/2026 to be eligible.
If you qualify for the Championship, there is no additional fee.
Exempt Players must register through the Exemptions link.
Players will need to complete the registration process to be placed on the waitlist. The credit card used during registration will NOT be charged until you are confirmed into the event.
You must satisfy the age requirement on or before 7/14/2026 to be eligible.
If you qualify for the Championship, there is no additional fee.
Exempt Players must register through the Exemptions link.
Players will need to complete the registration process to be placed on the waitlist. The credit card used during registration will NOT be charged until you are confirmed into the event.
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