The duo of Michael Natale and Steve Sawtell claimed the inaugural CDGA Amateur Four-Ball Championship Thursday at Eagle Brook Country Club with a 1-up victory over John Ehrgott and Rick LeHew. Sawtell, a Northfield native and two-time CDGA Amateur champ, and Natale of Indian Head Park were the fourth seed following stroke play qualifying on Monday, before advancing through the match play bracket.

“It means a lot to win,” Sawtell said. “It’s a great new event; it’s been seven years since I won my last CDGA (Am). It’s a lot of fun and a good partner to share it with.”
(Full Recap) / Match Play Bracket) / (Photo Gallery)

Championship
(4) Michael Natale / Steve Sawtell def. (11) John Ehrgott / Rick LeHew, 1 up

Day 3: Wednesday, Aug. 3

The duos of Michael Natale / Steve Sawtell and John Ehrgott / Rick LeHew won CDGA Amateur Four-Ball Championship quarterfinal and semifinal matches Wednesday at Eagle Brook Country Club. The teams will square off in Thursday’s 18-hole final match at noon.

Natale and Sawtell dispatched of Michael Hultquist / Nick Lavezzorio in the quarterfinals, 3 and 2, before ousting the top-seeded pair of Jason Chobar / Paul Schlimm, Jr. in the semifinal, 2 up. The afternoon match was all square through 12 before Sawtell birdied 13 to move his team 1 up. Chobar and Schlimm maintained the one-hole deficit until 18, when two errant tee shots resulted in Natale and Sawtell clinching the match with pars.

Ehrgott and LeHew never trailed in either match en route to the final. They cruised by Dominic Cascino / Michael Cascino in the morning quarterfinal, 7 and 6, before receiving a stiffer test from John Ramsey / Chadd Slutzky in the afternoon. A Ramsey birdie on 17 brought the match all square for the first time since hole number one, but LeHew drained a 9-foot birdie putt on 18 for the win. (Match Play Bracket / Facebook Photo Gallery )

Semifinals
(4) Michael Natale / Steve Sawtell def. (1) Jason Chobar / Paul Schlimm, Jr., 2 up
(11) John Ehrgott / Rick LeHew def. (2) John Ramsey / Chadd Slutzky, 1 up

Quarterfinals
(1) Jason Chobar / Paul Schlimm, Jr. def. (9) Doug McCoy / Christian Novay, 3 and 2
(4) Michael Natale / Steve Sawtell def. (12) Michael Hultquist / Nick Lavezzorio, 3 and 2
(2) John Ramsey / Chadd Slutzky def. (10) Kevin Karney / Mike Karney, 2 and 1
(11) John Ehrgott / Rick LeHew def. (14) Dominic Cascino / Michael Cascino, 7 and 6

Day 2: Tuesday, Aug. 2

Round of 16

The top seed advanced, as Jason Chobar and Paul Schlimm, Jr. defeated Andrew Burdick and Zack Van Dyke, 2 and 1 in the opening round of matches at the CDGA Amateur Four-Ball Championship. Among the other seven teams advancing was Michael Natale and two-time CDGA Amateur champ Steve Sawtell, John Ramsey and 2015 Illinois State Mid-Amateur champ Chadd Slutzky, and John Ehrgott and Rick LeHew, both former Illinois State Mid-Am victors.

The inaugural CDGA Amateur Four-Ball resumes Wednesday at Eagle Brook Country Club, with the quarterfinals teeing off at 8 a.m., to be followed by the semifinals at 1 p.m. (Match Play Bracket)

Match Results
(1) Jason Chobar / Paul Schlimm, Jr. def. (16) Andrew Burdick / Zack Van Dyke, 2 and 1
(9) Doug McCoy / Christian Novay def. (8) Austin Egbers / Drew Vannoy, 4 and 3
(12) Michael Hultquist / Nick Lavezzorio def. (5) Todd Creviston / Tim Naughton, 3 and 2
(4) Michael Natale / Steve Sawtell def. (13) Paul Dagys / Graham O’Connor-Brooks, 2 and 1
(2) John Ramsey / Chadd Slutzky def. (15) Andy Johnson / Anthony Sambo, 4 and 3
(10) Kevin Karney / Mike Karney def. (7) Matthew Minder / Kyle Ridgeway, 5 and 4
(11) John Ehrgott / Rick LeHew def. (6) Jack Junge / Matthew Murlick, 4 and 3
(14) Dominic Cascino / Michael Cascino def. (3) Brien Gerber / Brad Kay, 2 and 1

Day 1: Monday, Aug. 1

The duos of Jason Chobar/Paul Schlimm, Jr. and John Ramsey/Chadd Slutzky fired 8-under 64s Monday at Eagle Brook Country Club to earn co-medalist honors in the inaugural CDGA Amateur Four-Ball Championship. Both teams were bogey-free on the afternoon.

Slutzky, the 2016 Illinois State Mid-Amateur champion, will be joined in match play by numerous other past Illinois State or CDGA event winners. Two-time CDGA Amateur champion Steve Sawtell was one shot off of the top after shooting 7-under 65 with partner Michael Natale. The team of John Ehrgott and Rick LeHew, who have each won the Illinois State Mid-Amateur, shot 4-under 68 to qualify.

Match play will begin with the Round of 16 Tuesday at 1:30 p.m. The quarterfinals and semifinals will take place Wednesday, before a champion is crowned on Thursday. (Stroke Play Results) / (Match Play Bracket)

Qualifying

Date	Site	Information
July 7	Heritage Bluffs Golf Club, Channahon, Ill.	Results
July 12	Blackstone Golf Club, Marengo, Ill.	Results