37-year-old Charlie Waddell defeated a trio of college stalwarts en route to the 102nd CDGA Amateur Championship title.
102nd CDGA Amateur Championship June 27-30 • Glen Flora Country Club (Waukegan)
Day Four: Thursday, June 30
WADDELL WINS IN WAUKEGAN, CAPTURES 102ND CDGA AM AT GLEN FLORA
WAUKEGAN, Ill. – As the old adage goes, age is only a number.
For 37-year-old father of three Charlie Waddell (Chicago / Shoreacres), age has mostly brought a wealth of knowledge navigating various types of golf courses, experience in many of the country's top amateur events and, finally, a trophy on the mantle.
"First thought is, I'm very tired," said Waddell following his first amateur victory in the 102nd CDGA Amateur Championship. "It's a long week, but I'm thrilled. I've played in, I can't even think of how many CDGA-sanctioned events I've played in, going back to junior golf, and I've never won anything, so this is just amazing."
The tired Waddell pushed through and exercised his age and experience as a strength, not a weakness, to defeat three-consecutive college golfers, including Zachary Mulhearn (Wheaton / Glen Oak CC), 6 and 4, in the title tilt, to hoist the Joseph G. Davis trophy Thursday afternoon at Glen Flora Country Club.
"I'm 37 years old, I've got the grey hairs coming in and these guys are all probably thinking, 'Oh I can run this guy over,'" said Waddell. "But, if you just hang around and you're in every hole, you're doing the smart things and you keep it below the hole and just wear them down a bit, I think it can be pretty frustrating for the younger players."
(9) Charlie Waddell def. (6) Zachary Mulhearn, 6 and 4
Day Three: Wednesday, June 29
MID-AM WADDELL, COLLEGE SOPH MULHEARN TO MEET FOR CDGA AM GLORY
WAUKEGAN, Ill. – Glen Flora’s 360-yard, par-4 first hole played a much larger role than initially expected on Wednesday in the 102nd CDGA Amateur Championship at Glen Flora Country Club.
Charlie Waddell (Chicago / Shoreacres) and Zachary Mulhearn (Wheaton / Glen Oak CC) each claimed two victories on a picturesque afternoon just west of Lake Michigan, with all four matches being decided on the track’s opener in one way or another. Each competitor earned a wire-to-wire victory, notching a win on the first hole and never looking back, while both also earned playoff triumphs that were decided on No. 1.
The similarities between each player who will be vying for the Joseph G. Davis Trophy Thursday end there. Waddell, 37, is a veteran of competitive amateur golf, having qualified for 11 USGA championships and making the Quarterfinals in last year’s CDGA Am. Mulhearn, 19, and a rising sophomore at the University of St. Thomas in Minnesota, is playing in the event for the first time. The two will face off in the 36-hole Championship Match at 8 a.m. on Thursday.
(9) Charlie Waddell def. (5) T.J. Barger, 3 and 2
(6) Zachary Mulhearn def. (7) Graham O`Connor-Brooks, 19 holes
Quarterfinal Matches
(9) Charlie Waddell def. (1) Danny Fisher, 19 holes
(5) T.J. Barger def. (4) Tyler Isenhart, 6 and 4
(7) Graham O`Connor-Brooks def. (2) Andrew Price, 2 and 1
(6) Zachary Mulhearn def. (3) Michael Cascino, 7 and 6
Day Two: Tuesday, June 28
TOP-SEEDED FISHER AMONG EIGHT ADVANCING TO 102ND CDGA AM QUARTERS
WAUKEGAN, Ill. – Following the completion of the Round of 16 matches in the 102nd CDGA Amateur Championship at Glen Flora Country Club Tuesday, top-seeded Danny Fisher (Lake Forest / Lake Bluff GC) continued his consistent play as he highlighted the eight players advancing to Wednesday morning’s Quarterfinals.
Following a record-setting day on Monday, Fisher faced an immediate 1-down deficit to No.16 seed Will Troy (Naperville / Cog Hill G&CC), who birdied the Waukegen-based club’s first hole. Fisher tied the match with a birdie on the par-5 fifth, kick-starting a string of four-straight wins. Holding a 3-up lead at the turn, the Miami University-Ohio rising senior won the par-4 10th with another birdie. Troy, a rising junior at Illinois State, clawed back with wins on Nos. 12, 13, 15 and 16 to tie the match. A Fisher birdie on No. 17 would be enough to advance, as the pair tied No.18.
Fisher will take on Charlie Waddell (Chicago / Shoreacres) in Wednesday’s Quarterfinals, following Waddell’s 4-and-2 defeat of Grant Goltz (DeKalb / Black Sheep GC). Waddell, a veteran of 11 USGA-sanctioned championships, also reached the Quarterfinals of last year’s event at Bull Valley Golf Club and is in search of his first CDGA Championship title.
Among the other Quarterfinalists who advanced from Tuesday’s action is home-club hopeful Graham O`Connor-Brooks (Libertyville / Glen Flora CC), who disposed of Chris Niemiec (Geneva / St. Charles CC), 3 and 2. O`Connor-Brooks, who advanced to the 2021 U.S. Amateur Four-Ball alongside Fisher, looks to be the first member of a host club to win the CDGA Amateur since Chad Koschmann in 2007 at Lake Shore Country Club. Awaiting him in the Quarterfinals is 2016 CDGA Amateur champion Andrew Price (Lake Bluff / Conway Farms), who bested Jack Vercautren (Naperville / Naperbrook GC) 4 and 3.
Wednesday’s Quarterfinals will commence at 8 a.m., with Semifinal matches slated for the afternoon. The 36-hole Championship match will tee off Thursday morning at 8 a.m.
MATCH PLAY RESULTS
Round of 16 Matches
(1) Danny Fisher def. (16) Will Troy, 1 up
(9) Charlie Waddell def. (8) Grant Goltz, 4 and 2
(5) T.J. Barger def. (12) Benjamin Sluzas, 3 and 2
(4) Tyler Isenhart def. (13) Scott Tenbroeck, 2 and 1
(2) Andrew Price def. (15) Jack Vercautren, 4 and 3
(7) Graham O`Connor-Brooks def. (10) Chris Niemiec, 3 and 2
(6) Zachary Mulhearn def. (11) Sam Mortell, 3 and 2
(3) Michael Cascino def. (14) Tyler Anderson, 1 up
FISHER TIES GLEN FLORA COURSE RECORD, EARNS NO.1 SEED IN 102ND CDGA AM
WAUKEGAN, Ill. – On a picture-perfect day with a light breeze off of Lake Michigan, Danny Fisher (Lake Forest / Lake Bluff GC) lit up the leaderboard with rounds of 62 and 66 to earn medalist honors following 36 holes of stroke-play qualifying Monday in the 102nd CDGA Amateur Championship at Glen Flora Country Club. The 74-player field was reduced to 16 for match play, which will begin Tuesday morning.
Fisher’s morning round of 62 tied the Waukegan-based club’s course record, as the rising senior at Miami University-Ohio carded eight birdies, including a string of four-straight on Nos. 5-8, after starting on No. 10. In the afternoon, after starting on No. 1, his first blemish of the day came in the form of bogey on the par-3 sixth. Four more birdies ensued after that, before bogeys on No. 17 and 18 closed out the round. Fisher, along with Andrew Price (Lake Bluff / Conway Farms GC) who finished at 1 under, were the only players to complete the day under par.
The No.1-seeded Fisher will face Will Troy (Naperville / Cog Hill G&CC), the No.16 seed who carded rounds of 73 and 71.
Round of 16 matches begin Tuesday morning at 10:00 a.m. Quarterfinal and Semifinal matches are slated for Wednesday, with the 36-hole title tilt taking place on Thursday.
Tuesday's Round of 16 Matches:
(1) Danny Fisher vs. (16) Will Troy
(8) Grant Goltz vs. (9) Charlie Waddell
(5) T.J. Barger vs. (12) Benjamin Sluzas
(4) Tyler Isenhart vs. (13) Scott Tenbroeck
(2) Andrew Price vs. (15) Jack Vercautren
(7) Graham O`Connor-Brooks vs. (10) Chris Niemiec
(6) Zachary Mulhearn vs. (11) Sam Mortell
(3) Michael Cascino vs. (14) Tyler Anderson
102ND CDGA AMATEUR HEADS NORTH TO GLEN FLORA COUNTRY CLUB
LEMONT, Ill. – For the first time since the 21st Illinois State Senior Amateur Championship in 2007, the CDGA`s championship slate is headed to Waukegan`s Glen Flora Country Club for the 102nd playing of the CDGA Amateur Championship, June 27-30. The CDGA Am, the CDGA`s eldest competition, is making its second appearance at Glen Flora, as the club also hosted in 1953.
The eventual victor of this four-day championship will have his name engraved on the Joseph G. Davis Trophy, alongside the likes of golf legends Chick Evans, Robert A. Gardner, Frank Stranahan and Joel Hirsch.
FORMAT
The entire field will play 36 holes of stroke play on Monday, June 27, with tee times starting at 7:30 a.m. and the low 16 advancing to match play. Round of 16 matches are scheduled to begin at 10:00 a.m. Tuesday, with Quarterfinal and Semifinal matches throughout the day on Wednesday, June 29. A 36-hole Championship match is set for 8:00 a.m. Thursday, June 30 to determine the winner.
ABOUT THE FIELD
Registration was open to all CDGA members with a Handicap Index® from the USGA® of 7.4 or below. Nearly 300 individuals signed up for the event, with exemptions and four qualifiers earlier this year at Palatine Hills Golf Course, Ironwood Golf Course, Briar Ridge Country Club and Oak Grove Golf Course determining the final field of 75.
One of the oldest amateur competitions in the Midwest, the CDGA Amateur Championship was first played in 1914 at Ravisloe Country Club in Homewood. Golf great Charles “Chick” Evans, Jr. won the tournament that year. In 1935, invitations were issued nationally, and in 1941 the event became known as the Great Lakes Amateur Championship. In 1955 the CDGA board of directors decided to make the championship an association event again and to limit the field to players who were CDGA members. Currently the Championship is open to any CDGA member with a Handicap Index of 7.4 or under. Since 2003, qualifying golfers play 36 holes of stroke play on the first day of the championship. From there, 16 individuals advance to match play. The eight quarterfinalists from the previous year’s championship are exempt into the 36-hole qualifying. Nick Tenuta took home the hardware in 2021 at Bull Valley Golf Club in Woodstock.
Qualifying
Chicago District Golf Association 11855 Archer Avenue Lemont, IL 60439
37-year-old Charlie Waddell defeated a trio of college stalwarts en route to the 102nd CDGA Amateur Championship title.
Glen Flora’s 360-yard, par-4 first hole played a much larger role than initially expected on Wednesday in the 102nd CDGA Amateur Championship at Glen Flora Country Club.
