Michael Natale and Steve Sawtell won the CDGA Amateur Four-Ball Championship for the second time in three years
3rd CDGA Amateur Four-Ball Championship August 13-15 • Mistwood Golf Club (Romeoville)
Day Three: Wednesday, Aug. 15
NATALE AND SAWTELL CLINCH SECOND FOUR-BALL CROWN IN WILD FINISH
ROMEOVILLE, Ill. - A second CDGA Amateur Four-Ball Championship title was slipping away from Michael Natale (Burr Ridge / Cog Hill G&CC) and Steve Sawtell (Northfield / Merit Club) as they stood on the 17th tee Wednesday at Mistwood Golf Club, both figuratively and literally.
What was once a 4-up advantage for the 2016 champions over Brian Hickey (Burr Ridge / Edgewood Valley CC) and Ryan Neill (Downers Grove / Butterfield CC) through 13 holes had been trimmed to 1 up with two holes to play. Then, Mother Nature complicated matters even more as Sawtell stood over his tee shot on the 166-yard par 3.
“The wind starts coming in and it starts to pour,” Sawtell recalled.
Sawtell, also a two-time CDGA Amateur champion, responded by sticking his 8-iron to two feet before rolling in the birdie putt to clinch the final match for him and Natale, 2 and 1.
“The 18th hole would have been unplayable,” Sawtell said following the match as the lightning detection siren blared. “We were fortunate to end at that spot. It was pouring.
“You might think [the first championship] is lucky, but by the time you win your second one, it validates that you are a good partnership,” Sawtell added. “We’re tough to beat in this format.”
2) Michael Natale / Steve Sawtell def. 13) Brian Hickey / Ryan Neill, 2 and 1
Semifinals
13) Brian Hickey / Ryan Neill def. 9) Jason Buffone / Edward Roderique, 1 up 2) Michael Natale / Steve Sawtell def. 3) Michael Fastert / Graham O’Connor-Brooks, 1 up
Day Two: Tuesday, Aug. 14
SEMIFINALS SET AFTER TWO TUESDAY ROUNDS
ROMEOVILLE, Ill. – Four pairings advanced to the semifinal matches of the 3rd CDGA Amateur Four-Ball Championship after emerging victorious in two matches Tuesday at Mistwood Golf Club.
The nine-seed tandem of Jason Buffone (New Lenox / Sanctuary GC) and Edward Roderique (Frankfort / Sanctuary GC) took down medalists Glenn Przybylski (Frankfort / Sanctuary GC) and Mark Small (Frankfort / Sanctuary GC), 1-up, to advance to the semis in their first appearance in the event. Buffone and Roderique, who have qualified for the U.S. Four-Ball Championship the last three years and defeated defending champions John Ramsey (Glenview / North Shore CC) and Chadd Slutzky (Deer Park / The Grove CC) in the morning, birdied the par-5 18th to seal the victory.
Their opponents in the semifinals will be Brian Hickey (Burr Ridge / Edgwood Valley CC) and Ryan Neill (Downers Grove / Butterfield CC), who advanced to the penultimate matches for the first time. Hickey and Neill defeated Jake Scott (Aurora / Phillips Park GC) and Cory Scott (Galesburg / Soangetaha CC) 5 and 3, with five birdies on the back nine to seal their fate after the match made the turn all square.
On the other side of the bracket, 2016 CDGA Amateur Four-Ball champions Michael Natale (Burr Ridge / Cog Hill G&CC) and Steve Sawtell (Northfield / Merit Club) defeated Jordan Less (Elmhurst / Oak Brook GC) and Paul Schlimm, Jr. (DeKalb / Mistwood GC), 6 and 5, to punch their ticket to the semis. After the pair birdied the par-4 2nd, the duo maintained a lead throughout the match.
The final semifinal spot went to the pairing of Michael Fastert (Des Plaines / Sanctuary GC) and Graham O’Connor-Brooks (Lake Bluff / Glen Flora CC) following a 22-hole triumph over Paul Dagys (Bolingbrook / Mistwood GC) and Jack Korzon (Downers Grove / Mistwood GC). O’Connor-Brooks birdied the fourth playoff hole to secure the victory.
The semifinal matches will take place Wednesday beginning at 8 a.m., with the title tilt following in the afternoon.
9) Jason Buffone / Edward Roderique def. 1) Glenn Przybylski / Mark Small, 1 up 13) Brian Hickey / Ryan Neill def. 12) Cory Scott / Jake Scott, 5 and 3 2) Michael Natale / Steve Sawtell def. 7) Jordan Less / Paul Schlimm, Jr., 6 and 5 3) Michael Fastert / Graham O’Connor-Brooks def. 6) Paul Dagys / Jack Korzon, 22 holes
Round of 16
1) Glenn Przybylski / Mark Small def. 16) John Finnin / John Wright, 1 up 9) Jason Buffone / Edward Roderique def. 8) John Ramsey / Chadd Slutzky, 3 and 2 12) Cory Scott / Jake Scott def. 5) Ricky Costello / Matt Shipley, 1 up 13) Brian Hickey / Ryan Neill def. 4) Dominic Cascino / Michael Cascino, 2 and 1 2) Michael Natale / Steve Sawtell def. 15) Greg Bauman / Riley Bauman, 1 up 7) Jordan Less / Paul Schlimm, Jr. def. 10) Anthony Albano, Jr. / Bretton Schuetz, 5 and 3 6) Paul Dagys / Jack Korzon def. 11) Dennis Reedy / Jackson Wetherbee, 6 and 5 3) Michael Fastert / Graham O’Connor-Brooks def. 14) Kyle Martin / Pat Murphy, 4 and 2
Day One: Monday, Aug. 13
PRZYBYLSKI/SMALL FIRE 11-UNDER 61 TO EARN MEDALIST HONORS
ROMEOVILLE, Ill. – The 41-team CDGA Amateur Four-Ball Championship field was trimmed to 16 after Monday’s stroke play round at Mistwood Golf Club. Match play will commence Tuesday at 7:30 a.m.
The duo of Glenn Przybylski (Frankfort / Sanctuary GC) and Mark Small (Frankfort / Sanctuary GC) earned the top seed in match play with a bogey-free 61, which included a stretch of six-straight birdies from their fifth through 10th holes. Przybylski/Small will take on John Finnin (Mokena / Olympia Fields CC) and John Wright (Aurora / Oak Brook GC) in the first round, one of five teams to advance from a six-team playoff.
Defending champions John Ramsey (Glenview / North Shore CC)and Chadd Slutzky (Deer Park / The Grove CC) secured the No. 8 seed in match play with a 6-under 66. The 2016 winning duo of Michael Natale (Burr Ridge / Cog Hill G&CC) and Steve Sawtell (Northfield / Merit Club) notched a bogey-free 8-under 64, including one of just three eagles by the field, on the par-5 18th, en route to the No. 2 seed. The two-time runner up pair of John Ehrgott (Edwards / Mt. Hawley CC) and Rick LeHew (Brimfield / Mt. Hawley CC) did not make match play after carding a 2-under 70.
Tuesday will feature the round of 16 and quarterfinal matches, with the semifinal and championship matches slated for Wednesday.
DOUBLE UP: DISTRICT’S TOP DUOS READY TO TACKLE MISTWOOD
LEMONT, Ill. - Mistwood Golf Club welcomes a CDGA championship for the second consecutive year when it plays host to the 3rd CDGA Amateur Four-Ball Championship, Aug. 13-15. The Romeoville track was the site of the 2017 CDGA Mid-Amateur Championship, won by Chadd Slutzky, also a member of defending Four-Ball Championship team.
FORMAT
A total of 41 teams will play 18 holes on Monday, Aug. 13 to determine the low 16 duos for match play. The round of 16 and quarterfinal matches are slated for Tuesday, Aug. 14, with the semifinal and championship matches taking place on Wednesday, Aug. 15.
The event was created in 2016 to emulate the increasingly popular U.S. Amateur Four-Ball Championship. Each competitor plays their own ball, with the lowest gross score from each hole counting as the team’s score.
FIELD
An event-record 87 teams attempted to qualify for the Championship, with the field being determined by exemptions and two qualifiers in July. Registration was open to any CDGA member with an official USGA Handicap Index® not exceeding 10.4.
New to the CDGA championship slate in 2016, the CDGA Amateur Four-Ball Championship is a team match play event. 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 John Ramsey and Chadd Slutzky hoisted the hardware in 2017. (2017 Recap)
Chicago District Golf Association 11855 Archer Avenue Lemont, IL 60439
Michael Natale and Steve Sawtell won the CDGA Amateur Four-Ball Championship for the second time in three years
ROMEOVILLE, Ill. – Four pairings advanced to the semifinal matches of the 3rd CDGA Amateur Four-Ball Championship after emerging victorious in two matches Tuesday at Mistwood Golf Club.
