CHICAGO DISTRICT GOLF ASSOCIATION

“It's great to finally become the bride instead of the bridesmaid,” Small said following the win. “Last year with Brad (Kay), we played a good match. Brad played really well, and the year before that, I was in the Illinois Senior Open against Mike Small and I didn't have a big enough lead to take him down on the last couple of holes … So I've been playing pretty well for the past couple of years and I just don't know how long I'll be able to hold on to this ride. I am approaching 62 (years old) and there is going to come a time where I can't do this anymore. But while I can, it sure is fun.”

As he mentioned, Small’s layoff from the winner’s circle hadn’t been for a lack of trying, or strong play. Along with the top finishes in the CDGA Senior Am and Illinois Senior Open, he has found himself within the top-10 in each of the last four Illinois State Senior Amateur Championships at week’s end, including a second-place showing in 2021 - an event that Small, even through the joy of this week’s win, admittedly still has his eyes on.

“I want the bookends, and it's my goal, so if there's a goal left of my career, it's that,” said Small. “I'd love to try and get the State Senior Am, so we'll see if that happens. But for now, it's this bookend. I guess I've got a third bookend now.”

The middle bookend began with an early 1-up lead for Small, as he secured the opening hole with a par. A corresponding birdie at the par-5 second for Stewart leveled the match back up and that would hold through the Briar Ridge Red Course’s first six holes.

The par-4 seventh presented an opportunity in Small’s title run. He notched his second birdie in three holes to regain his 1-up advantage. This time, the eventual victor wouldn’t surrender his upper hand.

“Every birdie out here is big,” Small said of the seventh hole. “Rick's a really great player, and I expected a push from him. He just couldn't get the ball very close to the hole today.”

The birdie win at No. 7 wouldn’t be his last. Small caught his stride when the match turned to the Blue Course, as a par at No. 10 was succeeded by back-to-back birdies at the par-4 11th and par-5 12th to push his lead to 3-up with six holes to play.

“I had some good looks,” Small said. “My best shot of the day was the shot on 11, the 7-iron I hit in there … That's really tough for someone to fight, you know, back-to-back birdies. It’s really tough.”

After finding a fairway bunker off the tee at No. 14, Small’s approach fell just shy of the green at the par 4. A chip to six feet gave him a look to tie the hole before his par attempt slid just by the edge of the cup to drop his advantage to 2 up. The two shared pars at Nos. 15-17 to settle the match at 2 and 1.

Hugs and handshakes all around, as Small found himself atop the amateur circuit within the Chicago District again - a moment decades in the making.

“It's been a long time since I've been able to get one of the majors of the CDGA; 29 years,” Small said. “I remember last year when I was in the finals, I read an article: It's been 28 years. I said, ‘My God, it's been that long?’ So this was just great. I love this course, I just have a good feeling here. And (the week) was great.”

Four months now separate Small from his hopeful final bookend, with the Earl R. Liff Trophy awaiting him at Bloomington Country Club for this year’s Illinois State Senior Amateur Championship. Safe to say another trip home with “just” a top-10 in hand won’t suffice this time around.

Until then, a number of elite amateur events are on the docket within the Chicago District, with the 92nd Illinois State Women’s Amateur Championship due next. The area’s top women are set to compete June 16-18 at The Grove Country Club in Long Grove.