| Midwest Golf House | Contact: Casey Richards |
| 11855 Archer Avenue | (630) 685-2324 |
| Lemont, IL 60439 | crichards@cdga.org |
| Contact: Tim Merrick | |
| (630) 685-2302 | |
| tmerrick@cdga.org | |
| Contact: Jacob Bomeli | |
| (630) 685-2345 | |
| jbomeli@cdga.org |
| For Immediate Release | May 14, 2025 |
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| LESS IS MORE: LESS SEALS THE DEAL IN EXTRA HOLES FOR CDGA MID-AM TITLE | |
| Wednesday, May 14, 2025 - KILDEER, Ill. - Jordan Less (Elmhurst / CDGA Member’s Club) once chased the dream of being a professional golfer. However, after stepping away from the pro circuit and regaining his amateur status, the motivation to be at the top of his game has yet to fade. “I played a few years on the Dakotas Tour, did Monday qualifiers and three years went by and I was still in the same spot,” acknowledged Less about his pro golf journey. “I regained my amateur status, but I am still as motivated as ever.” That motivation fueled him to a victory in the 10th CDGA Mid-Amateur Championship Wednesday at Kemper Lakes Golf Club, although he needed two extra holes to defeat Charlie Waddell (Kenilworth/ Shoreacres) in a thrilling 20-hole match. Less was no stranger to a CDGA playoff victory, as he was also victorious in the 2019 CDGA Amateur Championship via extra holes. “That was six years ago at Glen View [Club],” Less said about his 2019 title when thinking about how that helped him. “It all comes down to experience. I’ve had close calls before, so it’s all about building on those experiences.” Less earned his way to the title match via the No. 1 seed following Monday’s qualifying round. After defeating last year’s CDGA Amateur runner-up Daniel Stringfellow in the Quarterfinals and 2024 CDGA Amateur Four-Ball winner Brien Davis in the Semifinals on Wednesday, Less was only one match away from another CDGA championship triumph. That match, however, would not be easy. Through eight holes, Waddell enjoyed a 2-up lead before Less’ game started clicking around the turn. Birdies at the par-4 ninth and the par-5 11th resulted in a tied match before Less rattled off consecutive birdies on hole Nos. 13 and 14 to give him a 2-up advantage. “Charlie was playing some really good golf out of the gate,” Less admitted. “I knew I was driving the ball well early and was seeing some good lines on the greens and just kept to it. That turn stretch I really liked all week.” The momentum for Less was short-lived after Waddell carded a birdie of his own on the par-5 15th. Less’ lead was down to one before they entered the three-hole finishing stretch of Kemper Lakes Golf Club known as “The Gauntlet.” Hole 16 was difficult for Waddell and Less, as both ended with a bogey. With Less’ lead at one, the 190-yard par-3 17th loomed. Facing a difficult club selection, Less ultimately chose his 7-iron and ended up in the water, resulting in a double bogey. Waddell’s tee shot landed safely on the putting surface, ending in a par and making the match tied going into the final hole. “On 13, I hit 6-iron from a similar yardage and wind direction and flew it past the [hole location],” said Less when thinking about his shot selection on 17. “I went down to a 7-iron and didn’t think there was that much wind up by the green and came up short.” With the match deadlocked at the final hole, Less narrowly missed a ten-footer for birdie on 18, leading to extra holes to decide the championship. A brilliant up-and-down from a bunker on the first playoff hole extended the playoff against Waddell. “I had a great lie and it was about a 10-15 yard bunker shot,” noted the newly-minted CDGA Mid-Am winner. “In my head, I just wanted to chase it up there and I was able to hit it to tap-in range.” The par-4 second served as the decisive hole, as Less pounded a drive down the middle of the fairway while Waddell struggled off the tee. Tree trouble ensued for Waddell, paving the way to a par for Less to become the first person to be a victor of both the CDGA Amateur and CDGA Mid-Amateur. “All those close calls and experiences in college helped me today. It was a good week for me.” The CDGA Mid-Am is the first of 10 championships during the 2025 season. Next up is the 23rd CDGA Senior Amateur Championship held at Briar Ridge Country Club in Schererville, Indiana, June 2-5. | |
| Chicago District Golf Association The Chicago District Golf Association (CDGA) is authorized by the United States Golf Association (USGA) as the governing body for amateur golf in our region. The CDGA is a membership organization consisting of more than 112,000 individual golfers and 400 clubs in Illinois and parts of Indiana, Michigan and Wisconsin. Golfers receive member offers, a Handicap Index® from the USGA® and competitive playing opportunities, while clubs receive Course Rating™ and Slope Rating™ measuring services, turfgrass diagnostics and educational seminars. The CDGA also creates opportunities for everyone to experience the benefits of the game through adaptive, therapeutic and youth Sunshine Programs, with an emphasis on serving disabled and veteran communities. | |
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