CHICAGO DISTRICT GOLF ASSOCIATION

The answer to what the perfect summer looks like may be currently playing out in the Chicago District.

Chadd Slutzky (Deer Park) has become a mainstay on the local mid-am circuit. This year alone, Slutzky competed in the U.S. Amateur Four-Ball in May, alongside John Ramsey (Glenview), before losing in the Round of 32. Earlier this month, Slutzky and Ramsey teamed up to win the duo's third CDGA Amateur Four-Ball title. Just five days later, Slutzky qualified for next month's U.S. Mid-Amateur at Erin Hills Golf Course.

"The Summer of Chadd" was further cemented with yet another piece of hardware Tuesday, as the 45-year-old captured the 30th Illinois State Mid-Amateur Championship at Evanston Golf Club in Skokie. Slutzky's final-round 71 was good enough for a one-shot victory at -9.

"I have not had a stretch like this before, I don't think," said Slutzky of his recent string of success culminating in another victory. "It means a lot. It's not a fluke, I'm a good Mid-Am golfer. I can win tournaments under pressure."

The latter statement was almost derailed late in the final round. Entering the day, Slutzky sat at 10 under and held a three-shot lead over 2014 champ Andrew Price (Lake Bluff) and Lyle Burns (Champaign). While Monday's two rounds featured 12 birdies, Slutzky's opening nine Tuesday didn't quite continue the hot streak. He was able to notch a red figure with a two-putt birdie from 20 feet on the par-5 sixth. He gave a shot back with a bogey on No. 9, before then birdieing the par-4 10th to recoup the lost stroke.

"I had the mindset of going out there and pedal to the metal and making birdies and staying with it," said Slutzky. "Unfortunately, my golf swing didn't agree and it was going every which way. It was all about grinding and making pars and trying to stay in it."

Things began to get interesting on the 16th tee, with Price, who notched two birdies on Nos. 7 and 13, sitting just two shots back of the leader Slutzky. Slutzky's drive found the right rough, and as was the case most of the day, a 9 iron targeted at the right side of the green was pulled long and left, leaving a short-sided chip. Attempting a flop shot, he overpowered the ball back across the green, before chipping back up and two-putting for double. A Price par knotted things at 9 under with two holes to play.

Playing last in the trio off the par-3 17th tee, Slutzky calmed the nerves which were "going all day long" and threw a dart of an iron shot to 10 feet. The roller coaster of emotions then continued, as the putt hit the back of the cup and lipped out. Another matched par by Price left things tied with one hole to play for the Championship.

"I said to myself after the double, 'look, we're still tied,'" said Slutzky. "Just buckle down and play some good golf here. I hit a good one on 17 and hit a great putt. I thought I was going over to 18 with a 1-up lead and it comes back at me. That hurt."

On 18, Slutzky and Price again played their approaches in from the right rough. Like on 16, Slutzky went long left into a collection area just off the back of the green. He then clobbered an uphill lag putt to tap-in range for par, while Price three-putted from the right side of the green for bogey. With the win, Slutzky's three titles (2015 and 2019) now sit just two back of event record-holder Todd Mitchell's (Bloomington) five. He also now has seven CDGA-administered Championship victories, including his three CDGA Amateur Four-Ball titles and 2017 CDGA Mid-Amateur win.

As is the case with most experienced amateur golfers, though, a win doesn't always mean there isn't still work yet to be done.

"The state of my game right now is, until today, I would have said amazing," said Slutzky with a smirk. "Golf is so finicky. You have one bad round and your confidence gets shot. I'll go back to the range and figure it out."

He'll get the chance to recoup that lost faith in his game as "The Summer of Chadd" rolls on with the aforementioned U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship at Erin Hills, Sept. 10-15. Locally, the CDGA's Championship slate continues with the 36th Illinois State Senior Amateur Championship at Riverside Golf Club, Sept. 19-21.