CHICAGO DISTRICT GOLF ASSOCIATION

In one of the more competitive playings in the championship’s eight-year history, Glenn Przybylski (Frankfort / Sanctuary GC) and Greg Seelinger (Downers Grove / Village Links of Glen Ellyn) emerged victorious with a 4-and-3 win Thursday over David Feder (Chicago / Conway Farms GC) and Larry Silvestri (Lincolnshire / Grove CC) in both teams’ inaugural Senior Amateur Four-Ball Championship together.

“I just think the seniors that are coming up now, guys like Mike Henry, these guys are just turning 55, 56, 57 and are all very accomplished, very good players,” said Przybylski after the win. “Now, they’re going to all be in the mix year after year. I think this was a great venue, it was a real treat to play up here and I think that attracted some good teams. Mark Small, very good player, so there were just a lot of good teams. To win this this one time, I’m extremely happy because you don’t know if you’re going to get another chance.”

Przybylski and Seelinger’s title triumph got off to a roaring start, as the former, with his teammate already in for a birdie on the par-5 first hole, rolled his eagle bid up the hill and into the bottom of the cup. A second hole in red figures, in the form of a birdie at the par-4 third, pushed the duo’s lead to 2 up after just three holes.

The Przybylski/Seelinger and Feder/Silvestri duos each had their games in a metaphoric cruise control through the remainder of the opening nine, as six-consecutive pars for both sides turned the match at that same 2-up lead.

A sense of déjà vu set in for the competitors on the opening hole of the inward nine when Przybylski carded his second eagle of the day. After finding the left rough off the tee, he maneuvered back up the tree-lined fairway toward the green and left himself with another uphill look. The chip-in pushed the lead to 3-up.

“On No. 10, I just put it in front of the green,” recalled Przybylski. “Based on my drive, I had some trees and the chip was a little aggressive, luckily it was in the center [of the hole] and it went in. I kind of felt like maybe it was going to be our day because we were getting some breaks there.”

Their day it was, indeed. A Feder/Silvestri birdie at No. 12 served as just a minor hiccup, as the eventual champions responded with back-to-back wins at 14 and 15 to win the match, 4 and 3, and cemented the start of a budding partnership that only dates back to last September’s Illinois State Senior Amateur Championship.

“That’s a funny story,” said Seelinger when asked about the new alliance. “We didn’t really play with each other a lot, but last year in the State Senior Am, we were paired together the last day, and it was a good match and we just started talking. From there, we decided we would play in some team events this year, this is like the third one, and it’s been going well.”

A victory in their first try as teammates moved Przybylski and Seelinger’s names into the short list of recent winners in CDGA senior events; a list that is sure to continue growing.

“A nice accomplishment,” said Przybylski of the win, “especially with the teams - there (were) numerous really good teams based on reputation, so we knew it was going to be a tough week. We had to play really well, no real easy matches and we’re just fortunate that we’re here.”

The 8th CDGA Senior Amateur Four-Ball Championship served as the final event on the 2023 CDGA Championship Schedule. The 2024 slate is set to be released in December.