Slutzky, Stewart named 2025 CDGA Players of the Year
This article appeared in the November 2025 edition of Chicago District Golfer.
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Among CDGA Player of the Year Chadd Slutzky's many accomplishments in 2025, the Deer Park native finished fourth in his first State Amateur Championship appearance since 2016.
Each year, the CDGA’s Championship Schedule transforms in an effort to provide ample opportunity for the best in the Chicago District and beyond to showcase their talents; whether that’s through fresh host sites, additional qualifiers or even new Championships. In doing so, the talent pool at such events continues to elevate. Through the ever-changing landscape, at least two constants remain, as Deer Park’s Chadd Slutzky and Park Ridge’s Rick Stewart are seen near the top of virtually every leaderboard each summer.
Their effort and consistency paid off in a big way in 2025, as the two claimed CDGA Player of the Year and Senior Player of the Year honors, respectively.
Slutzky, 48, earned 925 points in the year-long race to clear Illinois State Amateur and CDGA Mid-Amateur champion Jordan Less by 75. His impressive final tally was the most accrued by a Player of the Year since Todd Mitchell’s 990 in 2016. They came by virtue of competing, and competing well for that matter, at six CDGA- or USGA-administered events.
Only one man surpassed that event total. Stewart, 56, tested his abilities in nine championships, just five of which were senior-only, to collect 870 points in the Senior Player of the Year standings and win by more than 400 points. His steady play also placed him sixth in Player of the Year, as senior competitions can only net a total of 300 points in that race.
Slutzky began his quest for a second CDGA Player of the Year award, the first of which came in 2022, at the 10th CDGA Mid-Amateur Championship at Kemper Lakes Golf Club. The 2017 event champion carded a 2-under 70 in the opening stroke play round to claim the event’s No. 3 seed. His bid for the title ended in the Semifinals, but his confidence for the season to come was brewing thanks to a key change within his golf bag.
“Putting has always been kind of my weakness,” said Slutzky. “I switched to the broom putter this year and have much more confidence. I wasn’t afraid to hit putts and get aggressive with them, and I’m making a lot more.”
It was all systems go from then on, as he turned to his first of two USGA championships of the year shortly after. He and long-time four-ball partner John Ramsey fired impressive rounds of 67 and 69 at the 10th U.S. Amateur Four-Ball Championship to earn the No. 11 seed. Their 5-and-4 win in the Round of 32 tied for the second-largest margin of victory throughout the event. The two lost a close battle in the Round of 16.
A trip to the Quarterfinals in the 105th CDGA Amateur Championship at Briarwood Country Club provided Slutzky with even more trust that he could compete with the best heading into his first Illinois State Amateur appearance since 2016. The marathon week at Stonebridge Country Club began with rounds of 71 and 66 on the opening two days. Slutzky was just two shots back and in the penultimate group heading into Thursday’s 36 holes. He went on to post 69 and 70 for a fourth-place finish.
"It was very validating,” Slutzky said of his State Am finish. “They are some of the best players in the country and it’s just awesome going out there and being in contention down the stretch.”
The three-time Illinois State Mid-Amateur victor rounded out his season within the Chicago District with a fourth-place showing at Inverness Golf Club in mid-August. It was his seventh consecutive top 10 in the State Mid-Am.
The remainder of Slutzky’s eye-popping points total was accumulated by competing in the U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship in September. A regular in the event, he followed up an opening-round 78 with a 69 on day two to narrowly miss the cut by one shot.
“I love those events,” Slutzky said of USGA championships. “There’s nothing better than the U.S. Four-Ball and U.S. Mid-Am, in my opinion. There’s nothing like getting out there and competing with the best mid-ams in the country and seeing how your game stacks up.”
For Stewart, the season began alongside Slutzky at Kemper Lakes. His trip to the Quarterfinals was followed up with an appearance in the Final match of the 23rd CDGA Senior Amateur Championship. A steady contest with Mark Small ended in a narrow 2-and-1 defeat for the Senior Player of the Year.
Impressive start, especially for someone who puts the clubs away all winter.
“I don’t touch a club from December through March,” Stewart said of his off-season routine. “At the end of March, I start getting ready for the season. The CDGA Mid-Am and Senior Am were a great way to start the season and just confirmed that my practice routine, everything I was doing, was working.”
The results kept coming for Stewart, as he made the cut in each of the three state championships this summer. Stewart finished 33rd in the State Am before a T21 showing a month later at the State Mid-Am. Each of which came on the heels of a T11 placing in the Illinois Senior Open.
Then, his title defense in the Illinois State Senior Amateur Championship at Bloomington Country Club. Admittedly a bit uncomfortable with the added expectations following his success a year prior, Stewart backed up his win last year with third place this time around. His final-round 73 was the second lowest in the field.
“It’s funny, a lot of the expectations are self-inflicted,” said Stewart. “You put your own pressure on yourself and maybe it’s not what other people are thinking, but golf is so mental. I think being able to table that is what’s key in playing well and competing against so many good players.”
Like Slutzky, Stewart also advanced from stroke play in a USGA championship. His trip to Oak Hills Country Club for the U.S. Senior Amateur Championship featured opening rounds of 69 and 73 to claim the No. 14 seed. A back-and-forth match in the Round of 64 ended in a narrow loss to Oak Hills member John Pierce.
“It was great,” Stewart said of his first USGA championship. “I was able to have my family down there. My wife caddied for me, my daughters came down, it was so fun.”
Two enviable seasons with striking similarities.
“The guy plays in every event and plays them well,” Slutzky said of Stewart. “It’s pretty incredible to see. I hope I’m able to do what he’s doing when I’m a senior.”
“I respect his game, he’s a friend, he’s a great player,” Stewart added of Slutzky. “I feel humbled and honored to have my name next to his.”
Safe to say it’s time for both, though likely too humble to do so, to cement themselves to the dynamic list of top competition for good.
Jacob Bomeli is the CDGA Director of Communications. A graduate of Michigan State University, he has been with the CDGA since 2019.