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Tenuta Earns Validation With CDGA Amateur Win


Following an acclaimed high school career at Prospect High School, Nick Tenuta (Mount Prospect/Mount Prospect Golf Club) had yet to reach the same level of success at the collegiate level in one year at Regis University (2017-18) and the University of Louisville (2018-present).

That all changed over the course of 118 holes in four days at Bull Valley Golf Club in Woodstock Monday-Thursday, June 21-24.

The rising senior on the Cardinals men’s golf team emerged victorious in the 101st CDGA Amateur Championship, clinching his win of the association’s oldest event with a 5-and-4 defeat of Brett Tomfohrde (Chicago/Butterfield CC) in Thursday’s 36-hole finale.

“Sitting on the sidelines has been tough, but it’s been rewarding to get this win to prove that I can play and perform under pressure,” Tenuta said after hoisting the Joseph G. Davis Trophy.

“Just seeing all the names on the trophy, and now to add mine — I haven’t really won a whole lot in any events here, and to win this one is pretty big. It’s a great honor to win that and add my name to it.”

Tenuta never trailed throughout the entirety of the title tilt, which was preceded by 36 holes of stroke-play qualifying on Monday and three rounds of matches Tuesday-Wednesday. With the match tied through five holes, Tenuta seized control by winning five of the next seven holes. The decisive stretch was fueled by a 30-foot birdie putt on No. 7 and short birdies on No. 8 and No. 9.

“It just was putting together good shot after good shot after good shot,” Tenuta said of his surge. “Fairways, greens — kept the momentum going.”

A tweak on the range by Tomfohrde — putting the ball further forward in his stance — during the break between 18s and a one-hour, 18-minute weather delay early on in the second round allowed the 30-year-old to stay within reach. The event’s medalist carded six birdies over the course of the match’s final 13 holes to put pressure on Tenuta.

“I tried to be re-energized and tried to find something on the range I could build off of, and I did find something that I built off of,” Tomfohrde said. “I think I made it a little bit of a match and we had a good second 18.”

Despite Tomfohrde’s resurgence, Tenuta continued to control the match. Tenuta equaled red numbers from Tomfohrde on No. 21, No. 27 and No. 28 before closing it out with a par No. 32, Bull Valley’s 14th.

“[Brett] was playing well,” Tenuta said. “He wasn’t going to slip up, so I knew I had to do the same thing and just continue the level of play I was playing in the morning.”

Tenuta’s opponent agreed.

“[Nick] is a tough opponent to play against when he’s making birdies and not messing up,” Tomfohrde said.

Tenuta hopes the marquee victory will springboard him to further success in the summer and his senior season donning the Cardinal red and black.

“Hopefully I can carry this on the rest of the summer and into the college season,” Tenuta said. “Overall, it just validates my opinions and my feelings about my game.”

Tenuta’s next opportunity to compete in a CDGA-conducted event will be the 90th Illinois State Amateur Championship, slated for July 20-22 at Mistwood Golf Club in Romeoville.

No. 3 Tenuta won 1-up on No. 14 Brad Kay (Arlington Heights) in the opening round, 5-and-4 over No. 6 Will Troy in the quarterfinals and 1-up over No. 2 Cameron Karney in the match play semifinals.

To qualify for match play, Tenuta finished tied for second in stroke play over two rounds Monday. He shot 73-75 — 148 to finish 4-over-par in stroke play, tying Karney.

Jackson Bussell (Stevenson alum) tied for 11th in stroke play, shooting 75-77 — 152. Bussell was the No. 11 seed and lost to No. 6 Will Troy in 22 holes in match play.

Kay shot 75-78 — 153 to be one of the final qualifiers for match play.

Among the area golfers to miss the cut for match play were Bennett Cotten (Loyola Academy/New Trier), Steven Ratay (Arlington Heights/Conway Farms GC), Blake Johnson (Glen View Club), Miles Patterson (Loyola Academy), Michael Fastert (Des Plaines/Maine West), Jack Crawshaw (Loyola Academy), John Kryscio (Loyola Academy), Eric Crost (Buffalo Grove), Patrick Radler (Loyola Academy) and Nolan Doherty (Arlington Heights/St. Viator).

The CDGA Amateur Championship started in 1914. The event was last held in 2019 at Glen View Club after the 2020 championship event was canceled due to COVID-19.

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