Bill Przybylski Receives Lifetime Achievement Award
Some awards are won with birdies. Others are earned through years of friendship, loyalty, and showing up.
On June 5, 2026, Bill Przybylski was recognized for exactly that when he received the coveted Lifetime Achievement Award at the 31st Invitational Shootout at George W. Dunne National Golf Course.
As his name was announced, those gathered under the pavilion erupted in applause. What followed was one of the most emotional moments in Shootout history.
Przybylski, who first competed in the Invitational Shootout in 2009, was visibly moved by the honor. As he stepped forward to accept the award, emotions quickly overwhelmed him. For perhaps the first time in his many years at the event, Bill found himself at a loss for words.
Not that anyone blamed him.
Highest Honor
The Lifetime Achievement Award represents one of the highest honors bestowed at the Invitational Shootout. Unlike trophies won through a single great round, this recognition celebrates years of participation, camaraderie, sportsmanship, and contributions to the unique culture that has made the Shootout one of Chicago’s most enduring amateur golf traditions.
In many ways, Bill embodied everything the award was created to recognize.
For 17 years, he has been a familiar face at the event. Through sunny days, rainy days, good rounds, bad rounds, and countless stories shared over food and drinks after play, Przybylski has become an important part of the Shootout family.
When he attempted to address the crowd after receiving the award, the magnitude of the moment became apparent. Words came slowly. Thoughts were difficult to organize. Several times he paused as he fought back emotion.
It was a reminder that while golf brings everyone together, the relationships formed over decades often become far more meaningful than any scorecard.
Bill Przybylski at the 2009 Invitational Shootout
“I’m so proud of Bill and everything that he’s brought to this incredible event” said 2013 Lifetime Achievement Award winner Mick McDonnell. “The guy has been bringing great energy on Tournament day since 2009. That’s a big part of what makes the Invitational Shootout so special.”
The applause that followed his remarks wasn’t simply for a golfer receiving an award.
It was for a friend.
Przybylski becomes the 13th recipient of the Invitational Shootout Lifetime Achievement Award, joining a distinguished list of past honorees who helped shape the tournament’s history:
- Bill Przybylski – 2026
- Mike McHugh – 2025
- Dale Gurtowski – 2024
- John Moriano – 2022
- Phil Valela – 2022
- George Les – 2018
- Len Piersialla – 2014
- Dan Ricci – 2014
- Walter Lis Sr. – 2014
- Ron Mouw – 2013
- Mick McDonnell – 2013
- Tom Senne – 2011
- John Boyle – 2010
Each name represents a chapter in Shootout history. Together, they tell the story of a tournament built not just on competition, but on friendship, tradition, and community.
Przybylski’s addition to that list feels especially fitting.
While champions come and go each year, the people who help create the spirit of the Invitational Shootout leave a lasting impact that extends far beyond a single tournament.
That’s why the Lifetime Achievement Award exists.
And that’s why Bill Przybylski’s emotional reaction resonated with everyone in attendance.
The trophy he received will undoubtedly find a place of honor at home. But the standing ovation, the appreciation from his fellow competitors, and the recognition of nearly two decades of participation may be the memories that endure the longest.
For one afternoon at George Dunne, the scorecards didn’t matter.
The spotlight belonged to Bill Przybylski.
And nobody could have been more deserving.