Drew Miller, Sophie Stevens Take GAM Junior Kickoff Titles
YPSILANTI – Drew Miller of East Lansing and Sophie Stevens of Highland, a pair of 15-year-olds, emerged as overall winners in the GAM Junior Kickoff Championship Sunday at Washtenaw Golf Club.
For Miller it was a first-time win playing in the upper age division against 16-to-18-year-old players, and Stevens won among the older age players for the second time. She won the overall title two years ago at age 13, too. New champions were also determined among those in the 15-and-under age group; Mason Sokolowski of Northville and Mia Melendez of Ann Arbor. Miller shot a closing 76 to go with a first-round 70 for 2-over 146 tournament total and the title by two shots. Mitchell Strickland, another 15-year-old from Ann Arbor, shot a final 72 for 148 and second place. Justin Sui of Lake Orion, who shot 74, and Jack Zubkus of Ada, who shot 78, tied for third at 149. “I’m really excited about this and it really gets me going for the summer,” Miller said. “I’m only a freshman in high school (East Lansing High) and I have a lot of time to play in junior events. This is a good season-opener.” Miller said he avoided big mistakes “I didn’t have any double-bogeys and I just kind of stayed steady the whole way,” he said. He said getting up and down from in front of the green at No. 18 for par was critical. “I actually looked at the leaderboard coming up 18 fairway and I saw (Strickland) was 1-under for the day, but I didn't look at what hole he was through, so I thought I had to make par coming in,” he said. “I did it and ended up winning by two, so bonus.” Stevens shot a closing 74 for 5-over 149 and a five-shot win over Kate Brody of Grand Blanc, who shot a second consecutive 77 for 154. Bridget Boczar of Canton, who shot 78 for 156 was third, and Ryann Breslin of Alto, who shot 77 for 157 was fourth. Stevens, who is home-schooled, said Washtenaw played tough and she had to adjust to the fast greens. “It’s definitely a tough course and I had to really grind it out for the last few days,” she said. “I made some mistakes, but I played good enough to get through. This gives me a lot of confidence. My putting was better than usual on tricky greens and I’ve been working on some technical things in my swing and I feel pretty good about the way I played.” Stevens hit a shot into a hazard at the par 3 No. 12 hole and made double-bogey but birdied 13 and 14 consecutively to stay in the lead. “I was thinking this could be the end because I had trouble there yesterday, too,” she said. “But I managed to grind it out yesterday, and then today I managed to grind it out today too. The birdies really helped.” Sokolowski, a Northville High sophomore, shot a final 73 for 149 and a two-shot win, his first GAM title. Brian Tillman of Chelsea shot 77 for 151 and second place. Vibhav Alokam of Ypsilanti shot 76 for 153 and third and defending age group champion Griffin Mawson of Traverse City, who shot 76, and Max Vandermolen, an age group winner in 2019 who shot 77, tied for fourth at 154. Sokolowski credited a hot putter for both days. “I was really consistent and I made some long putts,” he said. “I worked on my putting all winter and I changed a few things and putted great. This feels great. I watched the leaderboard and knew I had the lead, and I was able to hold on.” Melendez, a Greenhills Middle School student, won for the first time after four second-place finishes in recent years in age group divisions of GAM Tournaments. She shot 76 for 155 and had to go one extra hole when she was tied after regulation with Lauren Davis of Coopersville, who shot 75 and made a 25-foot birdie putt on No. 18 to force the playoff. They played No. 13, a par 5 as the first playoff hole, and Melendez won with a par. “I’m glad to finally get a victory after being second so many times,” she said. “I was really nervous when she made her birdie putt on 18. I didn’t expect her to make that and then I had to make by par putt (six feet) to tie. I just put it in the hole and then made a good par in the playoff.” Washtenaw hosted the championship for a third consecutive year. A field of 130 boy and girl junior golfers played 36 holes of stroke play over two days. 
Loberg Records Another Top-20 Finish at Georgia State Invite
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GAM PLAYER OF THE YEAR
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FARMINGTON HILLS – A few years ago West Bloomfield’s Ryan O’Rourke was playing hockey with the elite USA Eagles travel program.
“I never really expected to play golf,” he said. “But a while ago my dad joined Orchard Lake Country Club and kind of forced me to try the junior golf program even though I had never really liked golf.
“I started playing every Tuesday. It started growing on me, and then I started playing every day and I quit playing hockey. I was a good hockey player, but I never felt the connection with hockey that I feel with golf now.”
O’Rourke, 15 and the son of Marc and Carrie O’Rourke, is the Golf Association of Michigan (GAM) 15-and-under Junior Boy’s Player of the Year, Ken Hartmann, GAM senior director of rules and competitions, announced today.
GAM Players of the Year are determined by the Honor Roll points system and totals can be found on a pull down from the Championships tab at gam.org. The 15-and-under Junior Girl’s Player of the Week will be announced Friday.
Previously, Dan Ellis of East Lansing and Yurika Tanida of East Lansing were named the Players of the Year, Steve Maddalena of Jackson and Julie Massa of Holt were named Senior Players of the Year, Ian Harris of Bloomfield was named the Super Senior Player of the Year and August Meekhof of Eastmanville and Lilia Henkel of Grand Rapids were named the Junior Players of the Year.
O’Rourke, a freshman at Walled Lake Northern High School, highlighted his summer season with wins in the 15-and-under division of the Michigan Junior State Amateur and the GAM Junior Invitational.
It helped him build an Honor Roll point total of 1,185. Ieuan Jones of Ann Arbor, a GAM member through Youth on Course, was second with 662 points.
Justin Sui of Lake Orion and Twin Lakes Golf & Swim Club (543), Robert Burns of Grand Blanc and Warwick Hills Golf & Country Club (475) and Bryce Wheeler of Augusta and Gull Lake View Golf & Resort (442) rounded out the top five.
Kyle Wolfe, who directs the junior championships for the GAM, said O’Rourke and his family made smart decisions to compete in the 15-and-under division of tournaments instead of pressing to play among the older juniors.
“He was able to develop that feeling of winning and the ability to win, which is important as you go on to put yourself in contention in tournaments,” Wolfe said. “By the end of the year he was shooting some of the best scores of any of the juniors. He had a great round, a 67 in the GAM Invitational and won his division by several shots. It was a rainy, terrible day, too and he just lit it up. He has the game to go in the older division now and I expect him to do really well.”
O’Rourke, who finished second recently in a junior tour event in Florida, has his eye on collegiate golf in the future. His older brother, Max, recently signed with the golf program at Wayne State University.
“College golf would be fun,” he said. “I’m working toward that.”
He said the work of the last year with PGA teaching professional Danny Thomas of Fox Hills Golf & Learning Center has helped him improve his putting.
“My putting was a lot better this year,” he said. “It helped because my chipping isn’t the greatest and I have to work on improving that. I also improved on consistency with my driver. It hasn’t been that great in the past, but I was more consistent. I hit it out there farther than a lot of the guys I play with, but it hasn’t always been consistent.”
“I never really expected to play golf,” he said. “But a while ago my dad joined Orchard Lake Country Club and kind of forced me to try the junior golf program even though I had never really liked golf.
“I started playing every Tuesday. It started growing on me, and then I started playing every day and I quit playing hockey. I was a good hockey player, but I never felt the connection with hockey that I feel with golf now.”
O’Rourke, 15 and the son of Marc and Carrie O’Rourke, is the Golf Association of Michigan (GAM) 15-and-under Junior Boy’s Player of the Year, Ken Hartmann, GAM senior director of rules and competitions, announced today.
GAM Players of the Year are determined by the Honor Roll points system and totals can be found on a pull down from the Championships tab at gam.org. The 15-and-under Junior Girl’s Player of the Week will be announced Friday.
Previously, Dan Ellis of East Lansing and Yurika Tanida of East Lansing were named the Players of the Year, Steve Maddalena of Jackson and Julie Massa of Holt were named Senior Players of the Year, Ian Harris of Bloomfield was named the Super Senior Player of the Year and August Meekhof of Eastmanville and Lilia Henkel of Grand Rapids were named the Junior Players of the Year.
O’Rourke, a freshman at Walled Lake Northern High School, highlighted his summer season with wins in the 15-and-under division of the Michigan Junior State Amateur and the GAM Junior Invitational.
It helped him build an Honor Roll point total of 1,185. Ieuan Jones of Ann Arbor, a GAM member through Youth on Course, was second with 662 points.
Justin Sui of Lake Orion and Twin Lakes Golf & Swim Club (543), Robert Burns of Grand Blanc and Warwick Hills Golf & Country Club (475) and Bryce Wheeler of Augusta and Gull Lake View Golf & Resort (442) rounded out the top five.
Kyle Wolfe, who directs the junior championships for the GAM, said O’Rourke and his family made smart decisions to compete in the 15-and-under division of tournaments instead of pressing to play among the older juniors.
“He was able to develop that feeling of winning and the ability to win, which is important as you go on to put yourself in contention in tournaments,” Wolfe said. “By the end of the year he was shooting some of the best scores of any of the juniors. He had a great round, a 67 in the GAM Invitational and won his division by several shots. It was a rainy, terrible day, too and he just lit it up. He has the game to go in the older division now and I expect him to do really well.”
O’Rourke, who finished second recently in a junior tour event in Florida, has his eye on collegiate golf in the future. His older brother, Max, recently signed with the golf program at Wayne State University.
“College golf would be fun,” he said. “I’m working toward that.”
He said the work of the last year with PGA teaching professional Danny Thomas of Fox Hills Golf & Learning Center has helped him improve his putting.
“My putting was a lot better this year,” he said. “It helped because my chipping isn’t the greatest and I have to work on improving that. I also improved on consistency with my driver. It hasn’t been that great in the past, but I was more consistent. I hit it out there farther than a lot of the guys I play with, but it hasn’t always been consistent.”
Play suspended RBRIDGEPORT, W.Va.(EMUEagles.com) – With just one round officially in the books, the Eastern Michigan University men's golf team sits in 13th-place at The Health Plan Mountaineer Invitational at the Pete Dye Golf Club Monday, Oct. 7.
Golfers played through a steady rain for most of the day, slowing play. Officials blew the horn at 6:30 p.m., calling for players to complete their holes before heading in. Due to the change, Tuesday's play will begin in a shotgun start at 8:30 a.m. with players finishing the remaining holes of the second round and heading directly into the third.
EMU shot a 317 as a team in the first round and is just three stokes outside of the top-10. Florida Atlantic, who finished the first round with a 292, sits atop the leaderboard ahead of host West Virginia (294) and Southern Mississippi (300).
All five of the Eagles still have holes to finish to complete the second round.
Eastern Michigan Individual Results:
Pl. Player Scores
t-46. Ty Celone 80-+4 (15) +12
t-46. Cougar Collins 77-+7 (16) +12
t-46. Zack Mason 82-+2 (15) +12
t-53. Zach Sudinsky 81-+5 (15) +14
t-64. Luke Pelak 79-+9 (16) +16
Team Scores:
Pl. Team Scores
1. Florida Atlantic 292 +4
2. West Virginia 294 +6
3. Southern Mississippi 300 +12
4. James Madison 305 +17
t-5. Xavier 306 +18
t-5. Davidson 306 +18
t-7. Connecticut 308 +20
t-7. Washington State 308 +20
9. Rice 309 +21
10. George Washington 313 +25
t-11. Youngstown State 314 +26
t-11. Towson 314 +26
13. Eastern Michigan 317 +29
14. Marshall 325 +37
15. Akron 326 +38 Rounds continue
Golfers played through a steady rain for most of the day, slowing play. Officials blew the horn at 6:30 p.m., calling for players to complete their holes before heading in. Due to the change, Tuesday's play will begin in a shotgun start at 8:30 a.m. with players finishing the remaining holes of the second round and heading directly into the third.
EMU shot a 317 as a team in the first round and is just three stokes outside of the top-10. Florida Atlantic, who finished the first round with a 292, sits atop the leaderboard ahead of host West Virginia (294) and Southern Mississippi (300).
All five of the Eagles still have holes to finish to complete the second round.
Eastern Michigan Individual Results:
Pl. Player Scores
t-46. Ty Celone 80-+4 (15) +12
t-46. Cougar Collins 77-+7 (16) +12
t-46. Zack Mason 82-+2 (15) +12
t-53. Zach Sudinsky 81-+5 (15) +14
t-64. Luke Pelak 79-+9 (16) +16
Team Scores:
Pl. Team Scores
1. Florida Atlantic 292 +4
2. West Virginia 294 +6
3. Southern Mississippi 300 +12
4. James Madison 305 +17
t-5. Xavier 306 +18
t-5. Davidson 306 +18
t-7. Connecticut 308 +20
t-7. Washington State 308 +20
9. Rice 309 +21
10. George Washington 313 +25
t-11. Youngstown State 314 +26
t-11. Towson 314 +26
13. Eastern Michigan 317 +29
14. Marshall 325 +37
15. Akron 326 +38 Rounds continue
Hot Putter Powers Scott Hebert to Victory at the Michigan PGA Match Play Championship |
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LANSING – Scott Hebert said something happened with the putter, and it resulted in the Traverse City Golf & Country Club professional winning the 2019 Michigan PGA Match Play Championship presented by the PGA Tour Wednesday at Country Club of Lansing.
He made seven birdies in 14 holes and turned back fellow Michigan Golf Hall of Fame member Brian Cairns of Fox Hills Learning Center in Plymouth 6 and 4 in the final match.
“I’ve been toying around and toying around with the putter and still putted miserable all year,” he said. “I was out in a practice round on Monday and stuff started working. I stuck with it and I probably putted the best I have in years.”
The 50-year-old Hebert won the Michigan PGA Match Play title for the second time and it marked his all-time leading 18th Michigan PGA Section major championship win. It also wrapped up his eighth Michigan PGA Player of the Year Award pushing him past Jeff Roth of Boyne Golf Academy in the point standings.
He said he enjoyed playing the final match with the 55-year-old Cairns, who is a longtime rival and friend.
“It’s always great to beat the bombers, and we talked about it out there with some of the younger guys hitting shots we disagree with,” he said. “On this course you can only hit it where it allows you to hit it, and BC and I did that. This afternoon, I don’t think BC was 100 percent.”
Cairns admitted fatigue and said Hebert is playing great and he is looking forward to both of them playing in next week’s Senior Professional National Championship in Austin, Texas.
“I couldn’t get to the left with my body the last 11 holes and Scotty was hitting it close and making putts,” he said. “I lost the magic, and he had it. It’s great to see him playing so well.”
Hebert said winning tournaments is what drives him to continue to compete.
“This is what gets me to practice the little bit that I do – to try and win stuff,” he said after accepting the $3,200 first-place check. “It’s nice to win this for the second time. It’s the culmination of a good season that started in May and here we are in September and I’m Player of the Year again. It’s been a good season.”
Hebert, the Northern Chapter champion, advanced to the championship match with a 5 and 4 win over Dan Urban of Gull Lake Country Club, the Western Chapter champion. With the tee moved up at the par 4 No. 13 hole to about 280 yards to tempt strategy, Hebert drove the green and made a 30-foot eagle putt.
Cairns, the Senior Chapter champion, advanced with a 2-up win over Eastern Chapter champion Cody Haughton of Red Run Country Club in Royal Oak. He led most of the match but had to hold off Haughton at the end.
Hebert’s birdie barrage started in a quick-work quarterfinal win over Kyle Wittenbach, the Ferris State University golf coach and the runner-up a year ago. He topped Wittenbach 5 and 4, and then added the 5 and 4 win over Urban and the 6 and 4 win over Cairns.
“It was the putter,” Hebert said. “Going to try and keep it going for next week. I’m fortunate I have two good guys to watch the shop next week so I can go play in the Senior PNC.”
He made seven birdies in 14 holes and turned back fellow Michigan Golf Hall of Fame member Brian Cairns of Fox Hills Learning Center in Plymouth 6 and 4 in the final match.
“I’ve been toying around and toying around with the putter and still putted miserable all year,” he said. “I was out in a practice round on Monday and stuff started working. I stuck with it and I probably putted the best I have in years.”
The 50-year-old Hebert won the Michigan PGA Match Play title for the second time and it marked his all-time leading 18th Michigan PGA Section major championship win. It also wrapped up his eighth Michigan PGA Player of the Year Award pushing him past Jeff Roth of Boyne Golf Academy in the point standings.
He said he enjoyed playing the final match with the 55-year-old Cairns, who is a longtime rival and friend.
“It’s always great to beat the bombers, and we talked about it out there with some of the younger guys hitting shots we disagree with,” he said. “On this course you can only hit it where it allows you to hit it, and BC and I did that. This afternoon, I don’t think BC was 100 percent.”
Cairns admitted fatigue and said Hebert is playing great and he is looking forward to both of them playing in next week’s Senior Professional National Championship in Austin, Texas.
“I couldn’t get to the left with my body the last 11 holes and Scotty was hitting it close and making putts,” he said. “I lost the magic, and he had it. It’s great to see him playing so well.”
Hebert said winning tournaments is what drives him to continue to compete.
“This is what gets me to practice the little bit that I do – to try and win stuff,” he said after accepting the $3,200 first-place check. “It’s nice to win this for the second time. It’s the culmination of a good season that started in May and here we are in September and I’m Player of the Year again. It’s been a good season.”
Hebert, the Northern Chapter champion, advanced to the championship match with a 5 and 4 win over Dan Urban of Gull Lake Country Club, the Western Chapter champion. With the tee moved up at the par 4 No. 13 hole to about 280 yards to tempt strategy, Hebert drove the green and made a 30-foot eagle putt.
Cairns, the Senior Chapter champion, advanced with a 2-up win over Eastern Chapter champion Cody Haughton of Red Run Country Club in Royal Oak. He led most of the match but had to hold off Haughton at the end.
Hebert’s birdie barrage started in a quick-work quarterfinal win over Kyle Wittenbach, the Ferris State University golf coach and the runner-up a year ago. He topped Wittenbach 5 and 4, and then added the 5 and 4 win over Urban and the 6 and 4 win over Cairns.
“It was the putter,” Hebert said. “Going to try and keep it going for next week. I’m fortunate I have two good guys to watch the shop next week so I can go play in the Senior PNC.”
Michigan Golf Scene
visits the Ally Challenge- video stories, interviews and more
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Highland’s Sophie Stevens, Lake Orion’s Justin Sui Win GAM Junior Invitational Titles |
EAST LANSING – Sophie Stevens of Highland, 13, and Justin Sui of Lake Orion, 14, could have played in the 15-and-under age group, but tested themselves against the older and best golfers in the 7th GAM Junior Invitational presented by Pepsi.
They passed the test – winning the overall titles in the season-ending championship hosted by Forest Akers West Golf Course at Michigan State University. Sui shot a closing 3-under 69 for 141 to take boys’ title by one shot over Tyler Eedy of West Branch, who shot 72 for 142.
Stevens shot a closing 71 for 147 to take the girls’ title by one shot over Shannon Kennedy of Beverly Hills, who shot 75 for 148. In the 15-and-under age division, Ryan O’Rourke of West Bloomfield shot a 5-under 67 for 139 and the win. It was his second big win of the GAM season. He was also the 15-and-under winner at the Michigan Junior State Amateur.
The 15-and-under girls’ title went to Lauren Timpf of Macomb, who shot a second consecutive 75 for 150. Stevens, who hit 15 greens in regulation, said she felt proud about testing herself against the older golfers, and called the win awesome.
“It’s awesome to win this because it is an invitational so all the best players from the whole year get to come here,” Stevens said. “It’s great just to get to come, and to win just makes it even better.” A double-bogey on the 13th hole threatened to derail her round, but the home-schooled Stevens said she played well coming in.
“I made a lot of mid-range putts, like 15-footers,” she said. “That was really the key. After the double-bogey, I played good coming in. I’m pretty good about keeping my cool and pulling myself together.”
Stevens, who also won the GAM Junior Kickoff to start the 2019 golf season, took home a trophy for the second consecutive year. She was the 15-and-under girls’ winner a year ago. Sui, meanwhile, took home a trophy for the third consecutive year as the boys’ overall champion. He previously won the 15-and-under title in 2016 and ‘17.
“Winning the big one is really great because of the competition,” said the young senior at Lake Orion High School. “All the top players in Michigan play in it. It’s kind of like the Michigan Junior Am, but stroke play. It feels great to win it.” Sui, the runner-up in this summer’s GAM Junior Stroke Play Championship, said a birdie on hole 17 was probably the key shot of the day.
“I hit it from over the cart path to about three feet and made birdie, and that gave me a two-shot lead at the time,” he said. He said his putting, as usual, was important for him.
“That’s probably the best part of my game,” he said. “I putted really well, and my playing partners were great. We all were relaxed, talking and it was friendly competition.” Jack Zubkus of Ada, the first-round leader, was third behind Sui and Eedy with a 74 for 143.
Elise Fennell of Kentwood shot a 74 for 151 to take third in the overall girls’ competition behind Stevens and Kennedy. Ieuan Jones of Ann Arbor, the defending champion in the boys’ 15-and-under, finished second this time in the age group with a 74 for 150. Bryce Wheeler of Augusta was third with a 73 for 151. Kit Schaefer of Mattawan finished second among the 15-and-under girls. She shot 77 for 151. Kristen Reed of Carleton was third with a 78 for 152.
A field of 82 of the state’s top junior golfers played 36 holes of stroke play over the two days to determine the winners. The players were invited by the GAM based on performances in a variety of state and national competitions in the last year.
They passed the test – winning the overall titles in the season-ending championship hosted by Forest Akers West Golf Course at Michigan State University. Sui shot a closing 3-under 69 for 141 to take boys’ title by one shot over Tyler Eedy of West Branch, who shot 72 for 142.
Stevens shot a closing 71 for 147 to take the girls’ title by one shot over Shannon Kennedy of Beverly Hills, who shot 75 for 148. In the 15-and-under age division, Ryan O’Rourke of West Bloomfield shot a 5-under 67 for 139 and the win. It was his second big win of the GAM season. He was also the 15-and-under winner at the Michigan Junior State Amateur.
The 15-and-under girls’ title went to Lauren Timpf of Macomb, who shot a second consecutive 75 for 150. Stevens, who hit 15 greens in regulation, said she felt proud about testing herself against the older golfers, and called the win awesome.
“It’s awesome to win this because it is an invitational so all the best players from the whole year get to come here,” Stevens said. “It’s great just to get to come, and to win just makes it even better.” A double-bogey on the 13th hole threatened to derail her round, but the home-schooled Stevens said she played well coming in.
“I made a lot of mid-range putts, like 15-footers,” she said. “That was really the key. After the double-bogey, I played good coming in. I’m pretty good about keeping my cool and pulling myself together.”
Stevens, who also won the GAM Junior Kickoff to start the 2019 golf season, took home a trophy for the second consecutive year. She was the 15-and-under girls’ winner a year ago. Sui, meanwhile, took home a trophy for the third consecutive year as the boys’ overall champion. He previously won the 15-and-under title in 2016 and ‘17.
“Winning the big one is really great because of the competition,” said the young senior at Lake Orion High School. “All the top players in Michigan play in it. It’s kind of like the Michigan Junior Am, but stroke play. It feels great to win it.” Sui, the runner-up in this summer’s GAM Junior Stroke Play Championship, said a birdie on hole 17 was probably the key shot of the day.
“I hit it from over the cart path to about three feet and made birdie, and that gave me a two-shot lead at the time,” he said. He said his putting, as usual, was important for him.
“That’s probably the best part of my game,” he said. “I putted really well, and my playing partners were great. We all were relaxed, talking and it was friendly competition.” Jack Zubkus of Ada, the first-round leader, was third behind Sui and Eedy with a 74 for 143.
Elise Fennell of Kentwood shot a 74 for 151 to take third in the overall girls’ competition behind Stevens and Kennedy. Ieuan Jones of Ann Arbor, the defending champion in the boys’ 15-and-under, finished second this time in the age group with a 74 for 150. Bryce Wheeler of Augusta was third with a 73 for 151. Kit Schaefer of Mattawan finished second among the 15-and-under girls. She shot 77 for 151. Kristen Reed of Carleton was third with a 78 for 152.
A field of 82 of the state’s top junior golfers played 36 holes of stroke play over the two days to determine the winners. The players were invited by the GAM based on performances in a variety of state and national competitions in the last year.
Ally Challenge Celebrity Challenge is a big hit with superstars, fans and a lot of dough raised for charity
Michigan Golf Scene
Show 1.15 ( We visit Flint Golf Club for the Michigan PGA and Warwick Hills CC)
Tradition-Rich Country Club of Lansing Hosting 33rd GAM Senior Championship
LANSING – By Greg Johnson-The Country Club of Lansing, which features a classic William Langford-designed course that dates to 1921, will host the state’s top senior male golfers in the 33rd GAM Senior Championship presented by Sullivan Golf Travel Monday and Tuesday.
A field of 156 golfers, 100 playing for the Senior title for golfers age 55-and-over, and 56 playing in the Super Senior division for golfers 65-and-over, will play two rounds of stroke play.
Country Club of Lansing has a time-tested championship golf course for such a field, and at the same time is family oriented and offers a full range of amenities, including a driving range, tennis courts, fitness facility, swimming and dining.
Founded in 1908, The Lansing Golf Club was formed by a group of 17 men. In 1920 members acquired 160 acres of land that adjoined the club and Langford, a nationally known golf course architect of the time, was commissioned to develop the new course layout. The Chicago Park Builders were engaged to construct the course, and the new clubhouse which was designed by Samuel Butterworth. In 1921 a new opening and a new name emerged – the Country Club of Lansing.
In 1999 a $7 million renovation to the clubhouse helped the club continue to provide a traditional country club lifestyle for its membership, their families and guests. The course plays to a maximum of 6,889 yards from the championship tee positions. John Lindert is the director of golf and Mark Magee the superintendent. Find out more about the Country Club of Lansing at cclansing.org.
Defending champion David Bartnick of Livonia is in this year’s field. Last year he took advantage of a final-round hole-in-one at Battle Creek Country Club to rally from behind and win by one shot over Mike LeBarre of Battle Creek. Rick Herpich of Orchard Lake won the Super Senior Division by seven shots.
Bartnick is one of six former champions in the field, including 2015 winner Mike Tungate of East Lansing, two-time champion Ian Harris of Bloomfield Hills (2014, 2012) and four-time champion Bill Zylstra of Dearborn Heights (2013, 2011, 2010, 2008). Mike Fedewa, the 2007 champion, and Roger Kuhl, the 2003 winner, are playing in the Super Senior division.
A field of 156 golfers, 100 playing for the Senior title for golfers age 55-and-over, and 56 playing in the Super Senior division for golfers 65-and-over, will play two rounds of stroke play.
Country Club of Lansing has a time-tested championship golf course for such a field, and at the same time is family oriented and offers a full range of amenities, including a driving range, tennis courts, fitness facility, swimming and dining.
Founded in 1908, The Lansing Golf Club was formed by a group of 17 men. In 1920 members acquired 160 acres of land that adjoined the club and Langford, a nationally known golf course architect of the time, was commissioned to develop the new course layout. The Chicago Park Builders were engaged to construct the course, and the new clubhouse which was designed by Samuel Butterworth. In 1921 a new opening and a new name emerged – the Country Club of Lansing.
In 1999 a $7 million renovation to the clubhouse helped the club continue to provide a traditional country club lifestyle for its membership, their families and guests. The course plays to a maximum of 6,889 yards from the championship tee positions. John Lindert is the director of golf and Mark Magee the superintendent. Find out more about the Country Club of Lansing at cclansing.org.
Defending champion David Bartnick of Livonia is in this year’s field. Last year he took advantage of a final-round hole-in-one at Battle Creek Country Club to rally from behind and win by one shot over Mike LeBarre of Battle Creek. Rick Herpich of Orchard Lake won the Super Senior Division by seven shots.
Bartnick is one of six former champions in the field, including 2015 winner Mike Tungate of East Lansing, two-time champion Ian Harris of Bloomfield Hills (2014, 2012) and four-time champion Bill Zylstra of Dearborn Heights (2013, 2011, 2010, 2008). Mike Fedewa, the 2007 champion, and Roger Kuhl, the 2003 winner, are playing in the Super Senior division.
Indiana Earns First Women’s Golfer of the Week Honor Hoosiers’ Schmid scores seven-under 209 at the Branch Law Firm/Dick McGuire Invitational
Golfer of the Week
Priscilla Schmid, Indiana
Jr. – Montevideo, Uruguay – IMG Academy – Tourism, Hospitality & Event Management
Priscilla Schmid, Indiana
Jr. – Montevideo, Uruguay – IMG Academy – Tourism, Hospitality & Event Management
- Tied for second at the Branch Law Firm/Dick McGuire Invitational in Albuquerque, N.M., after scoring a three-round total of 209 (-7)
- Tallied a 68 on day two of the invitational, her second-best career round
- Carded 12 birdies and 49 holes at-or-below par
- Earns her first Golfer of the Week award
- Last Indiana Golfer of the Week: Mary Parsons (April 17, 2019)
Why I play the Top 50 Scholarship Golf Tour |
Top 50 Players reflections of Indianwood CC
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Team 'I'm in' wins at LPGA event in Midland |
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MIDLAND, Mich. (AP) - Cydney Clanton and Jasmine Suwannapura ran away with the Dow Great Lakes Bay Invitational on Saturday, shooting an 11-under 59 in best-ball play for a six-stroke victory.
Clanton and Suwannapura took a five-shot lead into the final round after shooting an alternate-shot 63 on Friday at Midland Country Club in the LPGA Tour's first-year team event. They finished at 27-under 253.
"It's pretty awesome," Suwannapura said. "I couldn't ask for a better partner."
Suwannapura won her second tour title, and Clanton her first.
Clanton earned spots the next two weeks in the Evian Championship and Women's British Open. The first Auburn University player to win on the tour, she began the season without a full LPGA Tour card after finishing $8 out of the top 100 on the 2018 money list. Clanton has split time this year on the LPGA Tour and developmental Symetra Tour, winning the Symetra Tour's El Dorado Shootout in April.
"I couldn't even dream up to have won a Symetra event earlier this year and then to come out and win with Jasmine," Clanton said. "It's so funny, this is the tournament that I wanted to come and play in. I was like, 'Team event, I'm in, let's go.' So, I'm blessed for the opportunity, I'm blessed that Jasmine came and let me come play with her."
Jin Young Ko and Minjee Lee closed with a 58 to finish second.
"We both played better than we did the last time we played four-balls," Lee said. "We just had a better rhythm out there. I think we just fed off each other. Jin Young had so many birdies today, so I just tried to keep up pretty much."
"I've had full status before, but it will allow for me to kind of sit back and relax a little bit and kind of set my own schedule," Clanton said. "I think it's just going to free me up because it's been something that I've been working on. I guess I was quite down for the first couple years."
Suwannapura, from Thailand, also won the Marathon Classic last year. Clanton and Suwannapura each bogeyed the first hole, then each had eight birdies.
"Actually, felt pretty good on the first tee," Clanton said. "Didn't hit a great shot into the green, but I'm not going to lie, the majority of my rounds start with bogeys. So I told Jasmine, I was like, 'Dude, we're ready. We're ready to go. We got it out of the way. we'll go low.'"
Sisters Ariya Jutanugarn and Moriya Jutanugarn tied for third with Na Yeon Choi and Jenny Shin at 20 under. They each shot 61.
"So much fun," Ariya Jutanugarn said. "Need to be patient with alternate shot, but also even best ball we still have to be patient because we feel like you going to make birdie hole after hole, but it's not going to happen."
Canadians Brooke Henderson and Alena Sharp were fifth at 19 under after a 61
Clanton and Suwannapura took a five-shot lead into the final round after shooting an alternate-shot 63 on Friday at Midland Country Club in the LPGA Tour's first-year team event. They finished at 27-under 253.
"It's pretty awesome," Suwannapura said. "I couldn't ask for a better partner."
Suwannapura won her second tour title, and Clanton her first.
Clanton earned spots the next two weeks in the Evian Championship and Women's British Open. The first Auburn University player to win on the tour, she began the season without a full LPGA Tour card after finishing $8 out of the top 100 on the 2018 money list. Clanton has split time this year on the LPGA Tour and developmental Symetra Tour, winning the Symetra Tour's El Dorado Shootout in April.
"I couldn't even dream up to have won a Symetra event earlier this year and then to come out and win with Jasmine," Clanton said. "It's so funny, this is the tournament that I wanted to come and play in. I was like, 'Team event, I'm in, let's go.' So, I'm blessed for the opportunity, I'm blessed that Jasmine came and let me come play with her."
Jin Young Ko and Minjee Lee closed with a 58 to finish second.
"We both played better than we did the last time we played four-balls," Lee said. "We just had a better rhythm out there. I think we just fed off each other. Jin Young had so many birdies today, so I just tried to keep up pretty much."
"I've had full status before, but it will allow for me to kind of sit back and relax a little bit and kind of set my own schedule," Clanton said. "I think it's just going to free me up because it's been something that I've been working on. I guess I was quite down for the first couple years."
Suwannapura, from Thailand, also won the Marathon Classic last year. Clanton and Suwannapura each bogeyed the first hole, then each had eight birdies.
"Actually, felt pretty good on the first tee," Clanton said. "Didn't hit a great shot into the green, but I'm not going to lie, the majority of my rounds start with bogeys. So I told Jasmine, I was like, 'Dude, we're ready. We're ready to go. We got it out of the way. we'll go low.'"
Sisters Ariya Jutanugarn and Moriya Jutanugarn tied for third with Na Yeon Choi and Jenny Shin at 20 under. They each shot 61.
"So much fun," Ariya Jutanugarn said. "Need to be patient with alternate shot, but also even best ball we still have to be patient because we feel like you going to make birdie hole after hole, but it's not going to happen."
Canadians Brooke Henderson and Alena Sharp were fifth at 19 under after a 61
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From Midland-Michigan Golf Scene and the LPGA Golf Show |
SAGINAW – Sarah Shipley didn’t let a two-stroke penalty for hitting from a wrong tee box on the sixth hole ruin her day.
The Hastings resident and University of Kentucky golfer shot a 1-under 70 despite the penalty and won the 28th GAM Women’s Championship presented by Global Golf Post Tuesday at Saginaw Country Club.
“It was early enough in the round that I didn’t get that worked up about it,” she said after the four-shot win over 2017 champion Kerri Parks of Flushing and Marshall University and Yurika Tanida of East Lansing and Michigan State University, who tied for second.
“It was frustrating, but I had birdied a couple of holes and knew I had a cushion. Plus, I knew there were more birdies out there.”
Shipley’s closing 70 gave her a two-day total of 4-under 138. Parks, who rallied with a 6-under 65, and Tanida, who shot a second consecutive 71, tied at even-par 142.
Defending champion Allyson Geer-Park of Brighton and Michigan State shot 69 for 143 and fourth place. Katie Chipman of Flushing and Grand Valley State University shot 69 for 144 and fifth.
Michigan State head women’s golf coach and Michigan Golf Hall of Famer Stacy Slobodnik-Stoll of Haslett, who shot 74, and Chaithra Katamneni of Midland and the University of Nevada, who shot 72, tied at 145.
Anna Kramer of Spring Lake and the University of Indianapolis, the 2016 champion, shot 72 for 146, and Elayna Bowser of Dearborn and Loyola University-Chicago shot 72 for 147. Meghan Deardorff of Clarkston and Central Michigan, who shot 78, and Haylin Harris, another Michigan State golfer who shot 74, rounded out the top 10 at 148.
Shipley said she was in conversation with playing partners Slobodnik-Stoll and Deardorff when she stepped to what she thought was the No. 6 tee and hit a shot. Deardorff then stepped on the tee and noticed it was not the correct tee.
“I had to hit another one, take the two strokes, try to make a birdie for bogey, but I made par for a double-bogey,” she said. “I’ve never done that before. I’m glad it was earlier in the round. That’s why I didn’t get too down about it. If I do something like that late in the round it might have been a different story.”
Shipley, 21 and a senior-to-be this fall at Kentucky, said she was proud that she worked through the mistake and kept playing well.
“I had two rounds in the red (under-par) so I feel really good about that,” she said. “It’s my best play of the summer for sure. It will boost my confidence going into the season back at school. I had the kind of rounds I will need to have to go back to school and win a college tournament.”
Shipley, who was qualifying medalist in last year’s Michigan Women’s Amateur Championship, will miss the Aug. 5-9 championship at Spring Lake Country Club with a mission trip to Nicaragua with some other University of Kentucky athletes.
“I will play in the Women’s Western Amateur and that’s it before going back to school,” she said.
Parks, the defending Michigan Women’s Amateur champion said she will also miss the championship. She heads back to Marshall for summer classes on Monday.
“I’m excited I shot a good round before I head back to school,” she said after her 65 that helped her forget an opening 77. “I had good distance with my driver today and seemed to hit it to 9-iron distance a lot,” she said. “I hit good shots and made a few putts. Yesterday I hit several errant shots, but today I played much better.”
Tanida, who will be a junior at Michigan State and is originally from Japan, said her 71 was frustrating.
“I started out very bad,” she said. “I struggled to make pars, struggled all through the round.”
The Hastings resident and University of Kentucky golfer shot a 1-under 70 despite the penalty and won the 28th GAM Women’s Championship presented by Global Golf Post Tuesday at Saginaw Country Club.
“It was early enough in the round that I didn’t get that worked up about it,” she said after the four-shot win over 2017 champion Kerri Parks of Flushing and Marshall University and Yurika Tanida of East Lansing and Michigan State University, who tied for second.
“It was frustrating, but I had birdied a couple of holes and knew I had a cushion. Plus, I knew there were more birdies out there.”
Shipley’s closing 70 gave her a two-day total of 4-under 138. Parks, who rallied with a 6-under 65, and Tanida, who shot a second consecutive 71, tied at even-par 142.
Defending champion Allyson Geer-Park of Brighton and Michigan State shot 69 for 143 and fourth place. Katie Chipman of Flushing and Grand Valley State University shot 69 for 144 and fifth.
Michigan State head women’s golf coach and Michigan Golf Hall of Famer Stacy Slobodnik-Stoll of Haslett, who shot 74, and Chaithra Katamneni of Midland and the University of Nevada, who shot 72, tied at 145.
Anna Kramer of Spring Lake and the University of Indianapolis, the 2016 champion, shot 72 for 146, and Elayna Bowser of Dearborn and Loyola University-Chicago shot 72 for 147. Meghan Deardorff of Clarkston and Central Michigan, who shot 78, and Haylin Harris, another Michigan State golfer who shot 74, rounded out the top 10 at 148.
Shipley said she was in conversation with playing partners Slobodnik-Stoll and Deardorff when she stepped to what she thought was the No. 6 tee and hit a shot. Deardorff then stepped on the tee and noticed it was not the correct tee.
“I had to hit another one, take the two strokes, try to make a birdie for bogey, but I made par for a double-bogey,” she said. “I’ve never done that before. I’m glad it was earlier in the round. That’s why I didn’t get too down about it. If I do something like that late in the round it might have been a different story.”
Shipley, 21 and a senior-to-be this fall at Kentucky, said she was proud that she worked through the mistake and kept playing well.
“I had two rounds in the red (under-par) so I feel really good about that,” she said. “It’s my best play of the summer for sure. It will boost my confidence going into the season back at school. I had the kind of rounds I will need to have to go back to school and win a college tournament.”
Shipley, who was qualifying medalist in last year’s Michigan Women’s Amateur Championship, will miss the Aug. 5-9 championship at Spring Lake Country Club with a mission trip to Nicaragua with some other University of Kentucky athletes.
“I will play in the Women’s Western Amateur and that’s it before going back to school,” she said.
Parks, the defending Michigan Women’s Amateur champion said she will also miss the championship. She heads back to Marshall for summer classes on Monday.
“I’m excited I shot a good round before I head back to school,” she said after her 65 that helped her forget an opening 77. “I had good distance with my driver today and seemed to hit it to 9-iron distance a lot,” she said. “I hit good shots and made a few putts. Yesterday I hit several errant shots, but today I played much better.”
Tanida, who will be a junior at Michigan State and is originally from Japan, said her 71 was frustrating.
“I started out very bad,” she said. “I struggled to make pars, struggled all through the round.”
CANADA DAY: Ontario’s Audrey Akins Wins Her Second GAM Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship
ANN ARBOR – It was Canada Day, the north of the border version of Independence Day, and it certainly worked out that way for Audrey Akins of LaSalle, Ontario.
The 52-year-old high school teacher won the 21st GAM Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship presented by The Ally Challenge Monday at The Polo Fields Golf & Country Club. She shot a 4-over 76 in the final round for a 155 total and a two-shot victory over Ashley Mantha of Ann Arbor, who also happens to be a native of Canada and shot a closing 80 for 157. It was the second Mid-Amateur title for Akins, who also won the Jeanne L. Myers Trophy in 2016. Golf Ontario members are invited to play in Golf Association of Michigan tournaments, and Akins has been a regular in recent years. She is a member of the Essex/Windsor Hall of Fame as an Ontario Amateur winner, the youngest Ontario Junior Champion ever at age 13 and was a standout golfer and team captain at the University of Oklahoma before taking over 20 years off from playing golf. “I feel like I’m learning again each time I play,” she said. “The last time I won I was really nervous and hit some really bad shots coming down the stretch – not that I didn’t hit some bad shots today – but I was calm. I had no idea where I was at as far as the other players, so I just stayed in my game, stayed aggressive, which is important for me and had a good day. It was a good day today – a good Canada Day.” Two-time champion Julie Massa of Holt shot 83 for 163 and third place, and Ashley Crain of Bloomfield Hills shot 79 for 161 and fourth. Trophies were handed out in multiple categories for gross and net play. Marcy Roth of Grand Rapids, who shot 86 for a 169, won the Senior gross scoring title. A new division was added this year to the championship for golfers age 19-24. Yurika Tanida of East Lansing, a Michigan State University golfer originally from Japan, shot 67 for 138 to win that first-place trophy. Veronica Haque of Rochester Hills, an Oakland University golfer, shot 72 for 146 to take second. Akins made a triple-bogey 6 on the par 3 No. 14 hole in Monday’s first round of 79 but made par on the hole in the second round and called it the highlight of the round. “It was my last hole yesterday and that was a bad way to finish, but I knew I could score here,” she said. “I was bound and determined not to make another 6 there, and I hit a good shot in there probably eight to 10 feet away. I didn’t make the birdie, but to improve by three I thought was important for me.” Tempted to figure out how she stood against the others in the field late in the round, Akins said she talked herself out of thinking about it. “I told myself ‘don’t do that, how is that going to help?’” she said . “I just stayed aggressive and kept playing. It’s a tricky course out there and you can make a big number in heartbeat. I found that out yesterday.” |
Maria Fassi on her LPGA rookie start and NCAA ChampionshipBlair O'neal on the
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Divison 4
Division 1 Boys Golf-Final
Lake Orion is your state champion
Note- Top 4 teams are from Oakland County
Michigan State Wins Big Ten Women’s Golf Championships
GAM PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Will Preston of Grand Rapids Tops 15-and-under Junior Boy’s Honor Roll
GAM PLAYER OF THE YEAR Cheboygan’s PJ Maybank Tops Junior Boys Honor Roll
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FARMINGTON HILLS – By Greg Johnson-Cheboygan’s PJ Maybank III entered three Golf Association of Michigan (GAM) junior tournaments over the summer and won each of them, highlighted by taking the title in the Michigan Junior State Amateur Championship at TPC Michigan.
“The thing I remember best from the summer was the last day of the Junior Am,” he said. “In the morning semifinal match it came down to (the 18th hole) tied and I pulled it out. My mom and my sister had come down from Cheboygan that morning and I wasn’t sure I was going to get to the final. Then I did, and then went on to win that final match with my whole family there. It was definitely special.”
Maybank, a GAM member through Hidden River Golf & Casting Club in Brutus, has been named the Golf Association of Michigan Junior Boys Player of the Year, Kyle Wolfe, director of handicap, course rating and junior golf, announced today.
GAM Players of the Year are determined by the Honor Roll/Player of the Year points system. Player of the Year point totals can be found on a pull down from the PLAY tab at GAM.org.
Last month James Piot of Canton was named the GAM Men’s Player of the Year, Anna Kramer of Spring Lake was named the Women’s Player of the Year, Steve Maddalena of Jackson was named the Senior Men’s Player of the Year, Julie Massa of Holt was named the Senior Women’s Player of the Year and Rick Herpich of Orchard Lake was named the Super Senior Player of the Year. In the next two weeks the GAM will announce three more Junior Players of the Year in gender and age categories.
Maybank, 15 and a sophomore who attends school on-line and spends the winter with family in Orlando, Fla., also won the GAM Junior Kickoff Championship to start the golf season and the GAM Junior Invitational to end the GAM golf season.
“It was a great summer,” he said. “It’s always a goal to win and winning all three junior GAM tournaments I entered was exciting. It showed me my hard work was paying off and just to do that in the state of Michigan with all the good players feels like a great accomplishment.”
Maybank, who also took second in an American Junior Golf Association tournament at Boyne Highlands over the summer, collected 1,404 Player of the Year points to dominate the 18-and-under age-group players.
Colin O’Rourke of Troy and Fieldstone Golf Club in Auburn Hills was second with 506 points. Rounding out the top five were Brockton English of Shelby Township and Fieldstone Golf Club with 555 points, Jack Zubkus of Ada and Egypt Valley Country Club with 457 points, and Evan McDermott of Spring Lake and Spring Lake CC with 435 points.
“My top performance of the summer was definitely the Junior Am,” Maybank said. “I played something like 120 holes in four days and I was consistent in all of those matches and in stroke play, hit some clutch shots, and made big putts on a very challenging course. I had tough matches and I came through.”
Maybank said one of his bigger disappointments of the summer was missing the cut to get into match play in the Michigan Amateur Championship at Boyne Highlands.
“I played pretty good the first day in stroke play and then the weather was bad and I struggled the second day and lost in a playoff to get into match play,” he said. “I really wanted to get into match play and see what I could do.”
He said playing well in the Michigan Amateur will be one of his goals for 2021.
“I have things to work on,” he said. “My short game can always get better, I can be more consistent with my shots to the green and get better birdie chances.”
While in Orlando over the winter Maybank works with his long-time teacher Brian O’Neill, the director of instruction and owner or Orlando Golf Academy and a former golf professional at Boyne Highlands.
“I think the great season I had this year came from the work I did with Brian in Florida last winter, so this winter I plan to do the same,” Maybank said.
Wolfe said Maybank had a rare season for a junior golfer.
“It is rare for a junior golfer to win that many tournaments over the course of four or five months,” he said. “To be on top of his game for that long of a stretch as a 15-year-old is impressive.”
The future is bright for Maybank, Wolfe said.
“He puts the effort in on the weaker areas of his game and he is already a player who can shoot low scores when he needs to do it, and his bad days are not all that bad,” he said. “I believe he will have his choice of college offers ahead and a real shot at playing professional golf for a living if he continues on his current path.”
“The thing I remember best from the summer was the last day of the Junior Am,” he said. “In the morning semifinal match it came down to (the 18th hole) tied and I pulled it out. My mom and my sister had come down from Cheboygan that morning and I wasn’t sure I was going to get to the final. Then I did, and then went on to win that final match with my whole family there. It was definitely special.”
Maybank, a GAM member through Hidden River Golf & Casting Club in Brutus, has been named the Golf Association of Michigan Junior Boys Player of the Year, Kyle Wolfe, director of handicap, course rating and junior golf, announced today.
GAM Players of the Year are determined by the Honor Roll/Player of the Year points system. Player of the Year point totals can be found on a pull down from the PLAY tab at GAM.org.
Last month James Piot of Canton was named the GAM Men’s Player of the Year, Anna Kramer of Spring Lake was named the Women’s Player of the Year, Steve Maddalena of Jackson was named the Senior Men’s Player of the Year, Julie Massa of Holt was named the Senior Women’s Player of the Year and Rick Herpich of Orchard Lake was named the Super Senior Player of the Year. In the next two weeks the GAM will announce three more Junior Players of the Year in gender and age categories.
Maybank, 15 and a sophomore who attends school on-line and spends the winter with family in Orlando, Fla., also won the GAM Junior Kickoff Championship to start the golf season and the GAM Junior Invitational to end the GAM golf season.
“It was a great summer,” he said. “It’s always a goal to win and winning all three junior GAM tournaments I entered was exciting. It showed me my hard work was paying off and just to do that in the state of Michigan with all the good players feels like a great accomplishment.”
Maybank, who also took second in an American Junior Golf Association tournament at Boyne Highlands over the summer, collected 1,404 Player of the Year points to dominate the 18-and-under age-group players.
Colin O’Rourke of Troy and Fieldstone Golf Club in Auburn Hills was second with 506 points. Rounding out the top five were Brockton English of Shelby Township and Fieldstone Golf Club with 555 points, Jack Zubkus of Ada and Egypt Valley Country Club with 457 points, and Evan McDermott of Spring Lake and Spring Lake CC with 435 points.
“My top performance of the summer was definitely the Junior Am,” Maybank said. “I played something like 120 holes in four days and I was consistent in all of those matches and in stroke play, hit some clutch shots, and made big putts on a very challenging course. I had tough matches and I came through.”
Maybank said one of his bigger disappointments of the summer was missing the cut to get into match play in the Michigan Amateur Championship at Boyne Highlands.
“I played pretty good the first day in stroke play and then the weather was bad and I struggled the second day and lost in a playoff to get into match play,” he said. “I really wanted to get into match play and see what I could do.”
He said playing well in the Michigan Amateur will be one of his goals for 2021.
“I have things to work on,” he said. “My short game can always get better, I can be more consistent with my shots to the green and get better birdie chances.”
While in Orlando over the winter Maybank works with his long-time teacher Brian O’Neill, the director of instruction and owner or Orlando Golf Academy and a former golf professional at Boyne Highlands.
“I think the great season I had this year came from the work I did with Brian in Florida last winter, so this winter I plan to do the same,” Maybank said.
Wolfe said Maybank had a rare season for a junior golfer.
“It is rare for a junior golfer to win that many tournaments over the course of four or five months,” he said. “To be on top of his game for that long of a stretch as a 15-year-old is impressive.”
The future is bright for Maybank, Wolfe said.
“He puts the effort in on the weaker areas of his game and he is already a player who can shoot low scores when he needs to do it, and his bad days are not all that bad,” he said. “I believe he will have his choice of college offers ahead and a real shot at playing professional golf for a living if he continues on his current path.”
The Ally Challenge is selling tickets for 2021
https://theallychallenge.com/tickets/ticket-information/LIMITED INTRODUCTORY PRICING
Don’t miss the first opportunity to purchase tickets to The Ally Challenge presented by McLaren, August 27-29, 2021. Ticket options are available with access to the Community Concert presented by Ally featuring Little Big Town on Saturday, August 28. Introductory pricing will only be available through December 15, 2020.
Here is the link
https://theallychallenge.com/tickets/ticket-information/
Don’t miss the first opportunity to purchase tickets to The Ally Challenge presented by McLaren, August 27-29, 2021. Ticket options are available with access to the Community Concert presented by Ally featuring Little Big Town on Saturday, August 28. Introductory pricing will only be available through December 15, 2020.
Here is the link
https://theallychallenge.com/tickets/ticket-information/
Marathon LPGA Classic Donates Record $600,000 to 25 Northwest Ohio Children's Charities
Toledo, OH – 2020 has challenged businesses, communities and families in ways that were never thought possible. Despite the many challenges caused by Covid-19, this year’s Marathon LPGA Classic presented by Dana was successfully held thanks to the generous support of sponsors, volunteers and the LPGA. In addition to an exciting final round battle between winner Danielle Kang and past Marathon LPGA Classic champion Lydia Ko, this year’s tournament raised a record $600,000 for 25 northwest Ohio children’s charities.
“It’s with great excitement that we can announce that the Marathon LPGA Classic Presented by Dana raised a record-setting $600,000 to aid 25 incredible children’s charities in our region,” said John Rice, Manager of Advertising & Brand Management at Marathon Petroleum. “Considering all the challenges presented by COVID-19 this year, this is an accomplishment we’re extra proud of. We thank the sponsors, the volunteers, and all the loyal supporters of the Marathon LPGA Classic. Without them, this would not be possible. We’re already looking forward to 2021.”
The breakdown of charities that received contributions is as follows:
Adopt America Network - $35,000
Aurora Project, Inc - $21,000
Big Brothers Big Sisters of West Central Ohio - $15,050
CASA/GAL of Hancock County - $27,100
Catholic Club - $10,000
Children’s Museum of Findlay - $30,000
College Mentors For Kids - $7,000
Connecting Kids To Meals - $35,000
Courageous Community Services - $10,000
Franciscan Earth Literacy Center - $37,500
Geary Family YMCA - $19,850
Girls on the Run of Northwest Ohio - $16,800
Hancock County Special Olympics - $15,000
Hancock Literacy - $38,878
Heartbeat of Toledo - $28,000
Jamie Farr Scholarship Fund - $33,400
Junior Achievement of Northwestern Ohio - $20,000
Let’s Build Beds - $40,000
Muscular Dystrophy Association - $5,000
ProMedica Foundation (First Tee/Boys & Girls Club) - $25,000
Ronald McDonald House Charities - $50,000
Sara’s Garden - $35,000
Sylvania Community Action Team - $8,800
YMCA of Bucyrus-Tiffin - $16,622
YMCA of Greater Toledo – Camp Catch – A - Rainbow - $20,000
Total - $600,000
“To be able to reach our pre-covid goal of $600,000 for charity in a year where we weren’t allowed to have spectators is a tribute to the generosity of our sponsors,” stated Tournament Director Judd Silverman. “We can’t thank the sponsors and the LPGA enough for their unwavering support under difficult circumstances. They went above and beyond to make sure the tournament was held and that we were able to reach our goal to help 25 northwest Ohio children’s charities in a time of tremendous need.”
With this year’s $600,000 contribution the Marathon LPGA Classic presented by Dana has now raised over $12 million for 190 northwest Ohio and southeast Michigan children’s charities since its inception in 1984.
“It’s with great excitement that we can announce that the Marathon LPGA Classic Presented by Dana raised a record-setting $600,000 to aid 25 incredible children’s charities in our region,” said John Rice, Manager of Advertising & Brand Management at Marathon Petroleum. “Considering all the challenges presented by COVID-19 this year, this is an accomplishment we’re extra proud of. We thank the sponsors, the volunteers, and all the loyal supporters of the Marathon LPGA Classic. Without them, this would not be possible. We’re already looking forward to 2021.”
The breakdown of charities that received contributions is as follows:
Adopt America Network - $35,000
Aurora Project, Inc - $21,000
Big Brothers Big Sisters of West Central Ohio - $15,050
CASA/GAL of Hancock County - $27,100
Catholic Club - $10,000
Children’s Museum of Findlay - $30,000
College Mentors For Kids - $7,000
Connecting Kids To Meals - $35,000
Courageous Community Services - $10,000
Franciscan Earth Literacy Center - $37,500
Geary Family YMCA - $19,850
Girls on the Run of Northwest Ohio - $16,800
Hancock County Special Olympics - $15,000
Hancock Literacy - $38,878
Heartbeat of Toledo - $28,000
Jamie Farr Scholarship Fund - $33,400
Junior Achievement of Northwestern Ohio - $20,000
Let’s Build Beds - $40,000
Muscular Dystrophy Association - $5,000
ProMedica Foundation (First Tee/Boys & Girls Club) - $25,000
Ronald McDonald House Charities - $50,000
Sara’s Garden - $35,000
Sylvania Community Action Team - $8,800
YMCA of Bucyrus-Tiffin - $16,622
YMCA of Greater Toledo – Camp Catch – A - Rainbow - $20,000
Total - $600,000
“To be able to reach our pre-covid goal of $600,000 for charity in a year where we weren’t allowed to have spectators is a tribute to the generosity of our sponsors,” stated Tournament Director Judd Silverman. “We can’t thank the sponsors and the LPGA enough for their unwavering support under difficult circumstances. They went above and beyond to make sure the tournament was held and that we were able to reach our goal to help 25 northwest Ohio children’s charities in a time of tremendous need.”
With this year’s $600,000 contribution the Marathon LPGA Classic presented by Dana has now raised over $12 million for 190 northwest Ohio and southeast Michigan children’s charities since its inception in 1984.
GAM PLAYER OF THE YEAR Orchard Lake’s Rick Herpich Tops Super Senior Honor Roll
By Greg Johnson-FARMINGTON HILLS – Rick Herpich of Orchard Lake, who will be 68 in December, feels he played the best golf of his life in 2020.
“I don’t remember a time in my life when I was shooting these kind of scores consistently in competition for such a long period,” he said. “I played really well all summer.”
Herpich, an Orchard Lake Country Club member, has been named the Golf Association of Michigan Super Senior Player of the Year, Ken Hartmann, director of competitions and USGA services, announced today.
GAM Players of the Year are determined by the Honor Roll/Player of the Year points system. Player of the Year point totals can be found on a pull down from the PLAY tab at GAM.org.
Previously James Piot of Canton was named the GAM Men’s Player of the Year and Anna Kramer of Spring Lake was named the Women’s Player of the Year. Last week Steve Maddalena of Jackson was named the Senior Men’s Player of the Year and Julie Massa of Holt was named the Senior Women’s Player of the Year. In December the GAM will announce Junior Players of the Year in gender and age categories.
Herpich collected trophies in 2020 with a highlight win in the GAM Super Senior Championship (age 65-plus) where he shot 66 bettering his age of 67 by a shot for the first time, a win in the Super Senior Division of the GAM Senior Championship and a win in the GAM Senior Tournament of Champions. He also tied for fourth in the Society of Seniors National Super Senior Championship in September in Pinehurst, N.C., and tied for fourth in the recent Society of Seniors – Founder’s Cup Championship in Santa Cruz, Calif.
“I had an awesome year,” he said. “It was a great year for me and to combine it with being named the Super Senior Player of the Year is pretty special. Doing something like that and having this kind of year is what I’ve worked for since I retired. I love competing and I love playing and it is an awesome feeling right now.”
Herpich finished with 375 Player of the Year points topping last year’s Super Senior Player of the Year Ian Harris of Bloomfield Hills. Harris, a TPC Michigan member, had 185 points.
Ron Perrine of Holt and Country Club of Lansing (137 points), John Armstrong of Grosse Ile and West Shore Golf & Country Club (107 points) and Pete Walz of Jackson and Arbor Hills Golf Club (90 points) rounded out the top five.
Herpich, a retired Vallassis Communications executive, said golf became his central activity once he retired at age 59. He plays through the year by wintering with his wife Debbie in LaQuinta, Calif.
“I couldn't ever play a lot of golf when I was working,” he said. “I was in charge of sales and marketing and did a lot of traveling. Once I retired I wanted to see if I could play competitive amateur golf because I was always a three- or four-handicapper and I wanted to see that if I played more could I compete at an amateur level in the senior division.”
Herpich said he has seen a big difference in his game in the last two years because he has worked with trainer Tom Kruszewski of Orchard Lake Country Club.
“He’s really helped me at getting my body better,” he said. “I have better mobility and speed with my swing. My swing speeds have stayed up there, too, the last three years or so.”
Hartmann called Herpich the epitome of a good guy and golfer.
“People come to the scoring table after playing with him and they have nothing but great things to say,” he said. “He is great to be around and seems to get better every year. He seems to hit it even straighter and he has become very consistent. I think once he retired he became more serious about playing well, and yet he is just a humble guy who just wants to enjoy the competition and tries his best to play well.”
“I don’t remember a time in my life when I was shooting these kind of scores consistently in competition for such a long period,” he said. “I played really well all summer.”
Herpich, an Orchard Lake Country Club member, has been named the Golf Association of Michigan Super Senior Player of the Year, Ken Hartmann, director of competitions and USGA services, announced today.
GAM Players of the Year are determined by the Honor Roll/Player of the Year points system. Player of the Year point totals can be found on a pull down from the PLAY tab at GAM.org.
Previously James Piot of Canton was named the GAM Men’s Player of the Year and Anna Kramer of Spring Lake was named the Women’s Player of the Year. Last week Steve Maddalena of Jackson was named the Senior Men’s Player of the Year and Julie Massa of Holt was named the Senior Women’s Player of the Year. In December the GAM will announce Junior Players of the Year in gender and age categories.
Herpich collected trophies in 2020 with a highlight win in the GAM Super Senior Championship (age 65-plus) where he shot 66 bettering his age of 67 by a shot for the first time, a win in the Super Senior Division of the GAM Senior Championship and a win in the GAM Senior Tournament of Champions. He also tied for fourth in the Society of Seniors National Super Senior Championship in September in Pinehurst, N.C., and tied for fourth in the recent Society of Seniors – Founder’s Cup Championship in Santa Cruz, Calif.
“I had an awesome year,” he said. “It was a great year for me and to combine it with being named the Super Senior Player of the Year is pretty special. Doing something like that and having this kind of year is what I’ve worked for since I retired. I love competing and I love playing and it is an awesome feeling right now.”
Herpich finished with 375 Player of the Year points topping last year’s Super Senior Player of the Year Ian Harris of Bloomfield Hills. Harris, a TPC Michigan member, had 185 points.
Ron Perrine of Holt and Country Club of Lansing (137 points), John Armstrong of Grosse Ile and West Shore Golf & Country Club (107 points) and Pete Walz of Jackson and Arbor Hills Golf Club (90 points) rounded out the top five.
Herpich, a retired Vallassis Communications executive, said golf became his central activity once he retired at age 59. He plays through the year by wintering with his wife Debbie in LaQuinta, Calif.
“I couldn't ever play a lot of golf when I was working,” he said. “I was in charge of sales and marketing and did a lot of traveling. Once I retired I wanted to see if I could play competitive amateur golf because I was always a three- or four-handicapper and I wanted to see that if I played more could I compete at an amateur level in the senior division.”
Herpich said he has seen a big difference in his game in the last two years because he has worked with trainer Tom Kruszewski of Orchard Lake Country Club.
“He’s really helped me at getting my body better,” he said. “I have better mobility and speed with my swing. My swing speeds have stayed up there, too, the last three years or so.”
Hartmann called Herpich the epitome of a good guy and golfer.
“People come to the scoring table after playing with him and they have nothing but great things to say,” he said. “He is great to be around and seems to get better every year. He seems to hit it even straighter and he has become very consistent. I think once he retired he became more serious about playing well, and yet he is just a humble guy who just wants to enjoy the competition and tries his best to play well.”
GAM PLAYER OF THE YEAR - Canton’s James Piot Tops 2020 Men’s Honor Roll
FARMINGTON HILLS – James Piot of Canton had a great golf summer highlighted by being the runner-up in the Michigan Amateur Championship and earning the No. 2 seed at the U.S. Amateur Championship.
“But I didn’t finish,” the redshirt junior golfer for Michigan State University said. “Next summer I want to get my name on some trophies.”
Piot did finish atop the Golf Association of Michigan (GAM) Honor Roll and has been named the 2020 GAM Men’s Player of the Year, Ken Hartmann senior director of competitions and USGA services for the GAM, announced today.
Player of the Year point totals can be found on a pull down from the PLAY tab at GAM.org. Over the next few weeks the GAM will announce more Players of the Year in gender and age categories.
Piot, who was second in Honor Roll points a year ago, keyed his season with the runner-up finish to Tyler Copp of Ann Arbor and Mercer University (Ga.) in the Michigan Amateur, and his showing in the U.S. Amateur at Oregon’s Bandon Dunes where he made a run at medalist honors and reached the round of 32 in match play.
He finished with 975 Honor Roll points ahead of Copp, who plays out of Barton Hills Country Club and had 605 points. It was Copp who beat Piot 2 and 1 in the championship match of the Michigan Amateur at Boyne Highlands Resort and Copp also finished second in the GAM Championship.
“But I didn’t finish,” the redshirt junior golfer for Michigan State University said. “Next summer I want to get my name on some trophies.”
Piot did finish atop the Golf Association of Michigan (GAM) Honor Roll and has been named the 2020 GAM Men’s Player of the Year, Ken Hartmann senior director of competitions and USGA services for the GAM, announced today.
Player of the Year point totals can be found on a pull down from the PLAY tab at GAM.org. Over the next few weeks the GAM will announce more Players of the Year in gender and age categories.
Piot, who was second in Honor Roll points a year ago, keyed his season with the runner-up finish to Tyler Copp of Ann Arbor and Mercer University (Ga.) in the Michigan Amateur, and his showing in the U.S. Amateur at Oregon’s Bandon Dunes where he made a run at medalist honors and reached the round of 32 in match play.
He finished with 975 Honor Roll points ahead of Copp, who plays out of Barton Hills Country Club and had 605 points. It was Copp who beat Piot 2 and 1 in the championship match of the Michigan Amateur at Boyne Highlands Resort and Copp also finished second in the GAM Championship.
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HIGH QUALITY: Northville’s Mike Anderson Wins GAM Mid-Amateur
HARBOR SPRINGS – Northville’s Mike Anderson hit what he called high-quality golf shots down the stretch in winning the 38th GAM Mid-Amateur Championship Thursday at Boyne Highlands Resort.
“I’ve played golf for a long time, and you know we all play some good golf and some bad golf and it has been a long time since I’ve won,” he said after shooting a final 71 on the Moor course for 140, a three-shot win and the celebrated Glenn H. Johnson Trophy.
“So coming down the stretch, knowing the situation that I was in, it felt good because I hit a lot of high-quality shots. These guys are my peers and I enjoy playing with them and we compete against each other a lot, so to beat them once in a while is nice.”
Bill O’Connor of Bloomfield Hills was second with a 72 for 143, and Ryan Johnson of New Boston was next at 144 with a closing 72.
Jimmy Chestnut, the GAM Champion earlier this summer, shot 74 for 145 for fourth place, and Jeff Champine of Rochester Hills, who shot 73, tied for fifth place at 146 with Larry Sterling of Shelby Township, who shot 74 to close. Defending champion Michael Coriasso shot 72 for 148 and tied for ninth.
Champions were also crowned in a Senior (age 55-and-over) and Super Senior (age 65-plus) divisions with Jerry Gunthorpe of Ovid taking the Senior title, and Ron Perrine of Holt winning the Super Senior title.
Champine was declared the Mid-Senior (age 45-plus) winner because Anderson and O’Connor, who are also over age 45, were champion and runner-up in the overall Mid-Amateur competition. Kevin Vandenberg of Pulaski was the runner-up in the Mid-Senior in a scorecard playoff over David Levan of Ann Arbor. Vandenberg shot 76 for 147 and tied for seventh overall with Levan, who shot 73.
Anderson, the golf coach at Detroit Catholic Central High School, said being paired with first-round leader and his good friend David Vaclav both days was great for him.
“Dave and I are close friends,” he said. “We have been playing golf together since we were little kids, so to have him by my side all day was really special. It was comfortable and settling.”
Anderson said the win caps a good summer for him. He made match play at the Michigan Amateur, falling in the round of 16, and he jump-started his personal summer golf in the spring when the pandemic shut down the high school golf season.
“I have played solid and this week was great,” he said.
Anderson called Boyne Highlands a special place to play and win.
“It’s one of the best spots for golfers in the United States in the summertime,” he said. “The golf courses are in such unbelievable condition. Even today with a pretty heavy rain the course held up. It’s great for Michigan golf and they support Michigan golf and the GAM so well. It’s nice to get the opportunity to play here a few times each summer.”
In the Senior division, Gunthorpe shot a closing 70 for 142 and won by five shots. David Bartnick of Livonia was second with a 76 for 147, and Kevin Klemet of White Lake shot 77 for 149.
Gunthorpe said his performance over the two days was almost flawless.
“I was striking the ball well and hit a lot of greens yesterday, all 18,” he said. “I think I missed just one green today. It made it easier for me putting wise and I had shorter irons into the greens because I hit the ball fairly long for the tees they had set up. I had a lot of wedges and hit them well, so it was stress free today.”
Perrine shot a 78 for 152 to win the Super Senior title by one shot over John Armstrong of Grosse Ile, who closed with a 75 for 153. Mike Raymond of Jackson was third with a 78 for 154.
Perrine shot even-par on the front and finished his final six holes after a two-hour rain delay.
“We checked the leaderboard a couple of times coming down the stretch, so yeah, we know where we were,” Perrine said. “I hung in there and parred the last two holes and that was good enough. This is special and Boyne is a such a great place. It’s been quite a while since I won a tournament. With all that Boyne and the GAM does for us, it was a really good experience.”
“I’ve played golf for a long time, and you know we all play some good golf and some bad golf and it has been a long time since I’ve won,” he said after shooting a final 71 on the Moor course for 140, a three-shot win and the celebrated Glenn H. Johnson Trophy.
“So coming down the stretch, knowing the situation that I was in, it felt good because I hit a lot of high-quality shots. These guys are my peers and I enjoy playing with them and we compete against each other a lot, so to beat them once in a while is nice.”
Bill O’Connor of Bloomfield Hills was second with a 72 for 143, and Ryan Johnson of New Boston was next at 144 with a closing 72.
Jimmy Chestnut, the GAM Champion earlier this summer, shot 74 for 145 for fourth place, and Jeff Champine of Rochester Hills, who shot 73, tied for fifth place at 146 with Larry Sterling of Shelby Township, who shot 74 to close. Defending champion Michael Coriasso shot 72 for 148 and tied for ninth.
Champions were also crowned in a Senior (age 55-and-over) and Super Senior (age 65-plus) divisions with Jerry Gunthorpe of Ovid taking the Senior title, and Ron Perrine of Holt winning the Super Senior title.
Champine was declared the Mid-Senior (age 45-plus) winner because Anderson and O’Connor, who are also over age 45, were champion and runner-up in the overall Mid-Amateur competition. Kevin Vandenberg of Pulaski was the runner-up in the Mid-Senior in a scorecard playoff over David Levan of Ann Arbor. Vandenberg shot 76 for 147 and tied for seventh overall with Levan, who shot 73.
Anderson, the golf coach at Detroit Catholic Central High School, said being paired with first-round leader and his good friend David Vaclav both days was great for him.
“Dave and I are close friends,” he said. “We have been playing golf together since we were little kids, so to have him by my side all day was really special. It was comfortable and settling.”
Anderson said the win caps a good summer for him. He made match play at the Michigan Amateur, falling in the round of 16, and he jump-started his personal summer golf in the spring when the pandemic shut down the high school golf season.
“I have played solid and this week was great,” he said.
Anderson called Boyne Highlands a special place to play and win.
“It’s one of the best spots for golfers in the United States in the summertime,” he said. “The golf courses are in such unbelievable condition. Even today with a pretty heavy rain the course held up. It’s great for Michigan golf and they support Michigan golf and the GAM so well. It’s nice to get the opportunity to play here a few times each summer.”
In the Senior division, Gunthorpe shot a closing 70 for 142 and won by five shots. David Bartnick of Livonia was second with a 76 for 147, and Kevin Klemet of White Lake shot 77 for 149.
Gunthorpe said his performance over the two days was almost flawless.
“I was striking the ball well and hit a lot of greens yesterday, all 18,” he said. “I think I missed just one green today. It made it easier for me putting wise and I had shorter irons into the greens because I hit the ball fairly long for the tees they had set up. I had a lot of wedges and hit them well, so it was stress free today.”
Perrine shot a 78 for 152 to win the Super Senior title by one shot over John Armstrong of Grosse Ile, who closed with a 75 for 153. Mike Raymond of Jackson was third with a 78 for 154.
Perrine shot even-par on the front and finished his final six holes after a two-hour rain delay.
“We checked the leaderboard a couple of times coming down the stretch, so yeah, we know where we were,” Perrine said. “I hung in there and parred the last two holes and that was good enough. This is special and Boyne is a such a great place. It’s been quite a while since I won a tournament. With all that Boyne and the GAM does for us, it was a really good experience.”
Michigan Golf Scene's latest show w. Jerry Kelly and Michigan Golf Show
The Hackers with former UM player Dion Harris
Royal Oak’s Jimmy Chestnut Rallies, Wins His Second GAM Championship
REDFORD – Jimmy Chestnut of Royal Oak fought off final-round nerves he had not confronted for a long time and won his second GAM Championship Tuesday, 12 years after his first.
With a 3-under 68 for a 7-under tournament total the 38-year-old attorney rallied to catch and pass Ann Arbor’s Tyler Copp, who shot a closing 73 for a 6-under finish in the 99th edition of the Golf Association of Michigan member championship presented this year by Carl’s Golfland.
“I’ve won the Michigan Amateur and the GAM, and now the GAM again and to win three of the big GAM events is a big deal for me,” he said. “It kicks me up a notch, I guess to another level in my mind, and to do it 12 years later is special.”
Chestnut, the last golfer to win the GAM Championship and the Michigan Amateur in the same year (2008), stopped the attempt of Copp, this year’s Michigan Amateur champion, to match the feat. It has been accomplished eight times by seven golfers in 99 years, including Melvin “Bud” Stevens, a Michigan Golf Hall of Famer, and former Western Golf & Country Club member.
“I knew I was the last one to do it and when Tyler was a 9-under and I was at 5-under and four back, I started thinking it was his turn,” said Chestnut, a Grand Blanc native who is legal counsel for AlixPartners, a global consulting firm and played his college golf at Michigan State.
“But then things changed, all of a sudden in a few holes we were tied and in entered my mind again that I could stop the double and still be the last guy to do it, which is kind of cool.”
Copp, who will be a senior at Mercer University in Georgia in the fall, made bogey with missed fairways and greens on holes 10, 12 and 13 while Chestnut rallied with pars on 10 and 13 and birdies on holes 11 and 12.
“Five shots went down to nothing in four holes, and three were bogies, so I mean, I feel like I gave it away more than he took it away,” said Copp who left a 20-foot tying birdie putt just an inch short of the lip of the cup on No. 18.
“I’m not going to be too hung up about it. The Michigan Am was the one tournament I wanted to win this summer, so this was just icing on the cake, or could have been.”
James Piot of Canton, the current Michigan State standout, shot a closing 71 to check in third at 5-under.
Andrew Walker of Battle Creek, another Spartan, shot 72, and Brad Bastion of Shelby Township, who closed with a 69, tied at 3-under. Zach Robbins of Grand Rapids and Cleveland State University, who shot 70, and reigning Michigan Mid-Am champion Mike Coriasso of White Lake, who shot 73, finished at 1-under.
Piot, who has lost in the final match to Copp in the Michigan Amateur, never made it the showdown that was anticipated. He said he had his “D” game for the day, and a lost ball on No. 11, which was found later lodged in a tree and resulted in a double-bogey.
“That was a bad break, but I did hit it in the tree,” he said. “I had a lot of opportunities I didn’t take advantage of, too. Jimmy took advantage. He has that great pro swing, great tempo and he still hits it out there with us. Plus, he’s a fellow Spartan, so I feel good for him.”
Chestnut said the nerves got to him as he held the one-shot lead over the final two holes. He reached the front edge of the par 5 No. 17 hole (No. 14 for member routing) in two shots but three-putted for par, and then at 18 blocked his tee shot into the middle of No. 10 fairway wide right of No. 18.
“I got a break having an open shot on 18 to the green, and then I was able to two-putt with the nerves going,” he said. “That last three-footer was tough. I was lucky it found the bottom of the cup. It was really fun to be the mix, to be right there again with the nerves and it feels great to have pulled it off.”
With a 3-under 68 for a 7-under tournament total the 38-year-old attorney rallied to catch and pass Ann Arbor’s Tyler Copp, who shot a closing 73 for a 6-under finish in the 99th edition of the Golf Association of Michigan member championship presented this year by Carl’s Golfland.
“I’ve won the Michigan Amateur and the GAM, and now the GAM again and to win three of the big GAM events is a big deal for me,” he said. “It kicks me up a notch, I guess to another level in my mind, and to do it 12 years later is special.”
Chestnut, the last golfer to win the GAM Championship and the Michigan Amateur in the same year (2008), stopped the attempt of Copp, this year’s Michigan Amateur champion, to match the feat. It has been accomplished eight times by seven golfers in 99 years, including Melvin “Bud” Stevens, a Michigan Golf Hall of Famer, and former Western Golf & Country Club member.
“I knew I was the last one to do it and when Tyler was a 9-under and I was at 5-under and four back, I started thinking it was his turn,” said Chestnut, a Grand Blanc native who is legal counsel for AlixPartners, a global consulting firm and played his college golf at Michigan State.
“But then things changed, all of a sudden in a few holes we were tied and in entered my mind again that I could stop the double and still be the last guy to do it, which is kind of cool.”
Copp, who will be a senior at Mercer University in Georgia in the fall, made bogey with missed fairways and greens on holes 10, 12 and 13 while Chestnut rallied with pars on 10 and 13 and birdies on holes 11 and 12.
“Five shots went down to nothing in four holes, and three were bogies, so I mean, I feel like I gave it away more than he took it away,” said Copp who left a 20-foot tying birdie putt just an inch short of the lip of the cup on No. 18.
“I’m not going to be too hung up about it. The Michigan Am was the one tournament I wanted to win this summer, so this was just icing on the cake, or could have been.”
James Piot of Canton, the current Michigan State standout, shot a closing 71 to check in third at 5-under.
Andrew Walker of Battle Creek, another Spartan, shot 72, and Brad Bastion of Shelby Township, who closed with a 69, tied at 3-under. Zach Robbins of Grand Rapids and Cleveland State University, who shot 70, and reigning Michigan Mid-Am champion Mike Coriasso of White Lake, who shot 73, finished at 1-under.
Piot, who has lost in the final match to Copp in the Michigan Amateur, never made it the showdown that was anticipated. He said he had his “D” game for the day, and a lost ball on No. 11, which was found later lodged in a tree and resulted in a double-bogey.
“That was a bad break, but I did hit it in the tree,” he said. “I had a lot of opportunities I didn’t take advantage of, too. Jimmy took advantage. He has that great pro swing, great tempo and he still hits it out there with us. Plus, he’s a fellow Spartan, so I feel good for him.”
Chestnut said the nerves got to him as he held the one-shot lead over the final two holes. He reached the front edge of the par 5 No. 17 hole (No. 14 for member routing) in two shots but three-putted for par, and then at 18 blocked his tee shot into the middle of No. 10 fairway wide right of No. 18.
“I got a break having an open shot on 18 to the green, and then I was able to two-putt with the nerves going,” he said. “That last three-footer was tough. I was lucky it found the bottom of the cup. It was really fun to be the mix, to be right there again with the nerves and it feels great to have pulled it off.”
BIGGEST WIN: Cheboygan’s PJ Maybank III Claims Michigan Junior State Amateur
DEARBORN – PJ Maybank III of Cheboygan has some impressive golf credentials – winning the celebrated Drive, Chip and Putt before the Masters Tournament at age 13, and previously winning Golf Association of Michigan junior tournaments and others on the traveling golf circuit.
He called winning the 42nd Michigan Junior State Amateur Championship presented by Garland Lodge & Golf Resort at TPC Michigan Thursday, the biggest win so far.
“To be the number one junior in Michigan, that means a lot to me,” said the smiling 15-year-old who topped Evan McDermott of Spring Lake 5 and 4 in the afternoon championship match.
“I played pretty solid this afternoon, made a good birdie putt on 8, got the lead and made a couple more on the back nine to win. This feels amazing. This was one of my big goals coming into the summer – to do well in this event and hopefully win it. I’m very happy I won.”
Robert Burns of Grand Blanc was the other big winner on the day. He won the 15-and-under Division Championship with a 6-and-5 triumph over Vibhav Alokam of Ypsilanti in the final match.
“It was a grind getting through the week, but if feels good to get in the finals and finish it,” said the 15-year-old Burns, who was a semifinalist a year ago.
The final match of the overall championship was the first one of the five Maybank played this week in which he wasn’t pushed to the final hole. He was the top seed as stroke play medalist.
“I played very solid all week but wasn’t consistent the whole time,” he said. “It was tough with a lot of tough matches. I was more consistent this afternoon. It was very windy, tough conditions, but I kept the ball in play and made some putts.”
McDermott, a 16-year-old junior to be at Spring Lake High School in the fall, said despite finishing second he was pleased with the week.
“It was my first time making it to match play after three tries so that definitely made it a really good week and getting to the final was icing on the cake,” he said. “I was happy with how I played even today. PJ just outplayed me. I’m happy. I always want to win, but runner-up is still good. Congrats to PJ. He’s a really good player.”
Maybank, who is an online student through Cheboygan Schools, earned his spot in the final match with a 1-up win over Caleb Bond of Williamston in the morning semifinals. McDermott topped Colin O’Rourke of Troy 4 and 2 to move on to the final.
In the 15-and-under, Burns topped McCoy Biagioli of White Lake 2 and 1 in the semifinals, and Alokam held off Greg Braun of Northville 1-up.
Burns saved par from the left of the green on the par 3 No. 12 hole in the title match and called his chip that lipped out the key shot.
“I stayed in the lead there and I was making putts,” he said. “I played pretty good given the circumstances.”
Alokam, 13 and headed to Ann Arbor Skyline in the fall, said he came to TPC Michigan with a goal of making the stroke play cut and getting into match play.
“I feel good that I got to the finals,” he said. “I played alright, but Robert played really well and deserved to win.”
He called winning the 42nd Michigan Junior State Amateur Championship presented by Garland Lodge & Golf Resort at TPC Michigan Thursday, the biggest win so far.
“To be the number one junior in Michigan, that means a lot to me,” said the smiling 15-year-old who topped Evan McDermott of Spring Lake 5 and 4 in the afternoon championship match.
“I played pretty solid this afternoon, made a good birdie putt on 8, got the lead and made a couple more on the back nine to win. This feels amazing. This was one of my big goals coming into the summer – to do well in this event and hopefully win it. I’m very happy I won.”
Robert Burns of Grand Blanc was the other big winner on the day. He won the 15-and-under Division Championship with a 6-and-5 triumph over Vibhav Alokam of Ypsilanti in the final match.
“It was a grind getting through the week, but if feels good to get in the finals and finish it,” said the 15-year-old Burns, who was a semifinalist a year ago.
The final match of the overall championship was the first one of the five Maybank played this week in which he wasn’t pushed to the final hole. He was the top seed as stroke play medalist.
“I played very solid all week but wasn’t consistent the whole time,” he said. “It was tough with a lot of tough matches. I was more consistent this afternoon. It was very windy, tough conditions, but I kept the ball in play and made some putts.”
McDermott, a 16-year-old junior to be at Spring Lake High School in the fall, said despite finishing second he was pleased with the week.
“It was my first time making it to match play after three tries so that definitely made it a really good week and getting to the final was icing on the cake,” he said. “I was happy with how I played even today. PJ just outplayed me. I’m happy. I always want to win, but runner-up is still good. Congrats to PJ. He’s a really good player.”
Maybank, who is an online student through Cheboygan Schools, earned his spot in the final match with a 1-up win over Caleb Bond of Williamston in the morning semifinals. McDermott topped Colin O’Rourke of Troy 4 and 2 to move on to the final.
In the 15-and-under, Burns topped McCoy Biagioli of White Lake 2 and 1 in the semifinals, and Alokam held off Greg Braun of Northville 1-up.
Burns saved par from the left of the green on the par 3 No. 12 hole in the title match and called his chip that lipped out the key shot.
“I stayed in the lead there and I was making putts,” he said. “I played pretty good given the circumstances.”
Alokam, 13 and headed to Ann Arbor Skyline in the fall, said he came to TPC Michigan with a goal of making the stroke play cut and getting into match play.
“I feel good that I got to the finals,” he said. “I played alright, but Robert played really well and deserved to win.”
Bernhard Langer interview- Covid and the Masters
PRE-TOURNAMENT INTERVIEW
July 29, 2020
BERNHARD LANGER
CHRIS RICHARDS: Bernhard, welcome back to the Ally Challenge and also welcome back
to the PGA Tour Champions. How's it feel to be back on Tour after all these months off?
BERNHARD LANGER: It's awesome. It's been the longest break I ever had in my 44 years
of professional golf. Yeah, very unprecedented times, but I think everybody's doing the best
they can, what we know about the virus and how to go about it. We're just excited to finally
get started. Thrilled that Ally and Warwick Hills made the decision to get going. And the
PGA Champions is in constant contact with the PGA TOUR, obviously, and the health
organizations and all that. I think they've come up with a very good plan. And let's hope
we're all doing our part of it and nobody's going to get sick while we're here.
CHRIS RICHARDS: You were playing really good golf, as normal, early in the season and
then our season had to take a break. How have you been able to make sure your game
stayed at that level without competing?
BERNHARD LANGER: Yeah, it was difficult. The timing of this was not good for me
personally. I'm getting older, so I'm aging out basically. And I had a bit of momentum going.
I played really good golf the first five tournaments of the season and was looking forward to
building on that momentum and then it just got shut down.
Then I live in South Florida, Boca Raton, where everything was shut down for I think it was
about six weeks. I live on a golf course and I couldn't go practice or play, so that was really
weird, but that's what it was in our county. So I did a couple of trips to Naples, because
some courses were open in Naples. I just drove over there for a long weekend with friends.
It's probably the least I've practiced and played golf for summertime the last five0months.
Excited to get moving again and see if there's anything left in the tank.
Q. You're one of the oldest guys in the field, yet you're leading the money List.
You're still competitive every week. What do you attribute that to? Is it your fitness
level, is it your practice routine?
BERNHARD LANGER: It's a lot of things. I don't know if you have enough time for that.
We could write a book about it. But it's like a puzzle. I have good genes, I work out, I eat
fairly decent, but that by itself doesn't do it. There's many people who do that and maybe
better than me. It's the technique of your golf swing, it's the mental part of it, it's the short
game, it's putting, it's chipping, it's bunker game, all of that. A lot of it is technique. And if a
lot of guys have good technique, then it comes down to the mental part.
But it's also a private life. How's your private life? Is there peace or is there a lot of tumult?
1
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the greens are very slopey and severe, so it's really, you've got to have your game under
control. Otherwise, you're not going to do well. It's a course you can go low if you bring your
A game, but if your B or C game shows up, you're going to be over par in a hurry.
Q. What about the fans at 17? Certainly you didn't need them to tell you how far you
are away from the hole because you can see it. At the same time, that atmosphere,
this place, how much is that going to be missed by the field?
BERNHARD LANGER: Oh, we're going to miss it. That was always a very exciting hole,
electric atmosphere and the people got into it. It was great to be in that arena. We're
definitely going to miss it. Hopefully we'll have it back next year.
Q. The lack of grandstands, does that mess with your depth perception or your
aiming on like 17 and 18?
BERNHARD LANGER: Well, the course looks very different without grandstands. I played
18 yesterday. I go, this green looks different from what it used to be. But we don't go by
that, we all play by yardage. In the old days, you didn't have lasers and yardages, you just
kind of looked and, oh, it looks like a 6-iron, give me a 6-iron. Now, we look at, okay, it's a
hundred and whatever, 75, takes a 6-iron. So we play by yardages. So that's not going to
mess us up big time, I don't think.
Q. The process of the PGA TOUR and having to go through the temperature checks
and having to go through that whole process, what have you seen has been the most
difficult part?
BERNHARD LANGER: Well, the most difficult part is probably just arriving earlier, because
you're going to be tested. The first thing we do when we arrive from the airport is test. Then
you have to wait a couple hours at least to see, are you allowed to come to the club or not.
Everything takes a little more time.
The days get a little longer, and we probably0-- or I feel I have to arrive a little bit sooner just
to allow for that loss of two or three hours, let's put it that way. And it's always awkward.
You get here and get tested. Well, if I'm positive, what am I going to do? Quarantine for two
weeks? So you're on pins and needles waiting that you get a negative in a sense.
Q. I know you played in the two events on the regular tour, but what's it like this week
being around your peers, the guys you played with for years? I mean, is there a lot of
needling going on, a lot of catching up?
BERNHARD LANGER: Yeah, it's awesome. It's great to be back and to have that
fellowship again and the friendships and the camaraderie that we really enjoy out here.
We had a neat thing going. As some of you might know, I'm a Christian, so I attend Bible
studies. We had one every week on Tour, so we had a Zoom call every day actually. We
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Orchard Lake’s Rick Herpich Rolls to GAM Super Senior Championship
OWOSSO – Rick Herpich of Orchard Lake and his golf game are aging like fine wine.
A day after shooting a 1-under 66 for his age of 67, he shot a 2-under 70 to garner a four-shot win in the 6th GAM Super Senior Championship Wednesday at Owosso Country Club.
“Tell you what, it was a great couple days,” said the Orchard Lake Country Club member. “I love the golf course. It's one that really fits my eye. It's not one you can overpower, but it's more of a finesse golf course where it has a lot of doglegs and stuff like that, and I got off to a really good start. Yesterday, I shot my age for the first time ever. I’m 67 years old and I shot 66 so I was pretty excited about that.”
Pete Walz of Jackson, who closed with a 69 for 140, finished second in the championship that featured 50 GAM golfers over age 65, including a Legends Division for golfers age 70-plus.
Dan Hughes of Saginaw, who shot 67, was third at 141, and two-time defending champion Ian Harris of Bloomfield Hills, who shot 71 for 144, tied with Craig Camalo, who closed with a 70.
In the Legends Division, Terry Westbrook from Grand Rapids shot a 74 for 147 and the win. Terry Moore of Grand Rapids, who won the Super Senior title in 2015, shot 77 for 150 and second.
Rounding out the top five among the Legends were Thomas Johnson of Gobles, who shot 76 for 151, Dick Bachtel of Linden, who shot 80 for 153, and Fred Mann of Waterville, who shot 79 for 153.
Herpich has been having a good summer. He won the Orchard Lake Senior Club Championship and won a club invitational.
“I’ve been on a roll the last four or five weeks and it has been awesome,” he said. “My game has been coming around and it has been fun. Anytime you win it means a lot because you lose a lot in this game. And Ian (Harris) has been so dominant in the Super Senior Division and that makes it even tougher to win. I’m really proud of myself. I finished it off today. I couldn’t be happier.”
He hopes to continue the fun via an invitation to the Society of Seniors National Super Senior Championship scheduled for Sept. 27-30 at Pinehurst in North Carolina.
Westbrook, a Watermark Country Club member, said not to tell his wife he has been playing a lot of golf this summer.
“Yesterday I was an escape artist, mostly in the trees, but getting up and down from everywhere making putts, and today I make no putts, but I'm so totally different,” he said. “I think a little experience helps a lot on this course. My ball-striking was better today even though my score was one higher.”
A day after shooting a 1-under 66 for his age of 67, he shot a 2-under 70 to garner a four-shot win in the 6th GAM Super Senior Championship Wednesday at Owosso Country Club.
“Tell you what, it was a great couple days,” said the Orchard Lake Country Club member. “I love the golf course. It's one that really fits my eye. It's not one you can overpower, but it's more of a finesse golf course where it has a lot of doglegs and stuff like that, and I got off to a really good start. Yesterday, I shot my age for the first time ever. I’m 67 years old and I shot 66 so I was pretty excited about that.”
Pete Walz of Jackson, who closed with a 69 for 140, finished second in the championship that featured 50 GAM golfers over age 65, including a Legends Division for golfers age 70-plus.
Dan Hughes of Saginaw, who shot 67, was third at 141, and two-time defending champion Ian Harris of Bloomfield Hills, who shot 71 for 144, tied with Craig Camalo, who closed with a 70.
In the Legends Division, Terry Westbrook from Grand Rapids shot a 74 for 147 and the win. Terry Moore of Grand Rapids, who won the Super Senior title in 2015, shot 77 for 150 and second.
Rounding out the top five among the Legends were Thomas Johnson of Gobles, who shot 76 for 151, Dick Bachtel of Linden, who shot 80 for 153, and Fred Mann of Waterville, who shot 79 for 153.
Herpich has been having a good summer. He won the Orchard Lake Senior Club Championship and won a club invitational.
“I’ve been on a roll the last four or five weeks and it has been awesome,” he said. “My game has been coming around and it has been fun. Anytime you win it means a lot because you lose a lot in this game. And Ian (Harris) has been so dominant in the Super Senior Division and that makes it even tougher to win. I’m really proud of myself. I finished it off today. I couldn’t be happier.”
He hopes to continue the fun via an invitation to the Society of Seniors National Super Senior Championship scheduled for Sept. 27-30 at Pinehurst in North Carolina.
Westbrook, a Watermark Country Club member, said not to tell his wife he has been playing a lot of golf this summer.
“Yesterday I was an escape artist, mostly in the trees, but getting up and down from everywhere making putts, and today I make no putts, but I'm so totally different,” he said. “I think a little experience helps a lot on this course. My ball-striking was better today even though my score was one higher.”
Will Preston of Grand Rapids, Lauren Timpf of Macomb Take 14 & Under Match Play Titles
EAST LANSING – Will Preston of Grand Rapids won his first Golf Association of Michigan tournament while Lauren Timpf of Macomb won her fourth consecutive GAM junior golf title over the last two seasons.
They topped the field of 32 boys and 16 girls who played in the fourth GAM14 & Under Match Play Championship Monday and Tuesday at Woodside Golf Club.
“In all three matches I had I played pretty well and was able to finish all of them through seven or eight holes,” the 14-year-old Preston said after turning back Vibhav Alokam of Ypsilanti 2 and 1 in the nine-hole boys championship flight final match Tuesday.
“I got the lead in all of them and that’s really important in a nine-hole match. It feels good to win. I’m off to a good start this summer and I just hope to continue it.”
Timpf, meanwhile, made four birdies in eight holes and topped Mia Melendez of Ann Arbor 2 and 1 in the girls championship flight final match.
“I’ve practiced a lot for this and I feel like my hard work is paying off,” Timpf said. “I’m very grateful that I’m able to win some of these tournaments. I played well in the final match. My approach shots were pretty tight and I was able to make my putts.”
Preston, who will be a freshman at Grand Rapids Catholic Central in the fall, reached the finals with a 2 and 1 win over Gowtham Nalluri of Novi in the morning semifinal Tuesday.
Alokam made it to the finals by turning back Tyler Brody of Grand Blanc 3 and 2 in the other semifinal. Brody went on to top Nalluri 2 and 1 in the consolation match to finish in third place.
Timpf reached the girls final by topping Riley Hayden of Troy 1-up in the morning round of matches, and Melendez made it to the finals by beating Laura Liu of Rochester Hills in 10 holes. Liu went on to take third with a 3 and 1 win over Hayden in the consolation match.
Preston, who was second in the 15-and-under age division in the GAM Junior Kickoff to start the season, said the putts he made on Nos. 2 and 3 turned the championship match with Vibhav in his favor.
“They were both about 10-feet for birdie and I made both of them,” he said. “That’s how I pulled ahead. I’d like to thank all the playing partners I had. They were good matches. I just got the lead on all of them and held on.”
The 13-year-old Timpf, who is playing starting Saturday in the Michigan Women’s Amateur Championship, birdied the third hole, the fifth, the sixth and the eighth holding off Melendez in the final.
“On six my approach shot was to about one foot,” said Timpf, who this year has also won her age groups in the GAM Junior Kickoff and last week’s Michigan Girls Junior State Amateur, and ended last year with the age win in the GAM Junior Invitational.
“I hit a sand wedge in there from 87 yards. That was a big shot and then on No. 8 (par 3) I hit my tee shot short, and then my chip was not very good. I made about a 10-footer for par though and that was definitely big. I was able to end the match.”
They topped the field of 32 boys and 16 girls who played in the fourth GAM14 & Under Match Play Championship Monday and Tuesday at Woodside Golf Club.
“In all three matches I had I played pretty well and was able to finish all of them through seven or eight holes,” the 14-year-old Preston said after turning back Vibhav Alokam of Ypsilanti 2 and 1 in the nine-hole boys championship flight final match Tuesday.
“I got the lead in all of them and that’s really important in a nine-hole match. It feels good to win. I’m off to a good start this summer and I just hope to continue it.”
Timpf, meanwhile, made four birdies in eight holes and topped Mia Melendez of Ann Arbor 2 and 1 in the girls championship flight final match.
“I’ve practiced a lot for this and I feel like my hard work is paying off,” Timpf said. “I’m very grateful that I’m able to win some of these tournaments. I played well in the final match. My approach shots were pretty tight and I was able to make my putts.”
Preston, who will be a freshman at Grand Rapids Catholic Central in the fall, reached the finals with a 2 and 1 win over Gowtham Nalluri of Novi in the morning semifinal Tuesday.
Alokam made it to the finals by turning back Tyler Brody of Grand Blanc 3 and 2 in the other semifinal. Brody went on to top Nalluri 2 and 1 in the consolation match to finish in third place.
Timpf reached the girls final by topping Riley Hayden of Troy 1-up in the morning round of matches, and Melendez made it to the finals by beating Laura Liu of Rochester Hills in 10 holes. Liu went on to take third with a 3 and 1 win over Hayden in the consolation match.
Preston, who was second in the 15-and-under age division in the GAM Junior Kickoff to start the season, said the putts he made on Nos. 2 and 3 turned the championship match with Vibhav in his favor.
“They were both about 10-feet for birdie and I made both of them,” he said. “That’s how I pulled ahead. I’d like to thank all the playing partners I had. They were good matches. I just got the lead on all of them and held on.”
The 13-year-old Timpf, who is playing starting Saturday in the Michigan Women’s Amateur Championship, birdied the third hole, the fifth, the sixth and the eighth holding off Melendez in the final.
“On six my approach shot was to about one foot,” said Timpf, who this year has also won her age groups in the GAM Junior Kickoff and last week’s Michigan Girls Junior State Amateur, and ended last year with the age win in the GAM Junior Invitational.
“I hit a sand wedge in there from 87 yards. That was a big shot and then on No. 8 (par 3) I hit my tee shot short, and then my chip was not very good. I made about a 10-footer for par though and that was definitely big. I was able to end the match.”
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Ariel Chang runs away with the Michigan Girls Junior State Amateur Championship
EAST LANSING – Ariel Chang fashioned the perfect ending to a long and eventful week in winning the 42nd Michigan Girls Junior State Amateur Championship.
The 17-year-old Macomb Township golfer held off Audrey Becker of Grosse Pointe Farms 2 and 1 in the championship match Saturday at Michigan State University’s Forest Akers East golf course.
She set a tournament and junior girls course scoring record with a 9-under 62 earlier in the week to win stroke play medalist honors, and then battled through heat, humidity, the match play bracket and a rain-out day Friday to win her second major Golf Association of Michigan title of the summer. She was also the GAM Kickoff Champion last month.
“It was a big week for me, and I would have been a little disappointed if I went through all that and I didn’t finish it off with a win,” she said. “This means a lot to me. I’ve been in this tournament I think four times and I really wanted to win it.”
Chang, the third consecutive stroke play medalist to go on and win the championship, wasn’t the only winner Saturday.
Lauren Timpf of Macomb made it a Macomb area sweep when she won the 15-and-under division for the second consecutive year. The 13-year-old Timpf, who also won the 15-and-under title in the GAM Junior Kickoff, turned back Grace Wang of Rochester Hills 5 and 4 in the final.
“It feels pretty good, it feels like an accomplishment,” Timpf said. “I’ve been working very hard to get ready for these tournaments and it feels great to pull out another one.”
Chang, who has a year remaining at Utica Eisenhower High School and has verbally committed to the University of Detroit Mercy golf program, topped Bridget Boczar of Canton in an early morning semifinal match, also by a 2 and 1 score.
Becker, who is 17 and has a year remaining at Grosse Pointe South High, knocked off the defending champion, Lilia Henkel of Grand Rapids, 3 and 2 in the other semifinal match to earn her spot in the final. Her runner-up finish is her best in a GAM championship.
“It was a tough day against two really good players, and I definitely had some ups and downs,” Becker said. “I hit some really good shots and some not-so-good shots, but overall I’m pretty proud of how I played.”
Chang won the first hole of the final match with a par, and the two players traded pars until the par 5 No. 6 hole when Becker evened the match with a par.
Chang won the next two holes, including the par 3 No. 8 hole with a birdie from four-feet and led 2-up until the No. 11 when Becker pulled within one with a par. Chang went back to 2-up at No. 14, but Becker rallied with a birdie on the par 5 No. 15 hole to keep it close. Chang finally closed it out on No. 17 with a par as Becker missed the green left, chipped to 10-feet, and missed the par-saving putt.
“Audrey was a really tough opponent and I had to make a lot of clutch putts,” Chang said. “I had good focus out there all week. I didn’t let a bad hole get to me and my putting was good the whole tournament.”
Becker said Chang is a hard player to catch once she has a lead.
“She’s always pretty close to the pin and putts well on every single hole pretty much,” she said. “I wasn’t really making many putts for birdie, or anything really. She made more putts than I did.”
Chang credited her family for pushing her through this week, especially her sister Astarr.
“They really support me and my sister was out there supporting me, giving me confidence I could do it,” she said.
In the 15-and-under bracket, Timpf earned her spot in the final match with a 2-up morning semifinal win over Mia Melendez of Ann Arbor, and Wang pushed past Northville’s Samantha Coleman 2 and 1 in the other semifinal.
It was a tight final match until the eighth hole where Timpf made a birdie to take a 2-up lead and then won holes 10, 11 and 12. She closed out the match at 14.
“I’m actually pretty happy with myself and how I played this week,” said the 14-year-old Wang. “Today I played well (in the semifinal) but had a little struggle with my putting against Lauren.
Timpf plans to in the GAM 14-and-under Match Play Championship Monday and Tuesday at Woodside Golf Course, which is also in East Lansing, and then take on the state’s top players next in the Michigan Women’s Amateur Championship, which starts next Saturday, and is also at Forest Akers, but on the West course. She will be one of the youngest players in the field.
“I’m just going to keep working hard,” she said. “Winning this gives me confidence.”
Chang is also playing in the Michigan Women’s Amateur. “I’m going to keep playing my game,” she said. “It will be a really good test for me.”
RESULTS, BRACKETS: https://bit.ly/2ArWYRv
The 17-year-old Macomb Township golfer held off Audrey Becker of Grosse Pointe Farms 2 and 1 in the championship match Saturday at Michigan State University’s Forest Akers East golf course.
She set a tournament and junior girls course scoring record with a 9-under 62 earlier in the week to win stroke play medalist honors, and then battled through heat, humidity, the match play bracket and a rain-out day Friday to win her second major Golf Association of Michigan title of the summer. She was also the GAM Kickoff Champion last month.
“It was a big week for me, and I would have been a little disappointed if I went through all that and I didn’t finish it off with a win,” she said. “This means a lot to me. I’ve been in this tournament I think four times and I really wanted to win it.”
Chang, the third consecutive stroke play medalist to go on and win the championship, wasn’t the only winner Saturday.
Lauren Timpf of Macomb made it a Macomb area sweep when she won the 15-and-under division for the second consecutive year. The 13-year-old Timpf, who also won the 15-and-under title in the GAM Junior Kickoff, turned back Grace Wang of Rochester Hills 5 and 4 in the final.
“It feels pretty good, it feels like an accomplishment,” Timpf said. “I’ve been working very hard to get ready for these tournaments and it feels great to pull out another one.”
Chang, who has a year remaining at Utica Eisenhower High School and has verbally committed to the University of Detroit Mercy golf program, topped Bridget Boczar of Canton in an early morning semifinal match, also by a 2 and 1 score.
Becker, who is 17 and has a year remaining at Grosse Pointe South High, knocked off the defending champion, Lilia Henkel of Grand Rapids, 3 and 2 in the other semifinal match to earn her spot in the final. Her runner-up finish is her best in a GAM championship.
“It was a tough day against two really good players, and I definitely had some ups and downs,” Becker said. “I hit some really good shots and some not-so-good shots, but overall I’m pretty proud of how I played.”
Chang won the first hole of the final match with a par, and the two players traded pars until the par 5 No. 6 hole when Becker evened the match with a par.
Chang won the next two holes, including the par 3 No. 8 hole with a birdie from four-feet and led 2-up until the No. 11 when Becker pulled within one with a par. Chang went back to 2-up at No. 14, but Becker rallied with a birdie on the par 5 No. 15 hole to keep it close. Chang finally closed it out on No. 17 with a par as Becker missed the green left, chipped to 10-feet, and missed the par-saving putt.
“Audrey was a really tough opponent and I had to make a lot of clutch putts,” Chang said. “I had good focus out there all week. I didn’t let a bad hole get to me and my putting was good the whole tournament.”
Becker said Chang is a hard player to catch once she has a lead.
“She’s always pretty close to the pin and putts well on every single hole pretty much,” she said. “I wasn’t really making many putts for birdie, or anything really. She made more putts than I did.”
Chang credited her family for pushing her through this week, especially her sister Astarr.
“They really support me and my sister was out there supporting me, giving me confidence I could do it,” she said.
In the 15-and-under bracket, Timpf earned her spot in the final match with a 2-up morning semifinal win over Mia Melendez of Ann Arbor, and Wang pushed past Northville’s Samantha Coleman 2 and 1 in the other semifinal.
It was a tight final match until the eighth hole where Timpf made a birdie to take a 2-up lead and then won holes 10, 11 and 12. She closed out the match at 14.
“I’m actually pretty happy with myself and how I played this week,” said the 14-year-old Wang. “Today I played well (in the semifinal) but had a little struggle with my putting against Lauren.
Timpf plans to in the GAM 14-and-under Match Play Championship Monday and Tuesday at Woodside Golf Course, which is also in East Lansing, and then take on the state’s top players next in the Michigan Women’s Amateur Championship, which starts next Saturday, and is also at Forest Akers, but on the West course. She will be one of the youngest players in the field.
“I’m just going to keep working hard,” she said. “Winning this gives me confidence.”
Chang is also playing in the Michigan Women’s Amateur. “I’m going to keep playing my game,” she said. “It will be a really good test for me.”
RESULTS, BRACKETS: https://bit.ly/2ArWYRv
LPGA roaring to return with b2b's in the Toledo area
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AJGA crown Qian and Clemente
Justin Sui of Lake Orion rallies toT-3rd at Coca-Cola Jr. Championships at Boyne Highlands
AJGA Tournament Director Matti Emmi talks aboutrunning a tournament post-Covid
Traverse City’s Scott Hebert Earns Come-From-Behind Victory at the 31st Senior PGA Pro.Championship presented by Cadillac
By Pat Kravitz PGA of America
AUSTIN, Texas (Oct. 6, 2019) – The Michigan PGA Section's Scott Hebert charged from behind to capture the 31st Senior PGA Professional Championship presented by Cadillac at the Omni Barton Creek Resort & Spa’s Fazio Foothills Course.
With the win, Hebert added his name to a short list. He joined Steve Schneiter (1995, 2016) and Bob Sowards (2004, 2018) as the only players with a victory in both the PGA Professional and Senior PGA Professional Championships.
"Those two guys are legends," said Hebert, the PGA Head Professional at Traverse City (Michigan) Golf and Country Club. "It was magical yesterday and it started back up on the back nine today."
Hebert’s four-day score of 16-under 270 (70-70-63-67) matched a Championship record for lowest 72-hole total. He finished four strokes clear of Jerry Haas of Winston-Salem, North Carolina, Jeff Hart of Solana Beach, California, and Frank Bensel Jr. of Jupiter, Florida.
Through 61 holes, Hebert trailed the 54-hole leader, Bensel, by five strokes. Bensel appeared set to run away with the Championship.
Chaos quickly ensued.
A double-bogey and bogey on Nos. 8 and 10 evaporated Bensel’s lead. Hebert, playing alongside Bensel and Omar Uresti in the final group, rolled in birdies on 8 and 12, the latter of which squared Hebert and Bensel atop the leaderboard, momentarily. But Bensel responded with a birdie of his own to maintain a one-stroke advantage.
Hebert’s birdie on 13, combined with a Bensel bogey, flipped the lead to the 2008 PGA Professional Champion, Hebert. Meanwhile, playing three groups ahead of the final threesome was Jerry Haas, who began the final round five strokes back of the lead. Haas converted four straight birdies from holes 12 through 15 to reach 13-under and joined Hebert for a share of the lead.
A birdie by Bensel on No. 14 created a three-way tie at the top coming down the stretch.
Bogeys by Bensel (No. 15) and Haas (No. 16), along with a birdie by Hebert on No. 15 provided a two-stroke advantage for the Traverse City resident. He added a couple more on Nos. 16 and 17 to build enough separation.
"The way the day started, it didn't look like it was going to go this way,” said Hebert. “As good as I finished my round yesterday, I started that poorly today. But I got a little momentum going on the back nine.
“Frank was great to play with – he was playing well. Two great guys, Omar and Frank. We’re just out here knocking it around, having fun, playing some golf.”
Hebert’s 63 on Saturday set a Championship low for third round total, as well as tied the best 18-hole total in Championship history. His weekend total of 130 was best in the field by seven strokes.
Haas’ 67 matched Hebert for the lowest of the final round. Austin, Texas’ own Uresti finished in solo fifth at 275, one back of the trio tied for second.
Each of the top five earned an exemption into the final stage of the 2019 PGA Tour Champions National Finals. The top eight, including ties, automatically qualified for next year's Championship, to be held Oct. 15-18, 2020, at PGA Golf Club in Port St. Lucie, Florida.
With the victory, Hebert earned the Leo Fraser Trophy and $21,500 of the $300,000 purse. He also leads a contingent of 35 players heading to Harbor Shores Resort to compete in the 2020 KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship May 21-24.
The Senior PGA Professional Championship presented by Cadillac is supported by Golf Channel and John Deere.
AUSTIN, Texas (Oct. 6, 2019) – The Michigan PGA Section's Scott Hebert charged from behind to capture the 31st Senior PGA Professional Championship presented by Cadillac at the Omni Barton Creek Resort & Spa’s Fazio Foothills Course.
With the win, Hebert added his name to a short list. He joined Steve Schneiter (1995, 2016) and Bob Sowards (2004, 2018) as the only players with a victory in both the PGA Professional and Senior PGA Professional Championships.
"Those two guys are legends," said Hebert, the PGA Head Professional at Traverse City (Michigan) Golf and Country Club. "It was magical yesterday and it started back up on the back nine today."
Hebert’s four-day score of 16-under 270 (70-70-63-67) matched a Championship record for lowest 72-hole total. He finished four strokes clear of Jerry Haas of Winston-Salem, North Carolina, Jeff Hart of Solana Beach, California, and Frank Bensel Jr. of Jupiter, Florida.
Through 61 holes, Hebert trailed the 54-hole leader, Bensel, by five strokes. Bensel appeared set to run away with the Championship.
Chaos quickly ensued.
A double-bogey and bogey on Nos. 8 and 10 evaporated Bensel’s lead. Hebert, playing alongside Bensel and Omar Uresti in the final group, rolled in birdies on 8 and 12, the latter of which squared Hebert and Bensel atop the leaderboard, momentarily. But Bensel responded with a birdie of his own to maintain a one-stroke advantage.
Hebert’s birdie on 13, combined with a Bensel bogey, flipped the lead to the 2008 PGA Professional Champion, Hebert. Meanwhile, playing three groups ahead of the final threesome was Jerry Haas, who began the final round five strokes back of the lead. Haas converted four straight birdies from holes 12 through 15 to reach 13-under and joined Hebert for a share of the lead.
A birdie by Bensel on No. 14 created a three-way tie at the top coming down the stretch.
Bogeys by Bensel (No. 15) and Haas (No. 16), along with a birdie by Hebert on No. 15 provided a two-stroke advantage for the Traverse City resident. He added a couple more on Nos. 16 and 17 to build enough separation.
"The way the day started, it didn't look like it was going to go this way,” said Hebert. “As good as I finished my round yesterday, I started that poorly today. But I got a little momentum going on the back nine.
“Frank was great to play with – he was playing well. Two great guys, Omar and Frank. We’re just out here knocking it around, having fun, playing some golf.”
Hebert’s 63 on Saturday set a Championship low for third round total, as well as tied the best 18-hole total in Championship history. His weekend total of 130 was best in the field by seven strokes.
Haas’ 67 matched Hebert for the lowest of the final round. Austin, Texas’ own Uresti finished in solo fifth at 275, one back of the trio tied for second.
Each of the top five earned an exemption into the final stage of the 2019 PGA Tour Champions National Finals. The top eight, including ties, automatically qualified for next year's Championship, to be held Oct. 15-18, 2020, at PGA Golf Club in Port St. Lucie, Florida.
With the victory, Hebert earned the Leo Fraser Trophy and $21,500 of the $300,000 purse. He also leads a contingent of 35 players heading to Harbor Shores Resort to compete in the 2020 KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship May 21-24.
The Senior PGA Professional Championship presented by Cadillac is supported by Golf Channel and John Deere.
Spartans Capture Mary Fossum Invitational Title
MSU Women's Team Golf Interview
EAST LANSING – (From MSU) The Michigan State women's golf team got its first tournament win of the season on Monday, capturing the Mary Fossum Invitational title in convincing fashion at Forest Akers West. The Spartans shot an 8-over-par 296 on Monday and won the tournament at 20-over-par 884 (298-290-296), which was 23 shots better than second-place Western Kentucky.
Senior Paz Marfa Sans got the first tournament win of her career, capturing medalist honors by two strokes. Marfa Sans turned in a 2-over-par 218 (73-69-76), holding off teammate Valery Plata and Western Kentucky's Mary Joiner, who both finished 4-over-par 220.
In all, six Spartans finished in the top seven. As a team, Monday marked the 12th time in the tournament's 36-year history the Spartans have won the Fossum title.
"We always want to win this tournament for Mary and her family and all of the people that come out and support us in our only home tournament of the season," MSU head coach Stacy Slobodnik-Stoll said. "The course played tough today with the wind, but everyone was playing the same course and it was a great test."
Marfa Sans, who led the tournament after Sunday's first two rounds, got out to a tough start on Monday, but was able to recover by birdying two of the last four holes on the front nine. She added three consecutive birdies on the 12th, 13th and 14th holes which wound up being the difference.
"The first couple holes I wasn't at my best," Marfa Sans said. "I knew I had the game to come back and I just tried to focus because the day was young, and with the wind the conditions were tough for everyone."
Marfa Sans, who had five career top-five finishes coming into Monday's final round, placed third in the last two Fossum Invitationals. It marks the third consecutive year a Spartan has won the Fossum individual title (2018 – Allyson Geer-Park; 2017 – Sarah Burnham).
"I was so happy that she was able to get the win with her parents here," Slobodnik-Stoll said. "It gives her confidence. She told me yesterday that she worked so hard over the summer. She's an incredible kid and not only a great representative of Spain, but for Michigan State as well."
For Plata, who was playing as an individual, it was the best finish of her career. The sophomore from Colombia shot a 4-over-par 76 on Monday and tied for the lowest round of the tournament with a 3-under-par 69 to open play on Sunday.
Junior Yurika Tanida continued her strong start to the season by tying for fourth place for the second straight week. Tanida shot a 3-over-par 75 on Monday and was 5-over-par 221 (73-73-75) for the tournament.
Catherine McEvoy, who also played as an individual, tied with Tanida for fourth place at 5-over-par 221 (76-69-76) for what was also her best career finish. It was the second top-10 finish at the Fossum Invite for McEvoy as she placed seventh playing as an individual in 2017.
Allyson Geer-Park had the lowest round of any player on Monday with a 1-under-par 71. She moved up 10 spots to tie for sixth place at 7-over-par 223 (77-75-71).
Haylin Harris tied Geer-Park for sixth place at 7-over-par 223 (76-73-74).
Nina Rissi tied for 19th place at 15-over-par 231 (76-78-77).
The Spartans will return to action Oct. 11-13 at the Ruth's Chris Tar Heel Invitational in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.
Senior Paz Marfa Sans got the first tournament win of her career, capturing medalist honors by two strokes. Marfa Sans turned in a 2-over-par 218 (73-69-76), holding off teammate Valery Plata and Western Kentucky's Mary Joiner, who both finished 4-over-par 220.
In all, six Spartans finished in the top seven. As a team, Monday marked the 12th time in the tournament's 36-year history the Spartans have won the Fossum title.
"We always want to win this tournament for Mary and her family and all of the people that come out and support us in our only home tournament of the season," MSU head coach Stacy Slobodnik-Stoll said. "The course played tough today with the wind, but everyone was playing the same course and it was a great test."
Marfa Sans, who led the tournament after Sunday's first two rounds, got out to a tough start on Monday, but was able to recover by birdying two of the last four holes on the front nine. She added three consecutive birdies on the 12th, 13th and 14th holes which wound up being the difference.
"The first couple holes I wasn't at my best," Marfa Sans said. "I knew I had the game to come back and I just tried to focus because the day was young, and with the wind the conditions were tough for everyone."
Marfa Sans, who had five career top-five finishes coming into Monday's final round, placed third in the last two Fossum Invitationals. It marks the third consecutive year a Spartan has won the Fossum individual title (2018 – Allyson Geer-Park; 2017 – Sarah Burnham).
"I was so happy that she was able to get the win with her parents here," Slobodnik-Stoll said. "It gives her confidence. She told me yesterday that she worked so hard over the summer. She's an incredible kid and not only a great representative of Spain, but for Michigan State as well."
For Plata, who was playing as an individual, it was the best finish of her career. The sophomore from Colombia shot a 4-over-par 76 on Monday and tied for the lowest round of the tournament with a 3-under-par 69 to open play on Sunday.
Junior Yurika Tanida continued her strong start to the season by tying for fourth place for the second straight week. Tanida shot a 3-over-par 75 on Monday and was 5-over-par 221 (73-73-75) for the tournament.
Catherine McEvoy, who also played as an individual, tied with Tanida for fourth place at 5-over-par 221 (76-69-76) for what was also her best career finish. It was the second top-10 finish at the Fossum Invite for McEvoy as she placed seventh playing as an individual in 2017.
Allyson Geer-Park had the lowest round of any player on Monday with a 1-under-par 71. She moved up 10 spots to tie for sixth place at 7-over-par 223 (77-75-71).
Haylin Harris tied Geer-Park for sixth place at 7-over-par 223 (76-73-74).
Nina Rissi tied for 19th place at 15-over-par 231 (76-78-77).
The Spartans will return to action Oct. 11-13 at the Ruth's Chris Tar Heel Invitational in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.
OU's Giroux riding high |
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OU Women's Golf Team Video
Fred Couples on Warwick Hills and meeting Tom Izzo
Birdie-Eagle-Birdie Finish Powers White Lake’s Michael Coriasso to GAM Mid-Amateur Victory
HARBOR SPRINGS – Michael Coriasso of White Lake finished his day birdie-eagle-birdie and won the 37th GAM Mid-Amateur Championship presented by OmniKinetics in dramatic fashion Thursday at Boyne Highlands Resort.
Coriasso, originally from Grand Blanc, finished his regulation round on the Moor Course with a birdie on the par 4 17th, then eagled the par 5 18th to shoot a 3-under 69 and force a tie with Brad Bastion of Shelby Township, who also shot 69 for a 5-under 139 total.
Coriasso, 29 and a loan officer for Quicken Loans, then birdied the first hole of sudden-death, the par 4 10th, with a 15-foot birdie putt for his first GAM tournament victory and what he called his 100 percent biggest win ever.
“It’s an awesome feeling to win,” he said after accepting the Glenn H. Johnson Trophy for winning the championship for golfers over age 25.
“I was really the odd man out all day. From the 12th hole to the 16th I maybe hit one green. I was really scrambling just to stay in it and have a shot. Then after I birdied 17 I knew it was stacked – Brad, Steve (Nichols), me and Nathan (Clark), and I knew to have any chance I had to make eagle on 18 and Brad had to make par or worse. I hit a really good drive, and then a good 7-iron to about 18 feet. I read the putt straight and then second-guessed and thought this has to go a hair left. I played it that way, made a perfect stroke and it went in. It was a great feeling.”
Coriasso and Bastion, who also finished second last year to a dramatic rally by Scott Strickland of Bloomfield Hills, went to No. 10 where Coriasso had birdied during regulation play
“That hole, 10, has been my nemesis for years coming up here,” Coriasso said. “Usually it is howling into the wind like today, and you have water hazards, left and right and short of the green,” he said. “I was commiserating with Brad about how that hole keeps me up at night. Sometimes in the middle of the year I will think about it. To birdie it twice today was awesome. Brad told me there was more room up there than I think, so I thought about it and hit driver both times. In the playoff I had a good lie in the rough and hit a good shot to 18 feet. I had a putt on the same line earlier today and made it, so I knew it was just outside the right edge and I knocked it in.”
Steve Nichols, who shot a second consecutive 70 for 140, took third place overall, but was also identified as the Mid-Seniors Division winner as the low scorer over age 45 in the tournament.
Nathan Clark of DeWitt shot 71 for 142 and fourth place, and Jimmy Chestnut of Royal Oak, who shot 70 for 144, finished fifth.
Strickland, the defending champion, shot 71 for 147 and tied for sixth with Austin Kreger of Harrison Township who shot 72.
David Vaclav of Flat Rock shot 75 for 148 and tied for eighth place overall with Andrew Smith of Troy, who shot 73 to close. Vaclav was declared the runner-up in the Mid-Seniors Division.
Meanwhile, the Mid-Am Senior Championship (over age 55), which closed on the Heather course on Thursday, also ended in a dramatic playoff with Michigan Golf Hall of Famer Steve Maddalena emerging as the winner in a four-golfer sudden-death playoff.
Maddalena, 59, won his second GAM senior title and first Mid-Am Senior by shooting a closing 72 for 146 to get in the playoff. Once there, he hit a punch 7-iron third shot to 18 inches on the third playoff hole (par 5 No. 9) and made birdie to win.
He was tied at the end of regulation with Chris Chocola of Harbor Springs, who shot 73 to close, Greg Zeller of Jackson, who shot 73, and defending Senior champion Jim Lewis of Novi, who rallied with a 71. Chocola, who parred the third playoff hole, earned the runner-up trophy.
Maddalena said it felt great to win.
“I don’t win that often, especially a GAM tournament, so this is just great,” said the multiple winner of both the Michigan Amateur Championship and GAM Championship in his career. “I hit it solidly today, and I felt even par today was good. It was really tough in the wind and the greens were running fast like they always do on the Heather. I feel good about how I played.”
Maddalena, who runs the Kentwood Office Furniture location in Jackson, said winning is what drives him to keep playing in tournaments.
“If I don’t think I can win – at least in my mind – then I’m probably not going to play,” he said.
A Super Senior Division champion was also crowned among the players over age 65. Ian Harris won his third GAM Super Senior trophy of the summer and fourth including the Michigan PGA’s Senior Open, which includes a Super Senior Division. He shot 73 for 148, topping Gary Quitiquit of Highland, who shot 77 for 155.
“I need to have a little incentive so I was trying to become the first player to ever win all four of those Super Senior titles,” said Harris, who is 67 and a tennis professional. “My back is really the reason I started playing in the Super Senior this year, and it was pretty good this week. I put some self-induced pressure on myself out there and I was feeling it. I really wanted to do this, and I pulled it off.”
Coriasso, originally from Grand Blanc, finished his regulation round on the Moor Course with a birdie on the par 4 17th, then eagled the par 5 18th to shoot a 3-under 69 and force a tie with Brad Bastion of Shelby Township, who also shot 69 for a 5-under 139 total.
Coriasso, 29 and a loan officer for Quicken Loans, then birdied the first hole of sudden-death, the par 4 10th, with a 15-foot birdie putt for his first GAM tournament victory and what he called his 100 percent biggest win ever.
“It’s an awesome feeling to win,” he said after accepting the Glenn H. Johnson Trophy for winning the championship for golfers over age 25.
“I was really the odd man out all day. From the 12th hole to the 16th I maybe hit one green. I was really scrambling just to stay in it and have a shot. Then after I birdied 17 I knew it was stacked – Brad, Steve (Nichols), me and Nathan (Clark), and I knew to have any chance I had to make eagle on 18 and Brad had to make par or worse. I hit a really good drive, and then a good 7-iron to about 18 feet. I read the putt straight and then second-guessed and thought this has to go a hair left. I played it that way, made a perfect stroke and it went in. It was a great feeling.”
Coriasso and Bastion, who also finished second last year to a dramatic rally by Scott Strickland of Bloomfield Hills, went to No. 10 where Coriasso had birdied during regulation play
“That hole, 10, has been my nemesis for years coming up here,” Coriasso said. “Usually it is howling into the wind like today, and you have water hazards, left and right and short of the green,” he said. “I was commiserating with Brad about how that hole keeps me up at night. Sometimes in the middle of the year I will think about it. To birdie it twice today was awesome. Brad told me there was more room up there than I think, so I thought about it and hit driver both times. In the playoff I had a good lie in the rough and hit a good shot to 18 feet. I had a putt on the same line earlier today and made it, so I knew it was just outside the right edge and I knocked it in.”
Steve Nichols, who shot a second consecutive 70 for 140, took third place overall, but was also identified as the Mid-Seniors Division winner as the low scorer over age 45 in the tournament.
Nathan Clark of DeWitt shot 71 for 142 and fourth place, and Jimmy Chestnut of Royal Oak, who shot 70 for 144, finished fifth.
Strickland, the defending champion, shot 71 for 147 and tied for sixth with Austin Kreger of Harrison Township who shot 72.
David Vaclav of Flat Rock shot 75 for 148 and tied for eighth place overall with Andrew Smith of Troy, who shot 73 to close. Vaclav was declared the runner-up in the Mid-Seniors Division.
Meanwhile, the Mid-Am Senior Championship (over age 55), which closed on the Heather course on Thursday, also ended in a dramatic playoff with Michigan Golf Hall of Famer Steve Maddalena emerging as the winner in a four-golfer sudden-death playoff.
Maddalena, 59, won his second GAM senior title and first Mid-Am Senior by shooting a closing 72 for 146 to get in the playoff. Once there, he hit a punch 7-iron third shot to 18 inches on the third playoff hole (par 5 No. 9) and made birdie to win.
He was tied at the end of regulation with Chris Chocola of Harbor Springs, who shot 73 to close, Greg Zeller of Jackson, who shot 73, and defending Senior champion Jim Lewis of Novi, who rallied with a 71. Chocola, who parred the third playoff hole, earned the runner-up trophy.
Maddalena said it felt great to win.
“I don’t win that often, especially a GAM tournament, so this is just great,” said the multiple winner of both the Michigan Amateur Championship and GAM Championship in his career. “I hit it solidly today, and I felt even par today was good. It was really tough in the wind and the greens were running fast like they always do on the Heather. I feel good about how I played.”
Maddalena, who runs the Kentwood Office Furniture location in Jackson, said winning is what drives him to keep playing in tournaments.
“If I don’t think I can win – at least in my mind – then I’m probably not going to play,” he said.
A Super Senior Division champion was also crowned among the players over age 65. Ian Harris won his third GAM Super Senior trophy of the summer and fourth including the Michigan PGA’s Senior Open, which includes a Super Senior Division. He shot 73 for 148, topping Gary Quitiquit of Highland, who shot 77 for 155.
“I need to have a little incentive so I was trying to become the first player to ever win all four of those Super Senior titles,” said Harris, who is 67 and a tennis professional. “My back is really the reason I started playing in the Super Senior this year, and it was pretty good this week. I put some self-induced pressure on myself out there and I was feeling it. I really wanted to do this, and I pulled it off.”
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Dearborn’s Elayna Bowser Tops Stacy Slobodnik-Stoll to Win Michigan Women’s Amateur Championship
SPRING LAKE – Elayna Bowser’s first phone call after winning the 103rd Michigan Women’s Amateur was to her brother Evan, who is playing on the Mackenzie Tour-PGA Tour Canada.
“He played in his share of Michigan Amateurs, but never got the title, so I got the edge on him,” she said and laughed. “He said ‘congrats, you are officially the better Bowser golfer.’” Bowser, a 22-year-old Dearborn resident who is turning professional for LPGA Qualifying in a few weeks, turned back Michigan Golf Hall of Famer Stacy Slobodnik-Stoll of Haslett 4 and 3 in the championship match Friday afternoon at Spring Lake Country Club.
“It means a lot,” she said of winning the championship presented by Carl’s Golfland. “It is the top women’s amateur tournament in Michigan and to win it feels like I reached the ultimate goal for a Michigan amateur golfer.”
Bowser, who recently graduated from Loyola University in Chicago, was a runner-up last year to Kerri Parks of Flushing in a tense 19-holes final, and she admitted it played a role in her approach to the tournament this year.
“It was a part of it, a lot of it actually, and knowing this was going to be my last amateur tournament, I wanted to finish strong,” she said. Slobodnik-Stoll, the winningest golfer in Golf Association of Michigan history with 18 titles, including two amateurs in 1996 and ’98, said Bowser played great.
“She is obviously very steady, and she got up and down when she needed to,” said the 47-year-old golfer who is also the successful Michigan State University women’s golf head coach. “She didn’t really make any mistakes. She is hard to beat. She is a super nice young woman and I wish her the best of luck in Q-School. It will be nice to follow another Michigan golfer playing in Q-School.”
Bowser took the first lead of the final match on No. 4 and went 2-up on No. 5 when Slobodnik-Stoll flew the green with a sand-shot. The coach won No. 8 with a par to pull closer, but Bowser rolled in a 12-foot putt for birdie on No. 9 to go back to 2-up.
Par-saving putts on Nos. 10 and 11 were critical for Bowser.
“Those were the key putts where I kept the lead and the momentum,” she said.
Slobodnik-Stoll said she wanted her birdie-putt effort back on No. 11.
“If I make birdie there and win the hole maybe things change or it swings momentum,” she said. “But the greens were fast. I felt like I had to be careful and I didn’t make it, and she made all the putts she had to make.”
Bowser won holes 12 and 13 with pars as Slobodnik-Stoll made bogeys to go 4-up and then closed out the match at No. 15 with a par.
“I didn’t have my best golf of the week – I think I shot around even (par) in the afternoon – but I made some key putts when I needed to and was able to grind it out,” Bowser said.
“You know (Slobodnik-Stoll) is a Michigan golf legend and you know she is going to bring it each time she plays. She is just a solid player. I stuck to my game plan though and was able to come out on top. It feels good especially after last year finishing second in 19 holes. It is the icing on top. It is going to help me move forward in my career and give me some confidence.”
Bowser earned her spot in the finals with a 4 and 3 win over Abbey Pierce of Bloomfield Hills and Grand Valley State University in the morning semifinals. Slobodnik-Stoll beat Heather Forthusniak of Brighton and Kansas State University 6 and 4 in the other semifinal.
Bowser said a persistent butterfly that swirled around her and her caddie/father Brett as she lined up to putt on No. 14 in the title match made her think of her late mother Karen, who passed away when she was 14-years-old in the summer of 2011 from Lou Gehrig’s Disease (ALS).
“Did you see that butterfly? I was like, wait, I have a putt to win the match and this butterfly won’t go away,” she said. “I started thinking it’s a sign. I mean I knew she was definitely there watching every hole this week. It felt good, knowing she is there.”
Her 57-year-old father, who continues to compete in GAM tournaments and often watches when his golfing children caddie for each other in tournaments, said Elayna wasn’t the child he expected would win the Michigan Amateur.
“As a kid she didn’t want to golf,” he said. “But it became a little family rivalry. She wanted to do a little better than her brother. This means a lot. It’s wonderful. She played hard and played great. We’re all proud of her.”
“He played in his share of Michigan Amateurs, but never got the title, so I got the edge on him,” she said and laughed. “He said ‘congrats, you are officially the better Bowser golfer.’” Bowser, a 22-year-old Dearborn resident who is turning professional for LPGA Qualifying in a few weeks, turned back Michigan Golf Hall of Famer Stacy Slobodnik-Stoll of Haslett 4 and 3 in the championship match Friday afternoon at Spring Lake Country Club.
“It means a lot,” she said of winning the championship presented by Carl’s Golfland. “It is the top women’s amateur tournament in Michigan and to win it feels like I reached the ultimate goal for a Michigan amateur golfer.”
Bowser, who recently graduated from Loyola University in Chicago, was a runner-up last year to Kerri Parks of Flushing in a tense 19-holes final, and she admitted it played a role in her approach to the tournament this year.
“It was a part of it, a lot of it actually, and knowing this was going to be my last amateur tournament, I wanted to finish strong,” she said. Slobodnik-Stoll, the winningest golfer in Golf Association of Michigan history with 18 titles, including two amateurs in 1996 and ’98, said Bowser played great.
“She is obviously very steady, and she got up and down when she needed to,” said the 47-year-old golfer who is also the successful Michigan State University women’s golf head coach. “She didn’t really make any mistakes. She is hard to beat. She is a super nice young woman and I wish her the best of luck in Q-School. It will be nice to follow another Michigan golfer playing in Q-School.”
Bowser took the first lead of the final match on No. 4 and went 2-up on No. 5 when Slobodnik-Stoll flew the green with a sand-shot. The coach won No. 8 with a par to pull closer, but Bowser rolled in a 12-foot putt for birdie on No. 9 to go back to 2-up.
Par-saving putts on Nos. 10 and 11 were critical for Bowser.
“Those were the key putts where I kept the lead and the momentum,” she said.
Slobodnik-Stoll said she wanted her birdie-putt effort back on No. 11.
“If I make birdie there and win the hole maybe things change or it swings momentum,” she said. “But the greens were fast. I felt like I had to be careful and I didn’t make it, and she made all the putts she had to make.”
Bowser won holes 12 and 13 with pars as Slobodnik-Stoll made bogeys to go 4-up and then closed out the match at No. 15 with a par.
“I didn’t have my best golf of the week – I think I shot around even (par) in the afternoon – but I made some key putts when I needed to and was able to grind it out,” Bowser said.
“You know (Slobodnik-Stoll) is a Michigan golf legend and you know she is going to bring it each time she plays. She is just a solid player. I stuck to my game plan though and was able to come out on top. It feels good especially after last year finishing second in 19 holes. It is the icing on top. It is going to help me move forward in my career and give me some confidence.”
Bowser earned her spot in the finals with a 4 and 3 win over Abbey Pierce of Bloomfield Hills and Grand Valley State University in the morning semifinals. Slobodnik-Stoll beat Heather Forthusniak of Brighton and Kansas State University 6 and 4 in the other semifinal.
Bowser said a persistent butterfly that swirled around her and her caddie/father Brett as she lined up to putt on No. 14 in the title match made her think of her late mother Karen, who passed away when she was 14-years-old in the summer of 2011 from Lou Gehrig’s Disease (ALS).
“Did you see that butterfly? I was like, wait, I have a putt to win the match and this butterfly won’t go away,” she said. “I started thinking it’s a sign. I mean I knew she was definitely there watching every hole this week. It felt good, knowing she is there.”
Her 57-year-old father, who continues to compete in GAM tournaments and often watches when his golfing children caddie for each other in tournaments, said Elayna wasn’t the child he expected would win the Michigan Amateur.
“As a kid she didn’t want to golf,” he said. “But it became a little family rivalry. She wanted to do a little better than her brother. This means a lot. It’s wonderful. She played hard and played great. We’re all proud of her.”
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Elise Fennell of Caledonia, PJ Maybank III of Cheboygan Claim GAM Junior Stroke Play Titles
By Greg Johnson- EAST LANSING – PJ Maybank III of Cheboygan and Elise Fennell of Caledonia had some of their best days in golf and emerged as champions in the 11th GAM Junior Stroke Play Championship presented by Pepsi Friday at Forest Akers East Course.
Maybank, a 14-year-old homeschooled golfer, followed up a personal-best round of 6-under 65 from Thursday with a 67 on Friday for a 10-under 132 total and five-shot win over Justin Sui of Lake Orion, who shot a closing 68 for 137.
Fennell, who is 13 and will be an eighth-grader in the fall at Pinewood Middle School in Kentwood, shot a second consecutive even-par 71, which was her personal best score as well. Her 142 total topped two golfers who tied for second at 145; Sophie Stevens of Highland, who shot a final 73, and Bridget Boczar of Canton, who shot 76.
Champions were also determined in the 12-and-under age group category.
Avery Manning of Dexter, who is 11, won the girls’ title with nine-hole rounds of 39 Thursday and a closing 37 for 5-over 76. Grace Slocum of Traverse City, who shot 44 for 88, was second.
Grace’s 12-year-old brother, Joshua Slocum, shot 40 for 81 to win the boys 12-and-under title. Dominic Gaudino of Northville shot 45 for 93 and second.
Maybank, who in 2018 was a Drive, Chip and Putt boys 12-13 national champion at Augusta National in Georgia, called winning the GAM Junior Stroke Play his best regular tournament win.
“It is definitely right up there at the top,” he said. “This is my best 36-hole score and the 65 (Thursday) was my best score ever. Shooting 67 today was great. Sometimes you can’t really back up a good round, but I had another good round today.”
Maybank, who made 13 birdies against three bogeys over the two days, said his driver early in the second round was sketchy.
“But my wedges into the green were really good this week,” he said. “I hit a lot of shots close and here you have to take advantage of the holes you can.”
Maybank wears two different golf shoes when he plays. He said it stems from an attempt to be flashy when he was younger.
“Then I played really good when I did that, so it’s kind of my thing now I guess,” he said.
His goals for golf are to play Division I in college and hopefully be a PGA Tour player one day. He thanked his long-time teacher Brian O’Neill, the director of golf instruction at the Jack Nicklaus Academy of Golf in Orlando, Fla., who previously was a professional at the Boyne properties in Northern Michigan.
“This was the most consistent I’ve played for two days,” Maybank said. “My game is trending is the right direction.”
Fennell, who has won on the Meijer Junior Tour and the West Michigan Junior Tour this summer, won her first GAM and state title.
“I started playing good a couple of weeks ago,” she said. “I got my putting finally going and I made a lot of putts. I came here and said I was going to win, and I did. I felt good about the way I was playing.”
She started her round on the back nine on Friday and birdied holes 13 and 14.
“That got it going from there,” she said. “My birdie putts were five footers on both of those holes. At 13 I hit a 9-iron in there, and on 14 I think it was a gap wedge.”
Shooting two even-par rounds was a first for Fennell. She said breaking par in a round and tournament remains one of her goals, as well as playing college golf one day and getting rid of three-putts. Like Maybank, she thanked her teacher, too. She works with Cole Meinke, a PGA assistant professional at StoneWater Country Club in Caledonia where her parents are members.
“I’m going to shoot under par soon,” she said.
It was the third consecutive year that Forest Akers East has hosted the age group championship for boy and girl golfers. The tournament is designed for young players to gain competitive experience in GAM tournaments over two days. Players are allowed to play up a division if they choose. The 13-15 players played 36 holes of stroke play, 18 holes each day, while the 12-and-under golfers played nine holes each day.
Maybank, a 14-year-old homeschooled golfer, followed up a personal-best round of 6-under 65 from Thursday with a 67 on Friday for a 10-under 132 total and five-shot win over Justin Sui of Lake Orion, who shot a closing 68 for 137.
Fennell, who is 13 and will be an eighth-grader in the fall at Pinewood Middle School in Kentwood, shot a second consecutive even-par 71, which was her personal best score as well. Her 142 total topped two golfers who tied for second at 145; Sophie Stevens of Highland, who shot a final 73, and Bridget Boczar of Canton, who shot 76.
Champions were also determined in the 12-and-under age group category.
Avery Manning of Dexter, who is 11, won the girls’ title with nine-hole rounds of 39 Thursday and a closing 37 for 5-over 76. Grace Slocum of Traverse City, who shot 44 for 88, was second.
Grace’s 12-year-old brother, Joshua Slocum, shot 40 for 81 to win the boys 12-and-under title. Dominic Gaudino of Northville shot 45 for 93 and second.
Maybank, who in 2018 was a Drive, Chip and Putt boys 12-13 national champion at Augusta National in Georgia, called winning the GAM Junior Stroke Play his best regular tournament win.
“It is definitely right up there at the top,” he said. “This is my best 36-hole score and the 65 (Thursday) was my best score ever. Shooting 67 today was great. Sometimes you can’t really back up a good round, but I had another good round today.”
Maybank, who made 13 birdies against three bogeys over the two days, said his driver early in the second round was sketchy.
“But my wedges into the green were really good this week,” he said. “I hit a lot of shots close and here you have to take advantage of the holes you can.”
Maybank wears two different golf shoes when he plays. He said it stems from an attempt to be flashy when he was younger.
“Then I played really good when I did that, so it’s kind of my thing now I guess,” he said.
His goals for golf are to play Division I in college and hopefully be a PGA Tour player one day. He thanked his long-time teacher Brian O’Neill, the director of golf instruction at the Jack Nicklaus Academy of Golf in Orlando, Fla., who previously was a professional at the Boyne properties in Northern Michigan.
“This was the most consistent I’ve played for two days,” Maybank said. “My game is trending is the right direction.”
Fennell, who has won on the Meijer Junior Tour and the West Michigan Junior Tour this summer, won her first GAM and state title.
“I started playing good a couple of weeks ago,” she said. “I got my putting finally going and I made a lot of putts. I came here and said I was going to win, and I did. I felt good about the way I was playing.”
She started her round on the back nine on Friday and birdied holes 13 and 14.
“That got it going from there,” she said. “My birdie putts were five footers on both of those holes. At 13 I hit a 9-iron in there, and on 14 I think it was a gap wedge.”
Shooting two even-par rounds was a first for Fennell. She said breaking par in a round and tournament remains one of her goals, as well as playing college golf one day and getting rid of three-putts. Like Maybank, she thanked her teacher, too. She works with Cole Meinke, a PGA assistant professional at StoneWater Country Club in Caledonia where her parents are members.
“I’m going to shoot under par soon,” she said.
It was the third consecutive year that Forest Akers East has hosted the age group championship for boy and girl golfers. The tournament is designed for young players to gain competitive experience in GAM tournaments over two days. Players are allowed to play up a division if they choose. The 13-15 players played 36 holes of stroke play, 18 holes each day, while the 12-and-under golfers played nine holes each day.
Petoskey's Joey Garber Rockets his way to bigger goals on the PGA Tour
Michigan Golf Scene - Jack Nicklaus Interview, Bernhard Langer, MHSAA, Flint Golf Club and more 6.20.19 NEW SHOW
Michigan Golf Scene's latest episode 6.8.19
MHSAA Boys's golf- which county is the best in the Michigan? HS Golf, Detroit Golf Club, Darren McCarty LPGA and Lexi Thompson
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to order Contact Roy J. Akers rjakers2002@yahoo.com or 248-238-4449 BIG RAPIDS – A new class, a new website, a new home and raffle winners make for a big Michigan Golf Hall of Fame weekend ahead.
Go now to http://www.mghof.org to see the new official website of the Hall of Fame. Go to http://events.eventease.com/mghof/ and order tickets before the Friday night deadline for a chance to win six great golf prizes in The Michigan Golf Hall of Fame Raffle. The drawing is Saturday. As previously announced, the class of the late George Bayer, Ron Beurmann, Bernie Friedrich and Al Mengert will be inducted Sunday evening to the Hall of Fame, now housed in the new Ken Janke Sr. Golf Learning Center at Ferris State University’s Katke Golf Club. In addition, the Golf Association of Michigan will receive a special award marking its centennial year of providing services to Michigan golf. “We have a lot to celebrate this weekend, a new home that will allow us to grow and thrive in a great golf and learning environment, a new website that serves as a source for Michigan golf history, and especially our 2019 class of the Hall of Fame and the Golf Association of Michigan,” Greg Johnson, chairman of the MGHOF, said. “We are proud the center is named for Ken Janke Sr., our Hall of Fame co-founder. He was a man of vision who loved the game of golf, and his son, Ken and Ken’s wife Kim, honored this project with a great financial gift to help bring life to his vision. It’s a great weekend for the Hall of Fame, a great weekend for Ferris State University, a great weekend for the Janke family and so many other wonderful donors, and a great weekend for golf in Michigan.” The new website, mghof.org, includes updated biographies of the 123 current members of the Hall of Fame as well as other information. The weekend is centered around the induction of Bayer, a former Detroit Golf Club head professional and PGA Tour player, Beurmann, head professional at Country Club of Jackson, Friedrich, senior vice-president of golf operations and resort sales for Boyne Resorts, and Mengert, a former Oakland Hills Country Club head professional. They will bring the Hall of Fame’s membership to 127. |
Eastern Michigan Women's Team is hungry for wins in 2019-20 season.Mariah Stackhouse goes from college powerhouse to consistent LPGA casher
Media Day Photos from the Rocket Mortgage Press ConferenceBrian Minbiole of Callaway talks about the 2019 edition of Callaway clubs |
Drone Course Review- Sultan's Run near French Lick, IndianaThe Flint GC is on a RollMichigan Golf Scene Show Inaugural Show- w/ John Daly, Laura Davies, The Orchards three best holes by drone with Jeff Stalcup, Michigan Golf Show and more.Michigan Golf Scene with Corey Pavin, Jan Stephenson, The Michigan Golf Show and aerial drone of the Pete Dye Course |
Brian, will be featured on Michigan Golf Scene talking about cutting edge golf products and where you can find them.
Tom Lang talks Michigan golf and rules changes, pro golf and moreShow 4-May 17th, 2019- New Show, On this show, PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan, the LPGA in Grand Rapids, junior and college golfShow 3- May 1,2019 Michigan Golf Scene Show Three with Fred Couples, Helen Alfredsson, and college golf - Show 1.3 |