Rob Steger, CGCS from Saginaw Country Club, to Lead Michigan Golf Course SuperintendentsRob Steger, CGCS from Saginaw Country Club, to Lead Michigan Golf Course Superintendents
EAST LANSING – Rob Steger, CGCS, the Class A Golf Course Superintendent at Saginaw Country Club has been elected as the Michigan Golf Course Superintendents Association (MiGCSA) Chapter President for 2020. The MiGCSA held its 12th annual meeting and elections on Tuesday January 7th at the Kellogg Center in East Lansing during the Michigan Turfgrass Conference.Other officers elected to the MiGCSA board include Vice President Doug Ware from the City of Livonia and Secretary/Treasurer Ryan Moore of Forest Lake Country Club. The election marked the end of board service for Past President (2018) Dan Dingman Superintendent at Birmingham Country Club. Our deepest gratitude for his service to our industry. New members elected to the board include Jared Milner from Meadowbrook Country Club and Adam Garr with Syngenta Professional Products. Also reelected to a second term was Scott Pulaski from Walloon Lake Country Club and Jesse Shaver from Gull Lake Country Club. The MiGCSA is dedicated to providing value to our members through programs and services that enhance and promote our profession
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.” EMU Men’s Golf Completes Round One of Mountaineer Invite
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 EMU Women's Golf Three Shots Off the Lead at the MAC Preview
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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
Lilia Henkel of Grand Rapids Tops 2019 Junior Girl’s Honor Roll
GAM PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Lilia Henkel of Grand Rapids Tops 2019 Junior Girl’s Honor Roll
FARMINGTON HILLS – Lilia Henkel of Grand Rapids reached a point a few years ago when she decided to choose golf over what she calls other country club sports.
“I’ve always been a very competitive person,” she said. “I’ve always been competitive in anything and everything I do. I’ve funneled that through golf.”
Henkel, 16 and the daughter of Kevin and Stacey Henkel, is the Golf Association of Michigan (GAM) Junior Girl’s Player of the Year, Ken Hartmann, GAM senior director of rules and competitions, announced today.
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. Over the next week the GAM will announce the final Players of the Year from among the junior ranks.
Previously, Dan Ellis of East Lansing and Yurika Tanida of East Lansing were named the Men’s and Women’s Players of the Year, Steve Maddalena of Jackson and Julie Massa of Holt were named the Senior Men’s and Women’s Player of the Year, Ian Harris of Bloomfield was named the Super Senior Player of the Year and August Meekhof of Eastmanville was named the Junior Boy’s Player of the Year.
Henkel, a junior at Forest Hills Northern High School, highlighted her golf season by winning the Michigan Junior State Amateur title. She was qualifying medalist earning the top seed for match play and then marched through the bracket to top Alissa Fish of Clarklake in the title match.
“That was by far the best tournament of the summer, and the one I gained the most confidence from,” she said. “All of my shots were working out. I played so well all week, and in the first round of match play and the third round of match play I stuck my first approach shots of the matches to six inches – both times. To get it close and get it in the hole early in matches really gave me great confidence and overall I did not have a lot of misses for the week. It was fun and felt so good to play golf that week.”
A GAM member through Cascade Hills Country Club, Henkel led the Honor Roll with 1,068 points. Allison Cui of Okemos, a member through her Okemos High School team, was second with 965. Jasmine Ly of Windsor and Sylvan Glen Golf Club (880), Sophie Stevens of Highland and Prestwick Village Golf Club (737) and Nicole Whatley of Northville and Fox Hills Golf & Learning Center (598) rounded out the top five.
Kyle Wolfe, who directs the junior tournaments for the GAM, said Henkel is continually seeking improvement.
“She is a great kid with a lot of talent, but has flown under the radar a little bit,” he said. “She is going to be a great player and has a bright future. She has the thing that is hard to quantify in golfers – an inner self-confidence that is going to serve her really well as she moves forward in her golf career.”
Wolfe said he has noticed her improvement in the last three years as she has worked with Brandon Roby, a teaching professional at Cascade Hills Country Club.
“The things she is working on and really focusing on are apparent,” he said. “She always makes sure to thank Brandon, which shows maturity and an understanding of what she has to do to be a great player.”
Henkel said Roby has helped more than her golf swing.
“My mental game keeps improving and so much a driving factor,” she said. “My main goal over the summer was improving my mental game and my confidence on the golf course. I know now from playing in some national tournaments that I can shoot low scores on big-girl golf courses and play with great players from around the world. It’s something I have to do to achieve what I want to achieve.
Earning a college golf opportunity and continuing to improve are what she calls the next steps in her career.
“I’m very honored to be player of the year,” she said. “It makes me super excited for next year. I would love to play (NCAA Division I) golf. I’m confident I’m doing the right things to make that happen.”
Lilia Henkel of Grand Rapids Tops 2019 Junior Girl’s Honor Roll
FARMINGTON HILLS – Lilia Henkel of Grand Rapids reached a point a few years ago when she decided to choose golf over what she calls other country club sports.
“I’ve always been a very competitive person,” she said. “I’ve always been competitive in anything and everything I do. I’ve funneled that through golf.”
Henkel, 16 and the daughter of Kevin and Stacey Henkel, is the Golf Association of Michigan (GAM) Junior Girl’s Player of the Year, Ken Hartmann, GAM senior director of rules and competitions, announced today.
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. Over the next week the GAM will announce the final Players of the Year from among the junior ranks.
Previously, Dan Ellis of East Lansing and Yurika Tanida of East Lansing were named the Men’s and Women’s Players of the Year, Steve Maddalena of Jackson and Julie Massa of Holt were named the Senior Men’s and Women’s Player of the Year, Ian Harris of Bloomfield was named the Super Senior Player of the Year and August Meekhof of Eastmanville was named the Junior Boy’s Player of the Year.
Henkel, a junior at Forest Hills Northern High School, highlighted her golf season by winning the Michigan Junior State Amateur title. She was qualifying medalist earning the top seed for match play and then marched through the bracket to top Alissa Fish of Clarklake in the title match.
“That was by far the best tournament of the summer, and the one I gained the most confidence from,” she said. “All of my shots were working out. I played so well all week, and in the first round of match play and the third round of match play I stuck my first approach shots of the matches to six inches – both times. To get it close and get it in the hole early in matches really gave me great confidence and overall I did not have a lot of misses for the week. It was fun and felt so good to play golf that week.”
A GAM member through Cascade Hills Country Club, Henkel led the Honor Roll with 1,068 points. Allison Cui of Okemos, a member through her Okemos High School team, was second with 965. Jasmine Ly of Windsor and Sylvan Glen Golf Club (880), Sophie Stevens of Highland and Prestwick Village Golf Club (737) and Nicole Whatley of Northville and Fox Hills Golf & Learning Center (598) rounded out the top five.
Kyle Wolfe, who directs the junior tournaments for the GAM, said Henkel is continually seeking improvement.
“She is a great kid with a lot of talent, but has flown under the radar a little bit,” he said. “She is going to be a great player and has a bright future. She has the thing that is hard to quantify in golfers – an inner self-confidence that is going to serve her really well as she moves forward in her golf career.”
Wolfe said he has noticed her improvement in the last three years as she has worked with Brandon Roby, a teaching professional at Cascade Hills Country Club.
“The things she is working on and really focusing on are apparent,” he said. “She always makes sure to thank Brandon, which shows maturity and an understanding of what she has to do to be a great player.”
Henkel said Roby has helped more than her golf swing.
“My mental game keeps improving and so much a driving factor,” she said. “My main goal over the summer was improving my mental game and my confidence on the golf course. I know now from playing in some national tournaments that I can shoot low scores on big-girl golf courses and play with great players from around the world. It’s something I have to do to achieve what I want to achieve.
Earning a college golf opportunity and continuing to improve are what she calls the next steps in her career.
“I’m very honored to be player of the year,” she said. “It makes me super excited for next year. I would love to play (NCAA Division I) golf. I’m confident I’m doing the right things to make that happen.”
GAM PLAYER OF THE YEAR Ian Harris of Bloomfield Tops 2019 Super Senior Honor Roll
FARMINGTON HILLS – Bloomfield’s Ian Harris and his longtime golf teacher Stephen Aumock revamped his golf swing last winter to provide more power and as a result greater distance with his shots.
“I’m very pleased with how I’m playing,” Harris said. “I work at it all the time. My pro is a phenomenal teacher and he is always seeking out newer and better things to work on. The biggest factor in senior golf is the advantage the guys who can still move it out there have. We are all fighting age and trying to find ways to at least maintain distance and I’ve been able to do that.”
Harris, 67 and a member at TPC of Michigan, won what he regarded as his “Grand Slam” of Super Senior golf with four titles in 2019, and it included three Golf Association of Michigan (GAM) titles.
He has been named the GAM Super Senior Player of the Year, Ken Hartmann, 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. Over the next few weeks the GAM will announce more Players of the Year in gender and age categories. Previously, Dan Ellis of East Lansing and Yurika Tanida of East Lansing were named the Men’s and Women’s Players of the Year, 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.
Harris, a tennis professional and amateur golfer, collected 455 points to top the Honor Roll ahead of runner-up Mike Raymond of Country Club of Jackson, who had 240 points. Rick Herpich of Orchard Lake Country Club (130), GAM Senior Championship-Super Senior Division winner Mark Ochsankehl of Grand Rapids and Quail Ridge Golf Club (90) and Ron Perrine of Country Club of Lansing (90) rounded out the top five.
Harris, who receives regular therapy on his back from North Woodward Rehabilitation Services (NWRS) in Bloomfield, opted to play in the Super Senior Division of the season’s first GAM senior tournament, the GAM Senior Match Play Championship, because of some back issues.
“I figured in the Super Senior Division it was one less match I would have to get through to win it,” he said. “Then when I won that, I played in the Michigan PGA Senior Open and played in the Super Senior with players like Randy Erskine. When I won that, then I started getting the idea of this Grand Slam of Super Senior events. I went with it and it turned into a great summer.”
Harris, who won the GAM Senior Championship in 2012 and 2014, also won the Super Senior Division of the GAM Mid-Amateur Championship last summer and topped off the over-65 competition by winning the GAM Super Senior Championship for the second consecutive year. The Super Senior Championship has been a singular championship for five years.
“I was really fortunate all summer, and my win in the Senior Open was a little miraculous,” he said. “I finished my round birdie, birdie, birdie and then in a playoff with Randy Erskine and Ron English, two great players and former winners of the Senior Open, I made birdie on the first hole to win. I made one bomb (putt), like a 30-footer on the last hole, too. Ron English probably should have won that tournament, but I rolled it in and my name is on that trophy. I figured all the times that golf takes things away from you, this time I got one.”
Hartmann said when he watches Harris hit golf shots he can’t believe he is over 65.
“He studies the swing and studies the golf course to see what it takes to get it done, and he still hits the ball as far as he ever did it seems,” he said. “I applaud him. He stays in shape and really works at the game. He is not just a guy who comes out to play. He comes out to win. To hear him talk, you would think he has fallen out of a helicopter 10 times. I think being an active tennis pro all those years and golf has taken a toll on his body, but he seems to manage pain well, and keeps going. He shows up, pegs it, and always believes he can compete.”
Harris said his teacher, Aumock, is a key to his success. He has known him for 30 years. The Michigan native is the director of instruction and a PGA Master Instructor for Gleneagles Country Club in Plano, Texas, but makes several trips to Michigan each winter to work with Harris and others on their games.
“He teaches for a few days each visit at Fox Hills (Golf & Learning Center in Plymouth) and really knows the golf swing,” Harris said. “I met him when he was 15. He played college golf at Alabama. He worked with Hank Haney for several years. He’s one of the leading teachers in the country now.”
“I’m very pleased with how I’m playing,” Harris said. “I work at it all the time. My pro is a phenomenal teacher and he is always seeking out newer and better things to work on. The biggest factor in senior golf is the advantage the guys who can still move it out there have. We are all fighting age and trying to find ways to at least maintain distance and I’ve been able to do that.”
Harris, 67 and a member at TPC of Michigan, won what he regarded as his “Grand Slam” of Super Senior golf with four titles in 2019, and it included three Golf Association of Michigan (GAM) titles.
He has been named the GAM Super Senior Player of the Year, Ken Hartmann, 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. Over the next few weeks the GAM will announce more Players of the Year in gender and age categories. Previously, Dan Ellis of East Lansing and Yurika Tanida of East Lansing were named the Men’s and Women’s Players of the Year, 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.
Harris, a tennis professional and amateur golfer, collected 455 points to top the Honor Roll ahead of runner-up Mike Raymond of Country Club of Jackson, who had 240 points. Rick Herpich of Orchard Lake Country Club (130), GAM Senior Championship-Super Senior Division winner Mark Ochsankehl of Grand Rapids and Quail Ridge Golf Club (90) and Ron Perrine of Country Club of Lansing (90) rounded out the top five.
Harris, who receives regular therapy on his back from North Woodward Rehabilitation Services (NWRS) in Bloomfield, opted to play in the Super Senior Division of the season’s first GAM senior tournament, the GAM Senior Match Play Championship, because of some back issues.
“I figured in the Super Senior Division it was one less match I would have to get through to win it,” he said. “Then when I won that, I played in the Michigan PGA Senior Open and played in the Super Senior with players like Randy Erskine. When I won that, then I started getting the idea of this Grand Slam of Super Senior events. I went with it and it turned into a great summer.”
Harris, who won the GAM Senior Championship in 2012 and 2014, also won the Super Senior Division of the GAM Mid-Amateur Championship last summer and topped off the over-65 competition by winning the GAM Super Senior Championship for the second consecutive year. The Super Senior Championship has been a singular championship for five years.
“I was really fortunate all summer, and my win in the Senior Open was a little miraculous,” he said. “I finished my round birdie, birdie, birdie and then in a playoff with Randy Erskine and Ron English, two great players and former winners of the Senior Open, I made birdie on the first hole to win. I made one bomb (putt), like a 30-footer on the last hole, too. Ron English probably should have won that tournament, but I rolled it in and my name is on that trophy. I figured all the times that golf takes things away from you, this time I got one.”
Hartmann said when he watches Harris hit golf shots he can’t believe he is over 65.
“He studies the swing and studies the golf course to see what it takes to get it done, and he still hits the ball as far as he ever did it seems,” he said. “I applaud him. He stays in shape and really works at the game. He is not just a guy who comes out to play. He comes out to win. To hear him talk, you would think he has fallen out of a helicopter 10 times. I think being an active tennis pro all those years and golf has taken a toll on his body, but he seems to manage pain well, and keeps going. He shows up, pegs it, and always believes he can compete.”
Harris said his teacher, Aumock, is a key to his success. He has known him for 30 years. The Michigan native is the director of instruction and a PGA Master Instructor for Gleneagles Country Club in Plano, Texas, but makes several trips to Michigan each winter to work with Harris and others on their games.
“He teaches for a few days each visit at Fox Hills (Golf & Learning Center in Plymouth) and really knows the golf swing,” Harris said. “I met him when he was 15. He played college golf at Alabama. He worked with Hank Haney for several years. He’s one of the leading teachers in the country now.”
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.
Central Michigan;s Team Video
^Team / Video Results v^
Team Scores
1 Central Mich. Univ. 305- 309- 614 +38
2. Green Bay 310 305-615 +39
3. Oakland 304 316 -620 +44 4.Purdue Fort Wayne 306-316-622 +46 5.Niagara University 319 329-48 +72 6.Detroit Mercy 318 - 340- 658 +82
1 Central Mich. Univ. 305- 309- 614 +38
2. Green Bay 310 305-615 +39
3. Oakland 304 316 -620 +44 4.Purdue Fort Wayne 306-316-622 +46 5.Niagara University 319 329-48 +72 6.Detroit Mercy 318 - 340- 658 +82
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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. |
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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 |