Sarah Shipley has been named Golf Association of Michigan’s Girls’ Player of the Year. Shipley, who plays out of Gull Lake View Club and Resorts, won the GAM Junior Invitational, the AJGA Coca-Cola Classic tournament at Boyne Highlands and the Michigan PGA Junior to go with several other top finishes for a total of 1,205 points on the GAM Junior Girls’ Honor Roll.
“This summer was really exciting,” said the 17-year-old Hastings resident and senior at Delton-Kellogg High School who has signed a national letter of intent to play collegiate golf at the University of Kentucky.
Sarah White of Kentwood and StoneWater Country Club, last year’s Player of the Year, finished second with 809 points.
Allyson Geer of Brighton and Oak Pointe Country Club, the Michigan Women’s Amateur champion, was third with 800.
Anna Kramer of Spring Lake and Spring Lake Country Club (681 points) and Lauren Ingle of Rochester and the Michigan Women’s Golf Association (570) rounded out the top five.
“It is so awesome to be GAM Player of the Year,” Shipley said. “I really didn’t think about it as a goal, but I’m so honored it happened. There are so many great golfers in our state and it really adds to a great season for me.”
Shipley said her ultimate golf goal is to play on the LPGA Tour one day.
“Even when I was little watching Paula Creamer and Michelle Wie on television, that is what I wanted to do,” she said. “It’s still my goal.”
Shipley last year verbally committed to the golf program at Grand Valley State University where her sister Gabrielle was a WGCA All-American selection in 2015. Sarah’s summer success on the national and state level brought her more offers from college programs, however.
“Since my goal is to be on the LPGA Tour, Kentucky seemed like the best choice or would give me the greater chance to get there once we weighed all the positives and negatives of the different offers,” she said. “Plus, I just love the coaches there.”
Her summer of success showed up in wins, but also in consistency in scoring. She had several sub-70 rounds and set her career competitive low at 67 in the PGA Junior qualifier.
About the GAM: Founded in 1919, the Golf Association of Michigan is the governing body for amateur golf in the state. As a not-for-profit organization, the GAM’s purpose is to promote, preserve and serve the game of golf. The GAM, served by over 250 dedicated volunteers as well as nine full-time staff, provides membership to more than 60,000 golfers and more than 470 Michigan golf courses, conducts over 30 amateur championships, oversees 15 USGA qualifying events, administers the GAM/USGA Handicap System and measures and rates almost 70 courses a year for the USGA. Learn more at www.gam.org.
via: Greg Johnson/GAM
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