Crystal Mountain Hosts Michigan Women’s Open Starting Monday

CRYSTAL MOUNTAIN HOSTS MICHIGAN WOMEN’S OPEN STARTING MONDAY

THOMPSONVILLE – Defending champion Suzy Green-Roebuck of Ann Arbor, who was recently inducted into the Michigan Golf Hall of Fame, is returning as Crystal Mountain Resort will host the Michigan Women’s Open for the 15th consecutive time starting Monday on the Mountain Ridge Golf Course.

The 24th edition of the championship, which does not require Michigan residency, will feature an international field of 113 golfers, including professionals and amateurs representing 21 states and three countries.

The field will play 54 holes of stroke play over three days to determine the champion with a cut after the first two rounds to the low 70 scorers and ties. The professionals will play for a share of the $40,000 purse.

The championship is administered by the Michigan Section of the PGA of America, and the field typically includes the top professionals and amateurs with Michigan ties as well as LPGA Symetra Tour players and mini-tour professionals from across the country and other nations as well. The Symetra Tour is in Michigan, headed next for the June 30 – July 2 Tullymore Classic at Tullymore Resort in Canadian Lakes.

Green-Roebuck, a mother of three who won a record third Michigan Open at the age of 49 a year ago, said she always looks forward to playing at Crystal Mountain. Her father, Pete Green, caddies for her on what becomes a family trip up north. They are the first parent-child combination in Michigan’s Golf Hall of Fame.

“I don’t have many opportunities to compete any longer, so this one is special and now more special because I really had a great tournament last year,” she said. “I proved to myself I can still play, and that all the years of practicing and working on my game that I put in when I was younger still pay off.”

A large number of new names are entered this year, but also some very familiar players.

Symetra Tour player Laura Kueny, the former Michigan State standout and 2011 champion, is in, as are former LPGA Tour players and Michigan Golf Hall of Fame members Elaine Crosby of Jackson and Sue Ertl, a Grand Rapids native now teaching in Florida. Crosby won the Michigan Open in 2001 and 2002 after her long and successful LPGA Tour career.

Many of Michigan’s top golfers are also lined up to play, including 2014 Michigan Amateur champion Jennifer Elsholz of Grand Rapids, who is now a professional, and last summer’s Golf Association of Michigan champion, Anna Kramer of Spring Lake.

Grand Blanc’s Shasta Averyhardt, who now lives in Florida, Saline’s Sarah Hoffman and Lindsey McPherson of Flushing, all making the rounds on the professional circuit, are entered, as are the Shipley sisters from Hastings — Gabrielle, who is a professional, and Sarah, an amateur who plays at the University of Kentucky.

Michigan State women’s golf coach Stacy Slobodnik, the low amateur a year ago and another recent inductee into the Michigan Golf Hall of Fame with Green-Roebuck, is also in the field.

Crystal Mountain Resort was established in 1956, and is a family-owned, four-season resort that is nationally recognized for its skiing, golf and award-winning spa.

Located in northwest-lower-Michigan, a short drive from Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, the resort features downhill and cross-country skiing, Michigan Legacy Art Park, 36 holes of championship golf, Michigan’s only alpine slide, an outdoor water playground, a variety of lodging and dining options, countless year-round activities and kids programs, an IACC-approved conference center, weddings, real estate and Crystal Spa. See www.crystalmountain.com .

As always, the Michigan Women’s Open offers free parking and admission. Spectators are welcome and can be shuttled to various spots on the course.

Tee times, scoring links other information can be found at www.michiganpgagolf.com. Justin Phillips of the Michigan PGA is the tournament director and available at 517-641-7421 or [email protected].

via Greg Johnson