Boczar Repeats As GAM Women’s Champion

Canton’s Bridget Boczar Repeats as GAM Women’s Champion

  SAGINAW – Bridget Boczar of Canton called winning the GAM Women’s Championship in back-to-back years, very, very special.

  “As a junior (golfer) I didn’t think of myself as being very successful, but since going to college at Oakland (University), I feel like I’ve improved a lot the last couple of years,” she said after winning the 33rd GAM Championship presented by Carl’s Golfland Tuesday at Saginaw Country Club.

  Boczar, who has transferred to Baylor University in Texas starting this fall, shot a final-round even-par 71 to pair up with her first-round score of 66 for a final 5-under 137 total, and four-shot victory.

  “I was really excited after the 66, so today I just did my best to focus on the process,” she said. “My caddie (her brother Jack) helped me through a lot of the shots and just staying consistent and hitting fairways.”

  Kate Brody of Grand Blanc and the University of Wisconsin, who rallied with a 68, and Laura Bavaird of Trenton, who shot 70, finished second at 141. Bavaird, the director of the GAM Foundation, was awarded the second-place trophy based on a scorecard playoff.

  Olivia Stoll of Haslett, a Grand Valley State University golfer, shot 70 for 142, and Taylor Kondel of Grand Blanc, a University of Detroit Mercy golfer, shot 73 for 145 to round out the top five.

  Macie Elzinga of Byron Center and soon Bowling Green State University, shot 75 for 146, and the group at 147 included GAM golfers with impressive credentials: Kimberly Dinh of Midland, the 2023 U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur Champion who shot 71, Shannon Kennedy of Beverly Hills, the reigning Michigan Women’s Amateur Champion and Michigan State golfer who shot 71, and Stacy Slobodnik-Stoll, MSU’s women’s golf coach and the winningest GAM golfer in history who shot 77.

   Boczar made a key birdie on the par 5 17th late in the round to help hold off a charging Brody.

  “Me and my caddy decided 3-wood off the tee was just a safe play, and then a little layup,” she said. “We we’re kind of between wedges, but I ended up going with the longer club and it worked out perfectly. I was pin-high and had about 10-feet for birdie. I figured the read was pretty clear, a slight right-to-left, and then I made it. That was a big putt for me.”

  Boczar, who is headed to the U.S. Women’s Amateur in Tulsa, Okla., said she owed the golf program at Oakland University a thank you.

  “I’ve just had a lot of time to improve there and had a lot of playing time,” she said. “I went to so many tournaments and got a ton of experience. I think ultimately, that’s what helped me improve the most. And now going to Baylor, it’s just a new chapter, something exciting, get a little bit away from home and play down south. I’m excited to see what happens there.”

   Bavaird, a two-time Michigan Women’s Amateur champion and former professional, said she felt luck to play as well as she did.

  “I had two really fun groups,” she said. “The first day it was with other mid-amateur ladies and it was fun to laugh and talk as opposed to talking about work or school. It was super fun. Then in round two I got to play with Olivia Stoll and Taylor Kondel. Olivia just hits the ball so far, and I knew I wouldn’t be able to compete with that. But they were nice, good players and it was fun to play well.”

  Brody started the first round Monday 5-over through six holes, so she was pleased with her comeback and charge in the second round.

  “I played pretty solid today, hit 17 greens in regulation and made a couple of putts,” she said. “I just felt more in control today. It flowed a little better. I was gone all last weekend, got home at 11 on Sunday night after working at a golf camp, so I didn’t get to practice much. I’m happy with how it went today. It’s my last tournament before college, so a good confidence round.”

RESULTS: Visit GAM.org