Chipman Leads After One In 2017 Michigan Women’s Amateur

Chipman Leads After One In 2017 Michigan Women’s Amateur

SAGINAW – Katelyn Chipman of Canton played well enough to be in the starting lineup most of the year as a freshman on the Grand Valley State University golf team.

She played well enough Monday with an even-par round of 71 at Saginaw Country Club to take the first-round lead in the 101st Michigan Women’s Amateur Championship presented by Carl’s Golfland.

“I’ve been playing pretty good,” the former two-time high school state champion from Plymouth High said. “I definitely want to make match play. This is my third year in this tournament, and I made match play last year and didn’t get to the Sweet 16.”

She had a one-shot lead on 18-year-old McKenzie Chaisson of Oxford, who will be a freshman golfer at Madonna University in Livonia, in the fall. Chaisson’s 72 was her personal best round in competition.

Anci Dy of Traverse City, 14 and the youngest player in the field, shot 73 and was third alone.

Dy’s older sister, Anika, who will be a junior while her sister is a freshman at Traverse City West High School in the fall, shot 74. She lamented a double-bogey 7 on the par 5 No. 17 hole, but said it is not the first time Anci has topped her.

Kentwood’s Sarah White, a Texas State golfer, and two-time defending champion and Michigan State golfer Allyson Geer also checked in with 74s.

The field will play 18 more holes of stroke play Tuesday to determine the low 32 scorers who move on to match play. Match play continues through Friday to determine a champion for the 2017 Michigan Women’s Amateur.

Despite a rain delay of 55 minutes during Monday morning play, Chipman had one birdie and eight pars on the front nine, and then chipped in on No. 13 to save par and limit her tournament-leading round to just one bogey.

“I played pretty steady really,” she said. “I had a good year at Grand Valley, really love it there, and played in the Michigan Women’s Open and have just tried to keep improving.”

Chaisson, 18, said she was just playing her game and it turned out to be her best round.

“My scores have been going down,” she said. “My goal is to just make it to match play, and I chipped in for birdie on the first hole and then maintained that pretty well. I did double the par 5 (No. 8), but then birdied the ninth hole to help make up for it.”

Geer, who has been a 36-hole stroke play medalist for three consecutive years, said she didn’t hit her driver well, and made four consecutive bogeys (Nos. 12-15) to mess up her round.

“I’ve been playing well, so I’m not worried about it,” she said. “I did work on a few strategy things for match play, hitting to specific yardages and stuff. I like the golf course. You do have to hit it straight. That will be the challenge this week.”

Results: Find them and live scoring at gam.org

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, provides membership to more than 55,000 golfers and more than 470 Michigan golf courses, conducts over 30 amateur championships, oversees 18 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