Cook Wins Michigan PGA Championship At Harbor Shores

MICHIGAN PGA PROFESSIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP: Benny Cook of Quail Ridge GC Wins Michigan PGA Professional Championship

   BENTON HARBOR – Benny Cook (pictured above) rallied from behind and then held on to win the 103rd Michigan PGA Professional Championship at Harbor Shores Resort Wednesday.

  The 30-year-old director of instruction at Quail Ridge Golf Club in Ada won the Michigan PGA state title for the third time by shooting a 3-under 68 in the final round on the Jack Nicklaus-designed layout on the shores of Lake Michigan.

  He slipped past eight-time champion Scott Hebert of Traverse City Golf & Country Club, who shot 72, by one shot.

  Long putts for birdies highlighted drama at the end of the round. First, a 50-foot putt on No. 16 by Hebert pulled him within a shot of Cook, only to be followed a few minutes later by Cook rolling in a 40-footer for birdie on 17.

  “That 50-footer by Scott, I was not expecting, and somehow I was still able to make my 12-footer coming down the hill for bogey,” said Cook who had moved into the lead with four birdies in a 4-under front nine 32.

  “Then I made the 40-footer on 17 and then sort of limped in with the bogey on 18. Scott just missed a birdie there, too. It’ was crazy, but I needed the long one on 17 obviously. I just know you can never relax when you are playing with Hebert because you never know what shot is going in the hole with him.”

  Cook, who won the championship in 2021 and 2022 while still playing as a touring professional and teaching half the year, said he was thankful to win again. He took home a first-place check of $7,800 from a $58,500 purse, and his name will go on the historic Gilbert A. Currie Trophy once again.

  In addition, he will be awarded a sponsor’s exemption into the PGA Tour’s 2025 Rocket Mortgage Classic at Detroit Golf Club.

   “It was nice to play some decent golf,” he said. “I struggled last year. I had the driver yips and, still, I’m working on it. I only hit the driver three times today. It was good you don’t always need driver here. I’m thankful the game is back somewhat. It’s nice. No more tour stuff for me with kids now, so the big major for us is the (Golf Professional National Championship). It will be great to go back to that as champion of this and to play in the Rocket Mortgage after missing out the last two years.”

  Ryan Lenahan, a teaching professional at the Kendall Golf Academy at Miles of Golf in Ypsilanti, shot a final 68 to finish at 2-under 211, two strokes behind Cook and one behind Hebert.

  Tim Pearce of Birmingham Country Club, who shot 78, and Cody Haughton Red Run Golf Club in Royal Oak, who shot 72, were next at 217.

  The championship had a tournament inside the tournament because the low nine golfers, not including Hebert and five-time champion Jeff Roth of BOYNE Golf Academy, who are already exempt, earned playing spots in the 2025 PGA Professional National Championship next April at PGA Golf Club in Port St. Lucie, Fla. The low 20 finishers from that championship move on to Quail Hollow to play with the best players in the world at the 105th PGA Championship.

   In addition to Cook, Lenahan, Haughton and Pearce, those who earned spots in the national championship with Hebert and Roth were Patrick Wilkes-Krier, the director of Kendall Golf Academy at Miles of Golf, who shot 75 for 218, Matt Thompson, the golf coach at Hillsdale College, who shot 71 for 221, Lee Houtteman of Leland Country Club, who shot 76 for 221, Nick Joy of High Pointe Golf Club near Traverse City, who shot 73 for 222, and Dan Urban of Gull Lake Country Club, who shot 75 for 223 and then won a three-golfer playoff for the final spot.

SPONSORS: Presenting sponsors were Club Car, Corebridge Financial and Rolex. Supporting partners were Gallagher, the Golf Channel and the PGA Tour. Supporting sponsors were Titleist/Footjoy, Callaway Golf, Nike and TaylorMade.

FINAL RESULTS: See michiganpga.com  More information on Harbor Shores is available at harborshoresresort.com.