FULLER CUP: GAM, PGA Teams Meet at Blythefield Country Club

FULLER CUP: GAM, PGA Teams Meet at Blythefield Country Club

  GRAND RAPIDS – Blythefield Country Club, the annual site of the LPGA’s Meijer Classic for Simply Give, will host several of Michigan’s best golfers in the 52nd Fuller Cup Matches on Tuesday, Oct. 8.

  Top amateur golfers representing the Golf Association of Michigan (GAM) and top professionals representing the Michigan Section PGA square off in a Ryder Cup-like format with six four-ball matches and 12 singles matches to determine a winning team. Harlestons is the clothing sponsor.

  The Blythefield course, established in 1928, was designed by the legendary duo, William B. Langford and Theodore J. Moreau, who did two other notable Michigan courses, Country Club of Lansing and Marquette Golf Club.

  The name is derived from an Old English word that means quiet fields, and the design unfolds over rolling former farmland.

  Architect Chris Wilczynski completed a renovation in recent years that included new tees for each hole, repositioning and rebuilding of all the course bunkers, realignment and widening of all the fairways, expansion of all the greens to their originally designed shapes and sizes, as well as new practice facilities.

 Blythefield has a rich tournament history, including hosting the 1953 Western Amateur won by Dale Morey, the 1961 Western Open won by Arnold Palmer, and the 2005 Western Junior won by Rickie Fowler. The course has also been the site of several other USGA, Michigan PGA and Golf Association of Michigan tournaments and qualifiers.

 The club has been the host of the Meijer LPGA Classic since 2014. Past champions include Lexi Thompson, Brooke Henderson, Nelly Korda and Jennifer Kupcho.

  Three former Blythefield golf professionals are in the Michigan Golf Hall of Fame – Marvin Stahl, John Barnum and Buddy Whitten.

  The current head golf professional, Juan Martinez, is playing with the PGA Team in Tuesday’s matches. Collin Romanick is the superintendent. Learn more about the club at blythefieldcc.org

  Last year at Birmingham Country Club, the PGA Team won seven of the 12 singles matches to end a five-year losing streak and win the 51st Fuller Cup Matches, 10-8.

  The PGA, which dominated the matches in the first three decades of play, leads the series 36-13-2.

   The format has changed over the years, but the matches are presented to promote sportsmanship, friendship and quality golf among professionals and amateurs. The matches are named for the late Ernest Fuller, a Michigan golf course developer. The GAM team is selected via the GAM Player of the Year points and availability, and the PGA selects its team from the players who won Section events in the last year, the host Professional and its Player of the Year points.

  Representing the GAM this year are Michael Coriasso of Royal Oak, Joe Montpas of Flushing, McCoy Biagioli of White Lake and Ferris State University, Caleb Bond of Williamston and Michigan State University, John Quigley of Sterling Heights, Matt Zerbel of St. Joseph, Drew Miller of East Lansing and Michigan State University, Julian Menser of South Lyon and Michigan State University, Justin Sui of Lake Orion, Drew Coble of Lake Orion and Grand Valley State University, Mike Ignasiak of Saline and David Szymanski of East Lansing.

  Representing the PGA are John Seltzer of Egypt Valley Country Club, Juan Martinez of Blythefield Country Club, Scott Hebert of Traverse City Golf & Country Club, Chad Kurmel, the assistant men’s golf coach at Michigan State University, Dan Urban of Gull Lake Country Club, Adam Schumacher of Point O’Woods Golf & Country Club, Ben Cook of Quail Ridge Golf Club, Tim Pearce of Birmingham Country Club, Jeff Roth of BOYNE Golf Academy, Ryan Lenahan of Kendall Golf Academy/Miles of Golf, Patrick Wilkes Krier of Kendall Golf Academy/Miles of Golf and Cody Haughton of Red Run Golf Club.

  Find more information on the Golf Association of Michigan at GAM.org Find more information on the Michigan PGA at michiganpga.com

  Follow live scoring HERE

FULLER CUP PAIRINGS

Tuesday, Oct. 8, 2024, Blythefield Country Club

MORNING FOUR-BALL MATCHES (GAM team listed first)

9:00 – Michael Coriasso, Joe Montpas vs. John Seltzer, Juan Martinez

9:10 – McCoy Biagioli, Caleb Bond vs. Scott Hebert, Chad Kurmel

9:20 – John Quigley, Matt Zerbel vs. Dan Urban, Adam Schumacher

9:30 – Drew Miller, Julian Menser vs. Ben Cook, Tim Pearce

9:40 – Justin Sui, Drew Coble vs. Jeff Roth, Ryan Lenahan

9:50 – Mike Ignasiak, David Szymanski vs. Patrick Wilkes-Krier, Cody Haughton

AFTERNOON PAIRINGS (GAM player listed first)

1:30 – Michael Coriasso vs. John Seltzer

1:30 – Joe Montpas vs. Juan Martinez

1:40 – McCoy Biagioli vs. Scott Hebert

1:40 – Caleb Bond vs. Chad Kurmel

1:50 – John Quigley vs. Dan Urban

1:50 – Matt Zerbel vs. Adam Schumacher

2:00 – Drew Miller vs. Ben Cook

2:00 – Julian Menser vs. Tim Pearce

2:10 – Justin Sui vs. Jeff Roth

2:10 – Drew Coble vs. Ryan Lenahan

2:20 – David Szymanski vs. Patrick Wilkes Krier

2:20 – Mike Ignasiak vs. Cody Haughton