Li and Thanaporn Win GAM Junior Invitational Titles

Adam Thanaporn of Ann Arbor, Alena Li of Okemos Win GAM Junior Invitational Titles

  EAST LANSING – Adam Thanaporn (above left) of Ann Arbor won his first GAM tournament and Alena Li won for the third time this summer in the 12th GAM Junior Invitational Championship presented by Absopure Sunday at Michigan State University’s Forest Akers West course.

  Thanaporn, 17 and a senior at Ann Arbor Huron High School, shot a final-round 3-under 69 and pulled away from the boys’ field to win by five shots.

 Li, 16 and a senior at Okemos High School, shot a 74 in the final round and topped the girls’ field by six shots.

  In the 15-and-under age group competitions, Saisha Patil of Okemos topped the girls for the second consecutive year in the season-ending tournament, and Parker Westcott of Manchester won his first GAM title.

  Patil shot a final 77 and pulled away to win by seven shots, and Westcott shot 74 and won by two shots.

  The junior golfers in the field were invited by the GAM based on performances in GAM championships and a variety of other state and national competitions.

  Thanaporn, who had a two-day total of 1-under 143, called it his biggest win.

   “The goal is always to try and win,” he said. “I guess I have something to show for all this work I put in.”

    JP Levan of Grand Rapids, who shot a closing 75, and Julian Sinishtaj of Macomb, who shot 73, tied for second at 148.

  Thanaporn said his biggest shot of the day was a recovery shot on No. 1.

  “I had to punch under a tree, and I used a 6-iron,” he said. “It lands on the fairway, takes a hop, hits the front hill and ends up like four feet away.”

  He made birdie there, one of six for the day.

  “I had a chip-in on seven for par that kept me going, too,” he said. “I was in the right bunker, caught the bottom and hit it over the green and then I had like 10-yards. The chip landed on the front edge of the green and then rolled in.”

   Li, who is exploring playing college golf, said she capped off a very good summer. Previously this year she won the Michigan Junior Girls’ State Amateur title, and the GAM Girls’ Championship.

   “Every time I play in a tournament the goal is to win,” she said. “I’ve been able to play solid golf and do it in most of the tournaments this summer.”

   Lillian O’Grady of Grand Rapids, who shot 76 for 153, finished second, and Grace Slocum of Traverse City, who shot 79 for 158, finished third.

   Li had a nosebleed she had to overcome, and a double bogey on hole 18, but otherwise she maintained a lead through the round.

  “My wedges were pretty good, so I was able to get a lot of shots close to the hole and make some birdies,” she said. “On 17 I hit the flagstick, and it stopped about six feet away and I made birdie. The nosebleed I had on 16 bothered me on the putt I had right after it, but not after that. I was fine.”

   In winning the 15-and-under boys’ title, Westcott held off Landon Guenther of Grand Blanc, who shot 74 for 147, two shots off the lead. David Han of Midland was third with a second consecutive 74 for 148.

  Patil continued her dominance among the 15-and-under girls. Hannah Kim of Troy, who shot 79 to close, and Anika Srivastava of Okemos, who shot 78, tied for second at 159.

RESULTS: GAM.org or Golf Genius