Martin Upsets Defending Champion Chapman At 2014 Michigan Amateur

Ian Martin, a recent Saline High School graduate upset defending champion Andrew Chapman at the 2014 Michigan Amateur. Martin won 3 and 2 in the second round of matches Wednesday afternoon.

Mike Ignasiak, a former Major League Baseball player and last year’s runner, up also lost Wednesday to Derrek Klimet 4 and 3.

Meanwhile, recent Michigan Golf Hall of Famer Tom Werkmeister got into the round of 16 by defeating John Quigley 2 and 1.

Complete press release and results are below:

Saline’s Ian Martin Shocks Defending Champion in Michigan Amateur

CHARLEVOIX – Saline’s Ian Martin stood in front of the Belvedere Golf Club pro shop and admitted he had shocked himself.

“It’s my top accomplishment in golf, that’s for sure,” said the 18-year-old Saline High School graduate after upsetting defending champion Andrew Chapman , 3 and 2, and knocking him out of the 103rd Michigan Amateur Championship in the second round of matches Wednesday afternoon.

“I like playing with pressure, but I mean, it was intimidating, but in golf it really doesn’t matter who you are playing. You play your own game.”

Martin will play his game next in the prestigious “Sweet 16” that was determined through two rounds of matches Wednesday. Two more rounds Thursday and two on Friday will determine a champion in Michigan’s oldest state championship.

Chapman, the tournament’s stroke play medalist Tuesday after a record-setting round of 63, won his Wednesday morning match over Nick Park 5 and 3, but said his putting left him in the afternoon match with Martin.

“I hit a couple of loose shots and missed a couple of short putts, and you can’t do that in the Michigan Amateur,” he said. “There was no sneaking up on anyone for me this year. I needed to be ready with my best stuff because I was going to get everyone’s best punch and I just didn’t have it today. And Ian, he played really well. I just never put any pressure on him.”

Chapman wasn’t the only first day upset victim. Last year’s runner-up Mike Ignasiak of Saline, the former Major League baseball player and Dairy Queen owner, was knocked out by Derrek Klimek of Ada 4 and 3 in the round of 64. Klimek then lost in the round of 32 to Grand Valley State University golfer Chris Cunningham 2 and 1.

Tom Werkmeister, the 2009 champion from Kentwood, joined Martin and Cunningham in the final 16 by beating John Quigley of St. Clair Shores 2 and 1 in the round of 32.

“I played my best round of the tournament in the afternoon match,” Werkmeister said after making it to the round of 16 for the seventh time. “John Quigley is tough. I was fortunate to play well. It’s been hit or miss all week. I have no idea what to expect tomorrow.”

Another former champion, Greg Davies (2006) of West Bloomfield, reached the final 16 for the ninth time. He beat Kyle Rodes of Plymouth 3 and 2 in the afternoon match.

“I hit the ball very good all day,” he said.  “I was hitting my driver in play every time and out here the rough is like a jungle. I hired a trainer November 1st and we have been working out three days a week together, so I feel a lot better than I usually do after 36 holes.”

Steve Anderson was another golfer shocked that he was in the “Sweet 16.” The 41-year-old commercial real-estate lender said he enters the Michigan Amateur each year hoping to qualify for the starting field.

“Just to qualify for someone like me is great,” he said. “Making it to match play, you never even think about it. In fact my family is on vacation for the week, we’re supposed to be in Glen Harbor but I said ‘alright we will stop here for two rounds Monday and Tuesday so they’re going to be wondering what’s going on.”

The biggest surprise was Martin ousting Chapman, however. He said he struggled a few weeks ago in the state high school tournament, and was looking forward to this tournament. He has been accepted and will attend the University of Michigan, and plans to walk-on tryout for the golf team. He said it was exciting to beat a former Michigan standout like Chapman.

“I made a couple of birdies at 8 and 9 that sort of turned the match my way,” he said. “Andrew missed a couple of putts I thought he was going to make. It helped a ton having my dad (Dave) caddie for me. He has taught me everything I know about golf and he just kept me playing my game.”

“THE SWEET 16”

• Ian Martin, 18, Saline, University of Michigan student
• Casey Baker, 36, Novi, vice-president at Carl’s Golfland
• Tom Werkmeister, 46, Kentwood, internet store owner
• Otto Black, 20, Pinckney, University of Toledo golfer
• Steve Anderson, 41, Troy, commercial real-estate lender
• Steve McKalko, 49, Howell, technology sales director
• Max Kollin, 20, Farmington Hills, Indiana University golfer
• Francesco Ruffino, 19, Bloomfield Hills, Michigan State University golfer
• Kyle Gaines, 19, Oxford, University of Detroit Mercy golfer
• Chris Cunningham, 22, Milford, Grand Valley State University golfer
• Greg Davies, 46, West Bloomfield, financial advisor
• Jack Rider, 22, Vicksburg, Grand Valley State University golfer
• Ken Hudson, 49, Bloomfield Hills, investment manager
• Nick Gunthorpe, 24, Ovid, plumber
• Henry Do, 19, Canton, University of North Carolina golfer
• Ryan Johnson, 29, New Boston, club fitter at Carls GolflandRESULTS
  Round of 64
  Andrew Chapman d. Nick Park 5 and 3; Ian Martin d. Benjamin Rabourn 1-up; Casey Baker d. Jacob Hamilton 6 and 5; Blake English d. David Smith Jr. 2-up; Tom Werkmeister d. Brett Hudson 6 and 5; John Quigley d. Patrick Colburn 2 and 1; James Piot d. Steve Nichols 3 and 2; Otto Black d. Blaze Hogan 19 holes; Evan Bowser d. David Thompson 21 holes; Steve Anderson d. Tyler LaSerra 1-up; Steve McKalko d. Brian Hayward 3 and 2; Greg Zeller d. Sean Friel 1-up; Max Kollin d. Jud Kotas 6 and 5; Winston Munch d. Michael Horn 4 and 3; Kory Roberts d. Brian Burt 1-up; Francesco Ruffino d. Travis Dodson 2 and 1.
  Brandon Barrows d. Jason Hartman 20 holes; Kyle Gaines d. Greg Reynolds 6 and 4; Derrek Klimek d. Mike Ignasiak 4 and 3; Chris Cunningham d. Douglas Piesko 1-up; Greg Davies d. Brody Schiller 3 and 1; Kyle Rodes d. Josh Heinze 4 and 3; Michael Zoerhoff d. Mike Nagy 19 holes; Jack Rider d. Andrew Yeager 2-up; Ian Harris d. Jacob Johnson 3 and 2; Ken Hudson d. Nathan Gunthorpe 2 and 1; Reed Hrynewich d. Austin Alexander 7 and 6; Nick Gunthorpe d. Nate Golomb 2 and 1; Henry Do d. Mason Motte 7 and 6; Donnie Trosper d. Nathan Clark in 23 holes; Joe Balaskovitz d. Austin Eccleton 19 holes; Ryan Johnson d. Matthew Alderink 4 and 3.Round of 32
  Martin d. Chapman 3 and 2; Baker d. English 3 and 2; Werkmeister d. Quigley 2 and 1; Black d. Piot 3 and 2; Anderson d. Bowser 6 and 4; McKalko d. Zeller 5 and 4; Kollin d. Munch 2 and 1; Ruffino d. Roberts 1-up.
  Gaines d. Barrows 3 and 2; Cunningham d. Klimek 2 and 1; Davies d. Rodes 3 and 2; Rider d. Zoerhoff 6 and 5; Hudson d. Harris 1-up; Gunthorpe d. Hrynewich 3 and 2; Do d. Trosper 3 and 2; Johnson d. Balaskovitz 3 and 2.
  Pairings Round of 16 Thursday
  Martin vs. Baker 8 a.m., Werkmeister vs. Black 8:10 a.m., Anderson vs. McKalko 8:20 a.m., Kollin vs. Ruffino 8:30 a.m.
  Gaines vs. Cunningham 8:40 a.m., Davies vs. Rider 8:50 a.m., Hudson vs. Gunthorpe 9 a.m., Do vs. Johnson at 9:10 a.m.Quotes From The Players:Max Kollin: “It feels good to have my game back together. It’s been a while. Last week I played in the (Michigan) Open and my swing didn’t feel right and I went to my swing coach Bob Krause and he really helped me out. I just hit my irons perfect today.”Casey Baker: “I played well in both matches and in the afternoon match I needed to. I got up and down when I needed to. I’m driving it well, which is a strength of mine and especially with the way that course is set up. I’m excited about it and hopefully I continue to play well.”Tom Werkmeister:
  “I played my best round of the week in the afternoon. I struggled in the first match, but the short game was on. In the second match I played really solid. I just had one back hole. John is a really good player. He made a lot of big putts and hit a lot of good shots. I caught a break when he chunked a wedge on 16 and three-putted. At 17 I hit a 5-iron that bounced off the pin to less than a foot away.”Otto Black: “In the afternoon I hit almost every drive in the fairway and gave myself a lot of opportunities. I hit it really well, hit a lot of greens. I played really well from nine through 15, pretty solid. I didn’t give any back and gained two there to seal it off. I just want to play my game and see how far I can go.”Chris Cunningham: “I am dissecting fairways with my driver, I’m in the fairway pretty much every time with my driver so it makes it a little easier on myself having irons out of the fairway opposed to some of the longer stuff out here. Didn’t putt great but hit a few putts. Hitting greens and two putting seems to be getting the job done for me.”Francesco Ruffino: “It’s pretty fun.  Second time in the Michigan Am, last time I lost in the first round so it’s nice to make it to the second day. Made a lot of really clutch putts on the last three holes in both matches. I kind of just grinded it out. Both matches I was losing with a couple holes to go and happened to make a birdie and a couple long par putts so I just kind of squeaked by.”Kyle Gaines: “This is my third time playing in it, second time making it and the first time in match play. Feels good to be in the Sweet 16. I played pretty well, especially against Brandon [Barrows] he was obviously a tough match. We made a lot of birdies so it was a really good match. On 15 I hit a four iron in there to a couple feet that put me 2 up which especially felt good after three putting on the previous hole.”Steve Anderson: “You know, to be honest I was fortunate that the guys I played did not play well. I played two nice guys and it was a little messy out there. I was fortunate that Evan was a little mentally exhausted from his morning round and didn’t have as much pep going in the second round. I played solid, didn’t miss too many shots but I think he was mentally worn down, he’s obviously a lot better player and a good, nice young man. He had a good attitude going the entire round even though he wasn’t playing his best. Just to qualify for someone like me is great. Making it to match play, you never even think about it. In fact my family is on vacation for the week, we’re supposed to be in Glen Harbor but I said ‘alright we will stop here for two rounds Monday and Tuesday so they’re going to be wondering what’s going on.”Greg Davies: “I hit the ball very good all day. Wasn’t the best putting day ever but I hit probably 15 or 16 greens the first match and about the same the second match and made just enough putts to stay ahead. Ball striking was good, I was hitting my driver in play every time and out here the rough is like a jungle. I hired a trainer November 1st and we have been working out three days a week together so I feel a lot better than I usually do after 36 holes.”Jack Rider: “I struck my driver pretty well all day, tee shots are one of my strengths and I struck it off the tee pretty well today. It is an honor to be a part of the Sweet Sixteen. It puts you among the best 16 amateurs in the state right now at this time. It’s nothing I take lightly. I take pride in that. I am really honored to be a part of it actually.”Ken Hudson: “I hit a lot of fairways all week and I think that’s very important. This rough is really tough and I think the key for me to get through to match play and to win two matches was to keep hitting the fairways and that’s what I tried to do.”Visit http://www.gam.org for more information.