MICHIGAN JUNIOR STATE AMATEUR: Lorenzo Pinili Wins Stroke Play, Earns Top Seed
KEWADIN – Lorenzo Pinili of Rochester Hills is riding a wave of golf success.
Recently named Mr. Golf by the state’s high school coaches, Pinili earned stroke play medalist honors and the No. 1 seed for match play Monday in the 45th Michigan Junior State Amateur Championship.
The soon-to-be Michigan State University golfer shot rounds of 67 and 70 on the Sundance Course at A-Ga-Ming Golf Resort for a 7-under 137 total, three shots clear of the field. He earned the Forrest B. Wright Memorial Trophy for winning stroke play and will take on the 32-seed, Parker Stalcup of Washington Township, in the first match Tuesday morning. Stalcup won his spot in match play in a four-golfer playoff for the final two tournament slots.
“I’m riding the wave right now,” said Pinili, who also was a medalist last week in a U.S. Amateur qualifier that earned him a spot in the national championship later this summer. “I just started playing good in May and then I haven’t really played bad. The confidence is very high which is key. I have a lot of confidence out there.”
The 32-player match play bracket was set Monday and the round of 32 matches will be played Tuesday morning. Also Tuesday, the 15-and-under age group players take to Sundance for 18 holes of stroke play to determine an eight-golfer bracket for match play. The championship continues through Thursday.
Pinili, who made 11 birdies, just two bogeys and one double-bogey for the day, said he wants to make the most of his last time in the Michigan Junior State Amateur.
“I don’t want to leave anything behind so I’m just going out and being confident, not laying back,” he said. “I played well today, other than (a double-bogey at 18), I’ve played really well. The putts are falling and I’m keeping the confidence I’ve built the last few weeks.”
Winston Lerch of Howell shot rounds of 67 and 73 for 140 and the runner-up spot and No. 2 seed.
Four golfers tied at 141 and third place including Christian Morneau of Windsor (69-72), McCoy Biagioli of White Lake (72-69), Peter Roehl of Rochester Hills (70-71) and Julian Menser of South Lyon (71-70).
Defending champion Max VanderMolen of Richland shot a second-round 71 for 143 and a tie for ninth to make match play easily, and last year’s Stroke Play Medalist, Drew Miller of East Lansing, moved on to match play after shooting 70 in the afternoon for 142 and a tie for seventh.
Pinili, the Division II MHSAA individual state champion earlier this year, said winning stroke play and the overall championship on Thursday are among his goals.
“I shoot for the stars,” he said. “All the things that are good. I want to win my last big junior events and then I want to go to Michigan State, play in every event and be Big Ten Freshman of the Year.”
INFORMATION, SCORES: GAM.org
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