Reed Hrynewich Enters Match Play As Medalist

Match Play Next: Muskegon’s Reed Hrynewich Takes Michigan Amateur Medalist Honors

SOUTHFIELD – Reed Hrynewich of Muskegon was the 36 hole medalist in the 104th Michigan Amateur Championship and will carry the number one seed into Wednesday’s Match Play.

“The rough is tough, and you have to hit fairways and greens, so it’s going to be a great match play course,” the University of Michigan golfer said after shooting a 67 to go with a first-round 69 for a 136. “That’s my game.”

Two rounds of Match Play on Wednesday will determine the prestigious “Sweet 16,” who are honored with a dinner after play. Two rounds of matches on Thursday and on Friday will determine a champion.

Hrynewich, who was also low amateur in the recent Michigan Open Championship, finished two shots ahead of Pinckney’s Otto Black, a University of Toledo golfer who shot 71 for 138. The second round was played at par 69 instead of 70 because the No. 13 hole was flooded by storms overnight and played as a par 3 hole instead of a par 4.

Donnie Trosper of Canton, last year’s Golf Association of Michigan Junior Boys Player of the Year, shot 66 for 139 and third. Brad Bastion of Shelby Township, the GAM’s Player of the Year in 2013, shot 69 for 140 where he was tied with Oxford’s Kyle Gaines, a University of Detroit Mercy golfer who shot 71, Northwood University golfer Kory Roberts of Battle Creek, who shot 67, and 40-year-old Andrew Smith of Troy, who shot 69.

Defending champion Henry Do of Canton, a University of North Carolina golfer, shot 71 for 141 and was tied with another Northwood golfer, Paul Otsby of Mt. Morris, who also shot 71.

The cut to the low 64 for the match play bracket fell at 150 where 10 golfers played off for the final nine spots. Match plays starts at 8 a.m. with Hrynewich playing No. 64 seed Crawford McKinlay, a Wayne State University golfer from Detroit.

Hrynewich, who was named Michigan’s most improved golfer this year, said one of his goals this week was to win the qualifying medalist honors.

“I haven’t won a stroke play event in like forever, and this is 36 holes against the best players in the state so that feels good, especially after I was low amateur in the Michigan Open,” he said.

His next goal is to win it, and he plans to get more aggressive with the putter.

“I shot 67 with 34 putts, hit 17 greens (in regulation) and hit a par 5 in two shots,” he said. “I missed one green by one foot. I hit a lot of shots close (to the hole). The greens were a little bumpy late in the day and I just couldn’t get them to go in, but I’m really happy with my ball striking. In match play I can go after some of those putts I’ve been getting more aggressively. It’s a different game, and I always seem to putt better in match play.”

Black, who led after the first round Monday, shot his 71 despite a lost ball on his first tee shot of the day off No. 1. He took an aggressive line over the corner of the dogleg and could not find the ball.

“It was perfect, too, so I had my caddie stay there and watch this one land and I hit the same drive,” he said. “Found that one. It was a tough break, but I just drew a line across the card like Keegan Bradley and started a new game after that. I played solid the rest of the way.”

The match play bracket and scores can be found at www.gam.org.

As with all GAM tournaments, spectators are welcome and admission is free. Live scoring is also available at www.gam.org where you can find daily tournament coverage and photo galleries. Also, friend and follow the GAM on Facebook and Twitter.