Defending champion Henry Do of Canton defended his Michigan Amateur title through the first two rounds of Match play Wednesday, with wins over Austin Carter of Port Sanilac (2-up) and Evan Bowser of Dearborn (4 and 3).
“I have good spurts and bad spurts,” Do said. “Going through a grip change so working through that. I got it going this afternoon on seven, knocked it on and made eagle and then just made good shots to hold Evan off. I feel great about my game. I like the one-on-one of match play. I feel confident out there. I love the course and feel like I can make birdies out there.”
Do, a University of North Carolina golfer, will face A.J. Verekois of Rockford a Michigan State University golfer, in the round of sixteen.
Tom Werkmeister, the 2014 Golf Association of Michigan Player of the Year, topped Brad Bastion, the 2013 GAM Player of the Year, 1-up in their afternoon match. Werkmeister, a regular in the Sweet 16, will play another Kentwood area golfer, Brett White, who plays college golf at Eastern Michigan.
Ryan Johnson of New Boston, the 2014 GAM Champion, topped 2013 GAM Champion Scott Strickland of Birmingham 4 and 3 in another key afternoon match after beating Ryan Mouw of Muskegon 3 and 2 in the morning. Johnson has made the Sweet 16 three consecutive years.
Meanwhile, seventeen year old Austin Jenner of West Branch downed number one seed Reed Hrynewich 2 and 1 to earn his spot in Thursday’s round of 16 at the 104th Michigan Amateur.
“My goal was to try and make it as far as I can,” Jenner said of his first Michigan Amateur Championship. “That was my best tournament round this year. I made a couple good putts. He was 1-under or 2-under and I was 3-under. I played very well. I don’t feel like it was an upset. I made a good putt on the first hole, 35 or 40 feet and it settled me down and it went on from there.”
Jenner, who outlasted 44-year-old David Hall of Birmingham in 19 holes in his morning round of 32 match before knocking off Hrynewich, will play Oakland Community College golfer Justin Pahl of White Lake in the round of 16.
“This course sets up for me well,” Jenner said after beating Hrynewich, a University of Michigan golfer who was low amateur in the recent Michigan Open. “It is pretty tight so you have to keep it pretty straight.”
The Sweet Sixteen of the 2015 Michigan Amateur features a diverse group of competitors. Their ages range from seventeen to fifty, and include a high school student, college golfers, and businessmen.
The championship includes two more rounds of match play on Thursday to determine a final four. Semifinal and final matches are Friday.
The match play bracket 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.
The 2015 Michigan Amateur “Sweet 16”
- Austin Jenner, 17, West Branch, Skeels Christian School 4.0 student
- Note: He doesn’t play high school golf. AJGA golf instead.
- Justin Pahl, 19, White Lake, Oakland Community College golfer
- Note: Second time in Sweet 16 in the last three years.
- Henry Do, 20, Canton, University of North Carolina golfer
- Note: He is the defending champion.
- A.J. Verekois, 19, Rockford, Michigan State University golfer
- Note: Beat his college assistant coach Dan Ellis in round of 32.
- Tom Werkmeister, 47, self-employed internet salesman
- Note: He was the 2009 Champion, and 2013 Michigan Open winner.
- Brett White, 22, Caledonia, Eastern Michigan University golfer
- Note: His sister Sarah was the 2014 GAM Junior Girls Golfer of the Year.
- Kyle Gaines, 20, Oxford, University of Detroit Mercy golfer
- Note: He is in the Sweet 16 for the second consecutive year.
- Ryan Johnson, 30, New Boston, club-fitter at Carl’s Golfland
- Note: 2014 GAM champion, Type 1 Diabetic
- Otto Black, 21, Pinckney, University of Toledo golfer
- Note: 3-for-3 in making the Sweet 16, two-time All-MAC
- Francesco Ruffino, 20, Bloomfield Hills, University of South Florida golfer
- Note: Won Michigan Junior Amateur and Michigan Junior Stroke Play
- Brett Quitiquit, 26, Highland, assistant golf coach Siena Heights University
- Note: Was runner-up in the 2010 NAIA National Championships for Siena
- Brett Green, 21, Alma, Tiffin (Ohio) University golfer
- Note: Was part of a GLIAC Championship team this year
- Tyler Polulak, 21, DeWitt, Grand Valley State University golfer
- Note: Was part of the 2010-11 Division 2 state championship team at DeWitt
- Steve McKalko, 50, Troy, salesman for Answer Technology Group
- Note: He is a two-time qualifier for the U.S. Mid-Amateur
- Kory Roberts, 22, Battle Creek, Northwood University golfer
- Note: Was 3-time first-team All-State in Division 1 while at BC Lakeview High
- Kyle Rodes, 20, Plymouth, Eastern Michigan University golfer
- Note: He caddies at Barton Hills Country Club; 2013 Mr. Golf in Michigan
WEDNESDAY RESULTS:
Round of 64
- Reed Hrynewich d. Crawford McKinlay 7 and 5
- Austin Jenner d. David Hall 19 holes
- Nathan Clark d. Sean Sooch 7 and 5
- Justin Pahl d. Austin Eccleton 3 and 1
- Henry Do d. Austin Carter 2-up
- Evan Bowser d. James Piot 3 and 2
- AJ Verekois d. Paul Otsby 19 holes
- Dan Ellis d. Michael Busse 2 and 1
- Brad Bastion d. Jonathan Larson 4 and 2
- Tom Werkmeister d. Jake Kneen 2 and 1
- Brett White d. Timothy Coffey 4 and 3
- Tom Gieselman d. Chris Beltzer 5 and 4
- Kyle Gaines d. Jeff Champine 3 and 1
- Mike Garland d. Andrew Stevens 3 and 1
- Scott Strickland d. Bill O’Connor 5 and 4
- Ryan Johnson d. Ryan Mouw 3 and 2.
Otto Black d. Scott Sparks 3 and 1 - Blake English d. Ken Hudson 3 and 1
- Sam Weatherhead d. Patrick Cansfield 3 and 2
- Frecesco Ruffino d. Austin Kreger 4 and 3
- Dieter Schulz d. Andrew Smith 1-up
- Brett Quitiquit d. Domenic Mancinelli 1-up
- Brent Green d. Anthony Sorentino 3 and 1
- Andrew Tindell d. Carson Castellani 1-up
- Donnie Trosper d. Andrew Yeager 19 holes
- Tyler Polulak d. Alexander Dombrowski 2 and 1
- Steve McKalko d. Patrick Schaffler 4 and 3
- Adam Anderson d. Rick Herpich 2 and 1
- Kory Roberts d. Kelly Robinson 4 and 3
- Tom Stevens d. Rob Spears 2 and 1
- Matthew Zerbel d. Kyle Rybicki 3 and 2
- Kyle Rodes d. Winton Munch 2 and 1.
ROUND OF 32
- Jenner d. Hrynewich 2 and 1
- Pahl d. Clark 5 and 4
- Do d. Bowser 4 and 3
- Varekois d. Ellis 19 holes
- Werkmeister d. Bastion 1-up
- White d. Gieselman
- Gaines d. Garland 5 and 4
- Johnson d. Strickland 4 and 3.
- Black d. English 2-up
- Ruffino d. Weatherhead 20 holes
- Quitiquit d. Schulz 1-up
- Green d. Tindall 4 and 3
- Polulak d. Trosper 2 and 1
- McKalko d. Anderson 1-up
- Roberts d. Stevens 4 and 3
- Rodes d. Zerbel 4 and 3.
ABOUT THE GAM: The Golf Association of Michigan, founded in 1919, is the governing body for amateur golf in the state. As a not-for-profit organization, the GAM’s purpose is to represent, promote, preserve, and serve the best interests of the game. The association provides membership to more than 60,000 golfers and more than 400 golf courses, conducts 29 amateur championships with more than 70 days of qualifying and competition for golfers of all abilities, and oversees 18 USGA qualifying events each year. The GAM also hosts several one-day golf events called GAM Golf Days that allow GAM members to play in a less-competitive setting than a traditional tournament, and also conducts a popular state championship scramble event and sends teams to state and international match play events. In addition, the GAM is licensed by the United States Golf Association to measure and rate golf courses in the state of Michigan in accordance with the USGA Course Rating System. The GAM enables its members to post scores and establish an official GAM/USGA handicap index. Visit www.gam.org for more information.
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