Michigan Golf Journal August 2019

Sage Run Hole 12 15 August 2019 www.michigangolfjournal.com what you’re going to see is the start of a great tradition and a tournament teams will want to return to year after year, especially when they see how strongly this community will embrace golf and support this event.” MSU will be one of two downstate Michigan teams, along with Detroit Mercy, to make the adventure up to the Upper Peninsula. “Anytime you get to compete in your home state, you always want to take advantage of that unique opportunity,” said Casey Lubahn, the head coach at MSU. “The UP is close to my heart and our Associate Head Coach Dan Ellis grew up there, so it was important for both of us to support such a great event.  We are going to compete with the entire team and make it a special week for the guys.  Sage Run is fantastic and will be a wonderful test for teams from all over the U.S.  All in all, a memorable way to kick off our season.”  Sage Run plays around, over and through a scenic ridge that was shaped by glacial activity. Golfers experience winding holes through the trees and some open areas with tremendous variety of landscape and shot values. Natural long grasses edge the bunkers, and some of the short par 4s have blind shots to the greens. Albanese said Royal County Down in Northern Ireland, rated among the world’s top courses, served as inspiration for the course bunkering. “We’re excited to be bringing in top intercollegiate talent from around the country to showcase and take on Sage Run,” said Tony Mancilla, the Island Resort General Manager. “It will be interesting to see how the golf course holds up to top-flight talent and how the players react to the challenges the course presents.” The tournament is free of charge to fans who would like to watch great golf in a very unique setting unlike most collegiate courses these teams generally tackle. For more information on the inaugural Island Resort Collegiate at Sage Run, visit www.islandresortgolf.com