Michigan Golf Journal July 2019

Michigan Amateur Champion: Ben Smith By Tom Lang Ben Smith’s Michigan Am week started out great – and it ended great. Smith was one of a handful of players in the Michigan Amateur to get a surprise visit from Hall of Famer Jack Nicklaus on the Oakland Hills North Course putting green, during a Monday afternoon practice round. Nicklaus was at the club to headline the #GAM100 centennial celebration. Come Saturday (June 22), Smith was celebrating as well, as the 2019 Michigan Amateur champion, after a 2-and-1 victory over Patrick Sullivan of Grosse Pointe. Smith, from Novi who plays at Georgia Tech, said meeting Nicklaus really set a great vibe for the entire week. “That was an amazing experience, meeting the great man. I was definitely in a good mood to start the whole week. Definitely played a big part there.” Michigan Open: Eric Lilleboe By Greg Johnson Eric Lilleboe of Okemos was declared the winner of the 102nd Michigan Open Championship after the final round was rained out after 54 holes. Heavy rain between the third and fourth rounds in mid-June left several holes on The Bear course with standing water issues. Lilleboe, who had a five- shot lead on the field through three rounds at 13-under par, won the first-place check of $8,000 out of the total purse of $55,000 and said winning the Michigan Open is tops in his golf career. “It is my home state’s open and I beat a lot of great players,” he said. “It is sinking in that my name is going to be on that (James D. Standish Jr. Trophy) forever with some amazing other names. It is really cool. I’m happy to be champion.” Michigan Women’s Open: Anika Dy By Greg Johson Traverse City’s Anika Dy had home-course advantage and more importantly a sizzling putter on the back nine in the final round on the way to a 5-shot victory in the 26th Michigan PGA Women’s Open Championship. Dy is a 17-year-old Crystal Mountain Resort cart lot attendant who grew up playing the Mountain Ridge Course.   “This is my fifth or sixth year playing in this and I’ve never done very well,” she said after closing with a 12-under 204 total. “This year I just really felt it. I’m super happy to be able to win at my home course.”   As a recent Traverse City West High School graduate headed to Michigan in the fall, is just the second amateur to win the open championship that draws professionals and amateurs from across the country and is the youngest to ever win. Michigan Majors