Michigan Golf Journal September 2020

33 September 2020 www.michigangolfjournal.com PJ Maybank III of Cheboygan has some impressive golf credentials – winning the celebrated Drive, Chip and Putt at Augusta National at age 13, and previously winning Golf Association of Michigan junior tournaments and others on the traveling golf circuit. He called winning the 42nd Michigan Junior State Amateur Championship at TPC Michigan, the biggest win so far. “To be the number one junior in Michigan, that means a lot to me,” said the smiling 15-year-old who topped Evan McDermott of Spring Lake 5 and 4 in the championship match. This feels amazing. This was one of my big goals coming into the summer – to do well in this event and hopefully win it. I’m very happy I won.” Robert Burns of Grand Blanc was the other big winner on the day. He won the 15-and- under Division Championship with a 6-and-5 triumph over Vibhav Alokam of Ypsilanti in the final match. Junior State Amateur: PJ Maybank III Jimmy Chestnut of Royal Oak fought off final-round nerves he had not confronted for a long time and won his second GAM Championship in August, 12 years after his first. With a 7-under tournament total the 38-year-old attorney rallied to catch and pass Ann Arbor’s Tyler Copp (winner of the Michigan Amateur in late June), who shot 6-under in the 99th edition of the GAM Championship “I’ve won the Michigan Amateur and the GAM, and now the GAM again and to win three of the big GAM events is a big deal for me,” Chestnut said. “It kicks me up a notch, I guess to another level in my mind, and to do it 12 years later is special.” Chestnut’s first GAM Championship makes the last golfer to win the GAM Championship and the Michigan Amateur in the same year (2008). James Piot of Canton, the current MSU standout, checked in third at 5-under – just before heading to Bandon Dunes to play in the U.S. Amateur, where he was runner up medalist in stroke play qualifying. He was knocked out in the second round of match play. (see story next page) MGJ GAM Championship: Jimmy Chestnut