By Terry Moore
In an unlikely set of events last August, a young golf professional won a major Michigan tournament – but didn’t lift the trophy in celebration.
Huh?
Surprisingly to most fans, that’s what happened to Caledonia’s Ben Cook, an assistant pro at Cascade Hills CC at the time, who won the 2018 PGA Championship at Flint Golf Club.
Cook fired rounds of 66, 71, 69 for a 10-under par total of 206, one shot better than Lee Houtteman and Scott Hebert. But Cook wasn’t eligible to win the title due to a Michigan PGA rule that stipulates 60 days of employment in the Michigan Section prior to the championship. The rule was enacted to prevent pros outside the state “cherry picking” the Michigan PGA tournament.
As a result, Lee Houtteman won in a playoff over Hebert and claimed the trophy and represented the Michigan Section at the PGA Tour Rocket Mortgage Classic in Detroit in June. As 
consolation, Cook did take home the first-place check of $6,700 and earned a coveted spot in this past May’s 2019 PGA Professional National Championship (PNC) at Belfair in Bluffton, S.C. After the tournament in Flint, Cook took it all in stride without complaint.
“I beat everybody, won a nice check and I get to go to the PNC,” Cook said at the time. “Those were my goals this week. I understand the situation. This is great for me and my confidence.”
And he took advantage of his spot at the PNC, finishing fourth in the tournament which earned him $26,000 and an exemption into this year’s PGA Championship at Bethpage Black. Although he failed to make the cut in May, Cook had the distinction of being one of only 20 club pros in the country to play in the major. So, one could say although he didn’t hoist the trophy at Flint GC in 2018, he did end up winning over $33,000 for his stellar play last August.
Cook’s climb to golf prominence has been under the radar but steady. He played competitively at Grand Rapids South Christian High School and earned a scholarship to Ferris State University. Under then coach Mike Mignano, Cook’s game blossomed. Twice he was the Conference’s Player of the Year and was a two-time Division II PING All-America. As a senior two years ago, he led the Bulldogs to the quarterfinals of the National Division II championship. He also holds the program record of low competitive round of 64.
After graduating, Cook took a job at as an assistant at a club in Cleveland, OH which allowed him to play in the Northern Ohio PGA Section’s championship. Entering the final round a few shots behind the leader, Cook came from behind to win the title. As he did at Flint GC, he shot 69.
“Maybe I like to chase,” said Cook.
Cook says his strengths as a player are his driving and overall ball striking.
“I hit my driver pretty far and I’m a good long iron player.”
At Flint, he dominated the par-5s.
“I got to most of them in two and had a lot of two-putt birdies. But I also putted very well that week,” Cook added.
Currently, Cook is a teaching professional at Yankee Springs Golf Course in Wayland.
Dating back to 1922 and with notable past champions such as Walter Hagen, Jimmy Demaret, Chick Harbert, Horton Smith, the Michigan PGA Championship returns to Flint GC on August 19-21. This year Ben Cook aims to have his name permanently etched on that storied trophy.
A member of the Michigan Golf Hall of Fame and the Golf Writers Association of America, Terry Moore lives in Grand Rapids.
