By Greg Johnson, PGA Section
ACME – Amateur Jake Kneen of White Lake played what he called one of the grittiest round of his life, overcame a triple-bogey bite from the Bear’s 16th hole, and held on to win the 101st Michigan Open Championship at Grand Traverse Resort and Spa.
The 22-year-old amateur shot 75 Thursday in the final round for an 8-under 280 for a two shot-win over mini-tour player James Holley of Howell (72), who moved to Michigan in the winter with his fiancé and plans to go to Web.com Qualifying in the fall.
“Wow, I think I had six birdies, six bogeys and a triple (bogey),” he said. “Man, it was up and down today. I just kept my head down and kept fighting. I knew I still had the lead even after the triple at 16. I just kept telling myself, ‘you are still ahead, just make some pars and steady out the round.’ Fortunately, I was able to do that.”
Kneen – a former Michigan Junior Amateur champion who just this spring was the Horizon League Golfer of the Year for Oakland University – becomes just the 6th amateur to win the state Open championship, and just the 2nd in the last 43 years. Tom Werkmeister of Grandville, who became a professional this year at age 50, broke a streak of 38 wins by professionals in 2013.
“It means a lot, and just really validates a lot of the work that I’ve put in,” Kneen said. “This is one of the biggest tournaments of the year for me personally, and it also validates what I want to do. My dream is to be a pro and me winning a tournament like this shows that it is not outrageous that I want to do that.”
Former PGA Tour players Tom Gillis, awaiting age 50 and the PGA Tour Champions, closed with a 70 for 283 and third place.
Mini-tour player Michael Nagy of Manistique, and Andrew Walker of Battle Creek, a Michigan State University golfer, shot 68s for 284 and a tie for 4th.
Mini-tour player Eric Lilleboe of Okemos, who shot 77, and Saline amateur Ian Martin, who shot 68, tied at 285.
SCORES: Complete results can be found at michiganpgagolf.com
