Tournament of Champions and Michigan PGA titles
It appears that Jeff Roth cannot stop making Michigan golf history.
It also didn’t hurt that his two back-to-back majors in August were hosted at golf properties where he has, and still does, work.
The 61-year-old Boyne Golf Academy instructor shot a 17-under 199 in the 54-hole Michigan PGA Professional Championship at Flint Golf Club, August 19-21.
It was the 5th Michigan PGA Professional title for the Michigan Golf Hall of Fame member who lived in the Flint area and worked at Flint Golf Club as head golf professional through the 1990s. It
also was Roth’s second major Michigan section win in August, after victory at the Tournament of Champions just a few weeks before at Boyne Mountain Resort. Roth has now moved out of a tie with Scott Hebert (head pro at Traverse City Golf & Country Club) for the most major Michigan wins in PGA Section history.
The latest, major number 17, came at the same golf club where he claimed his first in the now-defunct Michigan PGA Yamaha Classic 32 years ago.
“This is just a wonderful accomplishment to be able to come back after working here so many years, being the head pro and living in the Genesee County area for over 20 years and getting my first Michigan major here,” Roth said. “Coming back 32 years later to win number 17 is pretty special for sure. You never know when it will be the last. I will just keep competing as hard as I can.”
Roth, who earned the $7,000 first-place check, was four shots better than Ben Cook of Yankee Springs Golf Course in Wayland. Cook, age 25 and the first-place money winner a year ago, finished four shots behind Roth.
Roth’s earlier win on Boyne’s Alpine Course topped Barrett Kelpin of Kalamazoo by one stroke for his record 6th Tournament of Champions title. The unique tournament invites male, female, senior, junior, professional and amateur golf champions of significant Michigan events to compete for one title.
At Boyne, Hebert tied for third with Mike Nagy of Manistique, the 2017 TOC champ. Henry Do of Auburn Hills, the low amateur in the tournament, placed 5th and Suzy Green-Roebuck of Ann Arbor was the low female in the field, 7th overall.
Content by Greg Johnson
