By Greg Johnson, GAM.org
Timpf Wins Michigan Junior Girls Championship Again
Weather and air quality issues interrupted the play in the Michigan Girls Junior Championship last month at MSU’s Forest Akers Golf Club. In the final match Lauren Timpf, from Macomb defeated Grosse Ile’s Lily Bargamian 2 & 1 for her second Michigan Junior Girls Amateur title.
Timpf, previously won the Wright Trophy in 2021, but the senior-to-be at Macomb Lutheran North said this one means a little more.
“Back when I won the other one I was on top of my game and then I kind of went through a little slump last year and I wasn’t playing my best,” she said. “So coming out here and proving to myself that I can win and compete again feels amazing.”
Timpf, who is committed to the golf program at Purdue University after completing high school, closed the match out on the par 5 No. 17 hole with a par.
“I’m definitely disappointed because I had opportunities, but happy that I made it this far,” said Bargamian, who is headed to Oakland University for college golf. “Neither of us played our best, and there were some rough breaks, but Lauren played better than I did.”
Esther Zhang Wins Under 15 Junior Girls Championship
The 15-and-under Michigan Girls Junior Championship bracket was decided when Esther Zhang of Ann Arbor won the title with a 4 and 3 win over Madilyn Sheerin of Grand Blanc.
“It means, I’m not so bad at golf,” said Zhang who noted she was shooting in the 80s last summer, but this summer she shoots 70s and wins trophies. “I feel very proud of myself. I’m playing the best of my life. I was very glad I even made it to the finals. I surprised myself and now I’m feeling very tired.”
Zhang was also the 15-and-under stroke play medalist, but was forced to go 20 holes in semifinal match to slip past Tula Puzzuoli of Washington Township to make it into the final match.
Meekhof Wins Michigan Amateur Title
August Meekhof, a Michigan State University golfer from Eastmanville, lost in the Michigan Amateur Championship semifinals in both 2020 and 2022, but came back this year determined to win it all.
He accomplished his goal by topping Will Anderson, a University of Michigan golfer from Portage, 2 and 1, to win the 112th Michigan Amateur Championship presented by Carl’s Golfland on the North Course at Oakland Hills Country Club.
“It feels really good,” Meekhof said. “This field is one of the greatest fields we play against and obviously match play is really hard and it’s a long week for sure. This is something that I have wanted to win for a while now. I’ve been close the past couple of years, but never got it. It feels good to finally be the Michigan Amateur champion.”
Meekhof said the pair acknowledged the MSU vs. UM rivalry before the final match, but talked more about the fact that have known and competed against each other since they were eight years old.
“It was a little bittersweet beating a friend,” Meekhof said. “You want your friends to do well, but then when you’re playing them, you want to beat them.”
Meekhof and Anderson each have one more year remaining at their schools, and they both plan to try professional golf in the future. Immediately after his win, Meekhof drove to Pinehurst to play in the prestigious North and South Amateur.
“This is a great confidence boost for me going into that national tournament, and the golf course this week was tough, one of the best country club courses I’ve ever played,” he said. “I do like match play. It was a long week but I enjoyed it.”
Ignasiak Takes GAM Senior Match Play Title
Mike Ignasiak of Saline called the championship match a grind, playing against Michigan Golf Hall of Fame member, Greg Davies.
“Those last eight guys in the bracket, any one of them can win this tournament easily,” he said. “Then to go up against Greg in the final – he’s a Hall of Famer who never gives up. He’s never out of a hole. I don’t care where he hits it. He always seems to chip in or make a long putt. He does things that are kind of ‘hey, don’t forget about me. I’m still here.’”
Ignasiak made a critical par save on hole 16 to maintain his 1-up lead and then won the 17th hole with a par to hold off Davies 2 and 1 in the title match of the 15th GAM Senior Match Play Championship presented by Stifel Investment Services Friday at Flint Golf Club.
“I was playing so good coming in and I was feeling really confident because this course suits me,” said Ignasiak, a 57-year-old former Major League Baseball pitcher who as an amateur golfer is a former GAM Mid-Amateur champion (2007) and runner-up to Andrew Chapman in the Michigan Amateur Championship (2013).
John Morgan Wins Super Senior Match Play
John Morgan of Novi, who has played very little tournament golf since 1996, celebrated his return by topping defending champion Bill Zylstra of Dearborn Heights 3 and 2 in the final match.
“I’m back,” said Morgan, a 66-year-old now-retired auto sales executive who was the GAM Golfer of the Decade in the 1980s after winning the 1985 Michigan Amateur Championship, the 1983 and ’84 GAM Championship and the first two of his three GAM Mid-Amateur titles (1985, ’88 and ’96).
“I feel fantastic. It’s such a great honor to get my name on a trophy again. To come out for the first time in however many years and have a special week feels really good.”
The champion bested 2013 champion Mike Raymond of Jackson 2-up in the semifinals. He trailed Zylstra, early in the final match, but battled back for the win.
Morgan said he has maintained flexibility and it is critical to his golf swing.
“I can still move it and playing in the Super Senior I’ve got a little bit of advantage in hitting it out there and hitting shorter irons in,” he said. “I was swinging good all week, too. I didn’t putt that well, but it was a good ball-striking week. You hit it in the middle of these greens and you are going to have some birdie putts.”
