By Greg Johnson
Macomb’s Lauren Timpf Wins Michigan Girls’ Junior State Amateur
EAST LANSING – Lauren Timpf wanted to prove something to herself.
The 14-year-old standout from Macomb did just that – winning the 43rd Michigan Girls’ Junior State Amateur Championship at Forest Akers East Golf Course.
“It feels really good because this was my first year moving up to the overall division (age 16-18),” she said after holding off Kate Brody of Grand Blanc, 2 and 1, in the championship match. “Proving to myself that I can play with all these top competitors is a great feeling.”
Timpf dominated in the 15-and-under bracket at age 13 last year winning five consecutive GAM tournaments, including the 15-and-under bracket in the Michigan Girls’ Junior State Amateur. She opted to move up to the championship bracket this year and it wasn’t easy. She had to rally from a 4-down deficit through 12 holes of a quarterfinal match with Elise Fennell of Caledonia, and then turn back 2019 champion Lilia Henkel of Grand Rapids 4 and 3 in the semifinal.
Tournament age records are incomplete, but Timpf is believed to be the youngest winner in championship history. Mia Melendez of Ann Arbor won 15-and-under division championship.
Delcamp and New Partner, Plus Melendez Sisters Take GAM Women’s Four-Ball Titles
ANN ARBOR – Terry Delcamp of Grand Blanc and Joan Garety of Ada had won the Senior Women’s Four-Ball Championship division five times consecutively and six times in the last seven years, but Garety is in Washington state for a family wedding this year.
So, in stepped Garety’s former MSU teammate from years ago, Suzanne Conlin of Ann Arbor, and Delcamp was back in the winner’s circle once again.
Meanwhile, Amaya Melendez, 18, and her 14-year-old sister Mia, played for the first time as partners in a tournament, and on their home course Polo Fields Golf & Country Club, and birdied their way to the Women’s’ Four-Ball Championship open division title. Mia Melendez was fresh off winning the 15-and-under division in the Michigan Girls’ Junior State Amateur the week prior.
Ypsilanti’s Vibhav Alokam, Macomb’s Lauren Timpf Win 14 & Under Match Play Titles 
EAST LANSING – Vibhav Alokam of Ypsilanti came back after being a runner-up a year ago and won, and Lauren Timpf of Macomb triumphed for the second consecutive year in the 5th GAM 14 & Under Match Play Championship at Woodside Golf Course Wednesday.
“It feels amazing,” Alokam said after topping Max VanderMolen of Richland 2 and 1 in the championship match to win a Golf Association of Michigan (GAM) tournament for the first time. “I have been a runner-up the last couple of years, so it feels good to bring it home.”
A field of 32 boys and 16 girls played in the tournament that combined stroke play and match play. After 12 holes of stroke-play qualifying, players were seeded into match-play flights to play three matches against other players of similar ability levels.
“I drove it in play, and I hit it decently on the green and some putts fell, some didn’t, but overall I played well and we got the job done,” Alokam said. “(Match play is) extremely fun because I like to play a little aggressive,” he said. “I’m a risk-reward type of guy so when that pays off, I usually win.”
