WERKMEISTER FIRST AMATEUR TO WIN MICHIGAN OPEN IN 38 YEARS
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WASHINGTON, Mich. – Tom Werkmeister, a
45-year-old internet salesman from Kentwood, is just the fifth amateur to win
the Michigan Open Championship in the 96-year history of the tournament, and
the first since 1975.
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| Great form and a strong all-around game propelled him to victory |
“At this point
nothing has been better than this,” said Werkmeister, who was the 2009 Michigan
Amateur champion and has won every significant amateur title in the state in
his career.
“Yes, the Michigan
Amateur (in 2009) is 1A probably, but to win this, in this type of field with a
bunch of mini-tour players out there, that makes me feel pretty good. It is
definitely the highlight.”
Kelpin, who won
the 2012 Michigan Open by eight shots with a record-tying 23-under-par total,
shot 73 to close for an 11-under-par 277. He suffered bogeys at Nos. 16 and 17
by missing short three-foot par putts, and admitted his disappointment.
“It was very
disappointing that I couldn’t make those putts and keep the pressure on Tom and
stay in it coming in,” Kelpin said. “Tom played great. He played better than me
today. He was so steady. Hat’s off to him.”
With Werkmeister,
a dedicated amateur headed to next week’s Michigan Amateur in Muskegon with the
James D. Standish Jr. Trophy for his victory, Kelpin received the $8,000
first-place money from the $50,000 purse.
 |
| Werkmeister holds the Crystal |
Matt Pesta, a
professional from Forest Lake Country Club who shot 71, was next at 281, and
mini-tour pros Matt Thompson of Battle Creek, who shot 72, and Clark Klaasen of
Grand Rapids, who shot 70, tied at 282 with 18-year-old Ypsilanti amateur Henry
Do, who closed with a 71.
Werkmeister said he
drew added inspiration for the week from Julie Breuker, the wife of his close
friend John, who last week was diagnosed with stage four brain cancer.
“For me to be out
here stressing over a four-footer for par really puts things in perspective,”
he said. “It was horrifying news. To offer just a little distraction for him
and his family, for me to offer that distraction, was kind of cool.”
Werkmeister said he
kept his cool through the wind-whipped round by leaning on his years of
experience in competitive golf.
“I stayed with my
plan, and I never really thought I had it won until really the last hole,” he
said. “I wasn’t really nervous on the last hole. I hit it in the fairway, and
even though it was a tough shot with the wind to the green over water, I found
my spot and hit it there. I didn’t play great, but I played steady, stayed in
the lead and feel just great about it.”
Werkmeister will
defend his title at a new site next year. Kevin Helm, the executive director of
the Michigan PGA, announced the Open will move to Prestwick Village Golf Club
in Hartland in 2014. He also announced a new primary sponsor – LaFontaine Automotive
Group. The tournament was played three years at The Orchards with DTE Energy as
the presenting sponsor.
Results- to be put in a data table later.
Place Name Representing 1 Tom Werkmeister - A Kentwood, MI 66 70 67 72 -13 275 $750.00 2 Barrett Kelpin Kalamazoo, MI 69 69 66 73 -11 277 $8,000.00 T3 Andrew Ruthkoski Muskegon, MI 69 67 73 69 -10 278 $4,000.00 Christopher Mory Haslett, MI 75 66 68 69 -10 278 $4,000.00 5 Matt Pesta Forest Lake Country Club 71 72 67 71 -7 281 $2,500.00 T6 Matt Thompson Battle Creek, MI 70 70 70 72 -6 282 $1,750.00 Clark Klaasen Grand Rapids, MI 73 72 67 70 -6 282 $1,750.00 Henry Do - A Ypsilanti, MI 69 71 71 71 -6 282 $500.00 9 Joe Juszczyk Dearborn Heights, MI 73 70 69 71 -5 283 $1,400.00 T10 John Seltzer The Polo Fields Golf & CC 70 71 72 71 -4 284 $1,250.00 Patrick Colburn - A Traverse City, MI 71 70 74 69 -4 284 $400.00 Eric Wohlfield Brighton, MI 70 67 74 73 -4 284 $1,250.00 T13 Lee Houtteman Manitou Passage Golf Club 72 69 72 72 -3 285 $1,000.00 Willie Mack III Flint, MI 75 69 72 69 -3 285 $1,000.00 Drew Preston Ada, MI 70 71 71 73 -3 285 $1,000.00 T16 Ian Harris - A Bloomfield, Hills, MI 72 70 70 74 -2 286 $350.00 Jerred Barley Tecumseh, MI 72 69 74 71 -2 286 $800.00 T18 Jeff Champine - A Rochester Hills, MI 76 74 66 71 -1 287 $300.00 Scott Hebert Grand Traverse Resort & Spa 69 71 74 73 -1 287 $760.00 20 Gary Smithson Thousand Oaks Golf Club 71 75 69 74 +1 289 $720.00 T21 TJ Roberts Walnut Hills Country Club 72 73 73 72 +2 290 $680.00 Jared Dalga -A Grand Rapids, MI 74 72 71 73 +2 290 $250.00 Kyle Wittenbach Lowell, MI 74 71 73 72 +2 290 $680.00 Mark Matz Petoskey, MI 73 75 71 71 +2 290 $680.00 T25 Josh Fryer Franklin Hills Country Club 69 71 77 74 +3 291 $630.00 Otto Black -A Pinckney, MI 71 75 75 70 +3 291 $240.00 Nigel Hawryliw Muskegon, MI 75 73 67 76 +3 291 $630.00 T28 Brian Cairns Fox Hills Golf & Banquet 74 74 70 75 +5 293 $580.00 Eric Lilleboe Okemos, MI 71 73 75 74 +5 293 $580.00 Scott Hayes Kendall Academy of Golf 71 73 71 78 +5 293 $580.00 Sean Friel - A Rochester Hills, MI 75 74 72 72 +5 293 $230.00 T32 Evan Bowser - A Dearborn, MI 75 75 70 74 +6 294 $215.00 Nick Dennis - A Waterford, MI 76 74 70 74 +6 294 $215.00 Joshua Burt Hawk Hollow 74 68 75 77 +6 294 $540.00 T35 Thomas Harding Kendall Academy of Golf 77 69 75 74 +7 295 $510.00 Tim Metko Grand Blanc, MI 73 75 74 73 +7 295 $510.00 T37 John Pershern Lochmoor Club 75 73 78 70 +8 296 $463.33 Dan Urban Grand Rapids Golf Academy 73 73 73 77 +8 296 $463.33 Brett White - A Caledonia, MI 75 69 72 80 +8 296 $190.00 Alex Wunderlich - A Ann Arbor, MI 75 74 72 75 +8 296 $190.00 Justin Kors Whitmore Lake, MI 75 73 69 79 +8 296 $463.33 Alex Dombrowski - A Gaylord, MI 72 73 76 75 +8 296 $190.00 T43 Kyle Martin Lochmoor Club 75 73 71 78 +9 297 $430.00 Erik Schleicher -A Grosse Pointe, MI 77 73 75 72 +9 297 $160.00 Charles Pasco Metamora Golf & CC 75 71 77 74 +9 297 $430.00 David Tokarsky Saginaw Country Club 71 74 76 76 +9 297 $430.00 Brad Bastion - A Clinton Twp, MI 70 77 75 75 +9 297 $160.00 Stephen Nichols -A Lansing, MI 77 73 73 74 +9 297 $160.00 T49 Chris Cunningham - A Milford, MI 72 73 77 76 +10 298 $137.50 T49 Nick Cunningham - A Grand Blanc, MI 74 74 71 79 +10 298 $137.50 Jeff Bronkema Grand Rapids, MI 73 78 75 72 +10 298 $410.00 T52 Randy Erskine Great Oaks Country Club 77 73 73 76 +11 299 $395.00 Jay Jurecic Crystal Falls, MI 75 73 72 79 +11 299 $395.00 T54 Timothy Katanski Ann Arbor Golf & Outing 72 74 77 77 +12 300 $375.00 Jeff Coble Twin Lakes Golf & Swim Club 76 70 76 78 +12 300 $375.00 Brett Quitiquit - A Highland, MI 74 75 72 79 +12 300 $130.00 T57 David Nolan Timberwood Golf Club 75 74 74 78 +13 301 $350.00 Jeffrey Stalcup The Orchards Golf Club 75 75 77 74 +13 301 $350.00 Derrick Sayers Battle Creek, MI 77 74 74 76 +13 301 $350.00 Andrew Yeager - A Grand Rapids, MI 75 73 74 79 +13 301 $122.50 Jake Losey - A Grandville, MI 74 75 78 74 +13 301 $122.50 62 Eric Johnson - A Marquette, MI 79 72 77 74 +14 302 $115.00 63 Steve Brady Oakland Hills Country Club 73 77 74 79 +15 303 $330.00 64 Matthew Zavadil Oakland University Golf & 80 70 76 78 +16 304 $320.00 T65 Luke LaFave Prestwick Village Golf Club 73 77 75 80 +17 305 $305.00 Darren Husse Fenton, MI 71 75 75 84 +17 305 $305.00 Francesco Ruffino - A Bloomfield Hills, MI 73 78 79 75 +17 305 $110.00 T68 Paul Nirenberg - A West Bloomfield, MI 74 73 82 78 +19 307 $102.50 Polo Hourani -A Lansing, MI 74 73 78 82 +19 307 $102.50 70 Zack Bialik - A Manistee, MI 76 73 76 N WD WD
Results- to be put in a data table later.
Place Name Representing 1 Tom Werkmeister - A Kentwood, MI 66 70 67 72 -13 275 $750.00 2 Barrett Kelpin Kalamazoo, MI 69 69 66 73 -11 277 $8,000.00 T3 Andrew Ruthkoski Muskegon, MI 69 67 73 69 -10 278 $4,000.00 Christopher Mory Haslett, MI 75 66 68 69 -10 278 $4,000.00 5 Matt Pesta Forest Lake Country Club 71 72 67 71 -7 281 $2,500.00 T6 Matt Thompson Battle Creek, MI 70 70 70 72 -6 282 $1,750.00 Clark Klaasen Grand Rapids, MI 73 72 67 70 -6 282 $1,750.00 Henry Do - A Ypsilanti, MI 69 71 71 71 -6 282 $500.00 9 Joe Juszczyk Dearborn Heights, MI 73 70 69 71 -5 283 $1,400.00 T10 John Seltzer The Polo Fields Golf & CC 70 71 72 71 -4 284 $1,250.00 Patrick Colburn - A Traverse City, MI 71 70 74 69 -4 284 $400.00 Eric Wohlfield Brighton, MI 70 67 74 73 -4 284 $1,250.00 T13 Lee Houtteman Manitou Passage Golf Club 72 69 72 72 -3 285 $1,000.00 Willie Mack III Flint, MI 75 69 72 69 -3 285 $1,000.00 Drew Preston Ada, MI 70 71 71 73 -3 285 $1,000.00 T16 Ian Harris - A Bloomfield, Hills, MI 72 70 70 74 -2 286 $350.00 Jerred Barley Tecumseh, MI 72 69 74 71 -2 286 $800.00 T18 Jeff Champine - A Rochester Hills, MI 76 74 66 71 -1 287 $300.00 Scott Hebert Grand Traverse Resort & Spa 69 71 74 73 -1 287 $760.00 20 Gary Smithson Thousand Oaks Golf Club 71 75 69 74 +1 289 $720.00 T21 TJ Roberts Walnut Hills Country Club 72 73 73 72 +2 290 $680.00 Jared Dalga -A Grand Rapids, MI 74 72 71 73 +2 290 $250.00 Kyle Wittenbach Lowell, MI 74 71 73 72 +2 290 $680.00 Mark Matz Petoskey, MI 73 75 71 71 +2 290 $680.00 T25 Josh Fryer Franklin Hills Country Club 69 71 77 74 +3 291 $630.00 Otto Black -A Pinckney, MI 71 75 75 70 +3 291 $240.00 Nigel Hawryliw Muskegon, MI 75 73 67 76 +3 291 $630.00 T28 Brian Cairns Fox Hills Golf & Banquet 74 74 70 75 +5 293 $580.00 Eric Lilleboe Okemos, MI 71 73 75 74 +5 293 $580.00 Scott Hayes Kendall Academy of Golf 71 73 71 78 +5 293 $580.00 Sean Friel - A Rochester Hills, MI 75 74 72 72 +5 293 $230.00 T32 Evan Bowser - A Dearborn, MI 75 75 70 74 +6 294 $215.00 Nick Dennis - A Waterford, MI 76 74 70 74 +6 294 $215.00 Joshua Burt Hawk Hollow 74 68 75 77 +6 294 $540.00 T35 Thomas Harding Kendall Academy of Golf 77 69 75 74 +7 295 $510.00 Tim Metko Grand Blanc, MI 73 75 74 73 +7 295 $510.00 T37 John Pershern Lochmoor Club 75 73 78 70 +8 296 $463.33 Dan Urban Grand Rapids Golf Academy 73 73 73 77 +8 296 $463.33 Brett White - A Caledonia, MI 75 69 72 80 +8 296 $190.00 Alex Wunderlich - A Ann Arbor, MI 75 74 72 75 +8 296 $190.00 Justin Kors Whitmore Lake, MI 75 73 69 79 +8 296 $463.33 Alex Dombrowski - A Gaylord, MI 72 73 76 75 +8 296 $190.00 T43 Kyle Martin Lochmoor Club 75 73 71 78 +9 297 $430.00 Erik Schleicher -A Grosse Pointe, MI 77 73 75 72 +9 297 $160.00 Charles Pasco Metamora Golf & CC 75 71 77 74 +9 297 $430.00 David Tokarsky Saginaw Country Club 71 74 76 76 +9 297 $430.00 Brad Bastion - A Clinton Twp, MI 70 77 75 75 +9 297 $160.00 Stephen Nichols -A Lansing, MI 77 73 73 74 +9 297 $160.00 T49 Chris Cunningham - A Milford, MI 72 73 77 76 +10 298 $137.50 T49 Nick Cunningham - A Grand Blanc, MI 74 74 71 79 +10 298 $137.50 Jeff Bronkema Grand Rapids, MI 73 78 75 72 +10 298 $410.00 T52 Randy Erskine Great Oaks Country Club 77 73 73 76 +11 299 $395.00 Jay Jurecic Crystal Falls, MI 75 73 72 79 +11 299 $395.00 T54 Timothy Katanski Ann Arbor Golf & Outing 72 74 77 77 +12 300 $375.00 Jeff Coble Twin Lakes Golf & Swim Club 76 70 76 78 +12 300 $375.00 Brett Quitiquit - A Highland, MI 74 75 72 79 +12 300 $130.00 T57 David Nolan Timberwood Golf Club 75 74 74 78 +13 301 $350.00 Jeffrey Stalcup The Orchards Golf Club 75 75 77 74 +13 301 $350.00 Derrick Sayers Battle Creek, MI 77 74 74 76 +13 301 $350.00 Andrew Yeager - A Grand Rapids, MI 75 73 74 79 +13 301 $122.50 Jake Losey - A Grandville, MI 74 75 78 74 +13 301 $122.50 62 Eric Johnson - A Marquette, MI 79 72 77 74 +14 302 $115.00 63 Steve Brady Oakland Hills Country Club 73 77 74 79 +15 303 $330.00 64 Matthew Zavadil Oakland University Golf & 80 70 76 78 +16 304 $320.00 T65 Luke LaFave Prestwick Village Golf Club 73 77 75 80 +17 305 $305.00 Darren Husse Fenton, MI 71 75 75 84 +17 305 $305.00 Francesco Ruffino - A Bloomfield Hills, MI 73 78 79 75 +17 305 $110.00 T68 Paul Nirenberg - A West Bloomfield, MI 74 73 82 78 +19 307 $102.50 Polo Hourani -A Lansing, MI 74 73 78 82 +19 307 $102.50 70 Zack Bialik - A Manistee, MI 76 73 76 N WD WD
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