Michigan Golf News

STANWOOD, MI. - Tullymore Golf Club , the award-winning Jim Engh design located at St. Ives Resort in Stanwood, Michigan will open its new $7 million clubhouse on August 22. The opening of this new clubhouse marks a major step in the development of the residential Villages of Tullymore.

The beautiful 13,000 square foot stone, glass, and wood clubhouse is the centerpiece of a new $50 million residential recreation community, which will eventually bring up to 600 new residents to the Stanwood area. The new Residence Club at Tullymore is an enclave of four gracious homesteads on the 18th fairway at Tullymore Golf Club, which includes a golfing membership at Tullymore and St. Ives. Classically styled, they're reminiscent of what a second home truly should be - complete with all the features, comforts and quality of the 21st century. From hardwood floors, stainless steel appliances, granite counters and beautiful furnishings. 

THOMPSONVILLE, Mich. - Crystal Mountain Director of Golf Brad Dean is about to realize a lifelong dream as he plays in the 90th PGA Championship at Oakland Hills Country Club. Brad will open the Championship by hitting the first ball off of the first tee at 7:30 a.m. on Thursday morning with Briny Baird and Alastair Forsyth.

Dean qualified for his first major championship, which just happens to be his first PGA Tour event, with a fifteenth place finish at the PGA Club Professionals National Championship at Reynolds Plantation in late-June. The 42-year-old has played in the Club Professionals National Championship five times, exceptional considering most of his time is spent managing Crystal Mountain's two championship courses, retail operations, and an award-winning golf school. 

BLOOMFIELD TOWNSHIP, Mich. - With the eyes of the world turning to Michigan this week for the 90th PGA Championship at Oakland Hills Country Club, results of an independent study were recently released highlighting the importance of golf to the economy of Michigan.

As a leader in the country for golf, the study found that in 2006, golf in Michigan generated 56,977 direct and indirect jobs and over $1.3 billion in golf-related hospitality and tourism spending. The independent study also established that the state's golf industry generated $4.2 billion of direct, indirect and induced economic impact, along with providing multiple areas of positive economic impact on the state. The state ranks first in the nation in number of public golf facilities and third in the nation in the number of 18-hole equivalent courses. 

Benton Harbor, Mich. – New Zealand’s Danny Lee showed why he is among the world’s top-ranked amateurs Sunday, delivering a pair of 4 and 2 match play wins to claim the 2008 Western Amateur Championship at Point O’Woods Golf & Country Club in Benton Harbor, Mich.

Lee became the first winner since Bubba Dickerson in 2001 to take both medalist and match play honors, joining an elite group of dual winners that includes Phil Mickelson (1991), Scott Verplank (1985), Curtis Strange (1974) and Ben Crenshaw (1973). 

BLOOMFIELD TOWNSHIP, Mich. - The 90th PGA Championship has received commitments from 97 of the world's top 100 ranked players, the most for any major this year, continuing a tradition since 1994 of featuring golf's strongest field in the Season's Final Major.

The PGA Championship marks its third return to Oakland Hills Country Club in Bloomfield Township, Mich., Aug. 4-10, with 69 international players representing 19 countries, the most of any U.S. major. 

Benton Harbor, Mich. – Kyle Stanley and Philip Francis, two Western Amateur Sweet 16 veterans, surged into the 36-hole lead Thursday in the 2008 Western Amateur at Point O’Woods Golf & Country Club.

Stanley, who reached the quarterfinals in 2007, fired a 7-under-par 63, the low round of the championship, to tie Francis at 6-under-par 134 atop a list of 46 players who survived the 36-hole cut at 142. Following the final two rounds of stroke play Friday, the field will be trimmed to 16 players for Saturday’s first round of Sweet 16 match play. 

BENTON HARBOR - Will Kropp, a University of Georgia freshman, carded a 4-under-par 66 Wednesday morning in his first competitive round at Point O’Woods Golf & Country Club to take the first-round lead in the 2008 Western Amateur.

Judson “Jude” Eustaquio, a native of the Philippines, was one stroke back at 67 followed by a crowd of 10 who were another shot back at 68.

The Wendy’s Charity Classic has raised over $1,000,000 for foster care adoption programs in Michigan. It’s not your typical golf scramble; the 5th man is actually a woman and, more importantly, an LPGA Tour veteran now playing The Legends Tour, the official senior tour of the LPGA.

“The Wendy franchisees in Jackson wanted to do more than just another golf outing,” says Elaine Crosby, a Michigan resident and two-time LPGA champion. “So I brought in some of my friends from the LPGA Tour for a pro-am. We raised over $100,000 that first year.” 

Fast forward to 2007 when the event raised $170,000 to push the totals past the million dollar mark. “Things have definitely evolved since we started,” notes Crosby, “Maybe because now I’m on The Legends Tour (laughs), but I think bringing in the more experienced pros who have played the LPGA for years and now can actually enjoy the game has brought so much personality to our pro-am.”

Each year the National Kidney Foundation of Michigan (NKFM) gives ordinary citizens a special opportunity to compete like professionals and help a worthy cause by competing in the National Kidney Foundation Golf Classic. The 2008 Golf Classic is being held in several Michigan cities including Ann Arbor, Clarkston, Grand Rapids, Lansing and Northville.

NKFM’s Golf Classic is designed for four-person, amateur teams who compete in an 18-hole, scramble-style tournament. To be eligible, a team must consist of four players whose USGA Handicap Indexes total 42.0 or more. Only one golfer from each team may have a USGA Handicap Index of 8.0 or less. 

HARBOR SPRINGS - Golf Channel's popular original production Big Break is returning with a series-first team format that will test each competitor's game as much as their relationship in its 10th season.

Big Break X: Michigan promises new excitement as eight two-person teams, comprised of a male and female, will face some of the most grueling competition in series history in which they could win a lifelong dream at the risk of losing a lifelong friendship.