John Quigley (GAM Photo)
John Quigley of Sterling Heights pulled off an incredible eagle-birdie-eagle finish, including the last hole in regulation play and two holes of a three-golfer sudden-death playoff, to win the 42nd GAM Mid-Amateur Championship presented by Stifel Investment Services Thursday at The Highlands at Harbor Springs.
It was the second Mid-Amateur title for Quigley, who also won in 2017, and it unfolded in an unbelievable manner on the No. 18 hole of the Hills Course.
First, Quigley rolled in a 60-foot eagle putt from the back of the green on the par 5 final hole to finish off a final-round 73 for 142 and tie Michael Coriasso of Royal Oak, who had shot a 72 for 142 and was watching from the mounds that surround the hole.
Seconds later Erik Schleicher of Petoskey, playing in the same group as Quigley, made it a three-golfer tie by rolling in a three-foot birdie putt to finish his 74 for 142.
The playoff sent them back to No. 18 tee, and this time Quigley remarkably rolled in a 50-foot putt for birdie on the same line as his previous eagle putt. Coriasso matched the birdie with a 10-foot putt, and Schleicher dropped out and into third place with a missed 12-footer for birdie.
Quigley and Coriasso went back to the 18th tee again, and this time Quigley made a 15-foot putt from the front of the green for eagle and the win.
“That was absolutely crazy,” said Quigley, 41 and a director for Blue Cross Blue Shield. “I think I totally blacked out after the first eagle putt. I actually read it to break more and when I hit it, I thought I pushed it. And then it kind of stayed on the same line over the ridge and I don’t know – that wasn’t me making that. Something put the ball in the right spot, and something put it in the hole. It was the longest putt I’ve made all year.
“The second putt from there was the second longest I’ve made all year – shorter and on the same line, so I hit the same line. There was this tiny white stripe on the green. I don’t know it if was natural, or paint or something. I thought I had to roll the ball over that stripe, and it would go in that second time, and it did. My heart was pumping. I was nervous all day. All the shots on the Hills course make me nervous. Just crazy.
“The last one, I’m thinking why not. I still don’t know how that all happened. It’s going to be crazy emotional for me at some point. I need time to process what happened.”
Drama on the 18th hole was the story of the day across the board as winners were also determined in three other age divisions: Mid-Seniors 45-and-over, Seniors 55-and-over and Super Seniors 65-and-over.
The Senior Divisions were decided on the Heather course with both the Senior champion and the Super Senior champion surviving double bogeys on No. 18 and still winning.
In the Senior Division, Ken Hudson of Lake Orion hit his second shot in the pond that fronts the green, scrambled for a 6 and finished off a 72 for 144.
Mike Ignasiak of Saline shot 72 for 146 to finish second, and John Leach of Macomb, who shot 78, and Kerry Buettner of Grandville, who shot 74, were next at 147.
The Super Senior ended in similar fashion when Randy Lewis of Alma took an unplayable lie drop after his tee shot found tree trouble left of the fairway. He also made 6, finished off a 71 for 143 and still won by three shots.
Greg Zeller of Jackson, who shot 74, was second at 146, and Jeff Knudson of Beverly Hills, who shot 73, finished third at 148.
The Mid-Seniors title went to Anthony Sorentino of Rochester Hills. He shot 73 for 144 and tied for fifth in the championship overall with Greg Davies of West Bloomfield, who shot 75. He was awarded the Mid-Seniors win in a scorecard playoff.
Tyler Hering of Muskegon took fourth in the overall championship, just out of the playoff with the day’s low round of 68 for 142.
“It wasn’t the trophy I was going for, but it’s all good,” said Sorentino, who is 46 and a four-time overall champion of the Mid-Amateur. “I played well. I saw the leaders kind of getting away from us, but it was a good day and I’m happy for John. That was unbelievable stuff.”
Hudson, 59, said he was watching the Senior division leaderboard, especially seniors Mike Ignasiak and Kevin VandenBerg, past champions.
“They are the top of the heap when it comes to senior golf in Michigan, so I was watching very carefully where they were and also trying to play my game,” he said. “I played well today, hit some really good shots, made some nice putts and a couple of crucial up-and-downs. This feels really good, really cool. I just felt very calm today and relaxed and when I do that, I can muster up some good golf.”
Lewis, 67 and the 1998 overall Mid-Amateur winner, won his second Super Senior title of the year. He said five birdies were key and allowed him to make a mistake on 18.
“I hit some nice shots, and putted pretty well, too,” he said. “It’s nice to win and it’s just so beautiful up here. The resort is so spectacular, so it’s pretty special to win here.”
View results for GAM Mid-Amateur
ABOUT THE
GAM Mid-Amateur
36-hole stroke play championship contested over
two days. Open to men, 25 and older; flights include
Mid-Am (5.4 hdcp max), Mid-Senior (8.4 hdcp max),
Seniors (10.4 hdcp max), and Super Seniors (10.4
hdcp max).
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