Greg Davies Wins 95th Michigan Amateur Photo by Kevin Frisch, Resort & Marketing

The 95th Michigan Amateur Championship was played on the Heather at Boyne Highlands.

By Jack Berry

ive-foot-seven Greg Davies and 2002 champion Korey nal and dusting Spartan All-Big was the giant-killer of the Mahoney in the quarterfinals, then Ten 6-foot-5 Ryan Brehm by the F95th Michigan Amateur Michigan State golf team member same stunning 5-4 margin to earn Championship, knocking medalist Brandon Cigna, 5-4, in the semifi- the Staghorn Trophy.

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“This is the Granddaddy tourna- into his left armpit and he’s been Michigan golf, designed by Robert ment, the one every amateur wants making nearly everything since. Trent Jones and celebrating its 40th to win,” said Davies who has been Davies was 1-under- in anniversary, never looked better as it playing the Amateur for nearly 20 defeating Brehm who rarely used proved once again it is a champi- years. his balky driver in favor of a 2- onship course with its 10 doglegs, 60 . Consequently, Brehm’s deep bunkers with sparkling new Davies was outdriven by nearly shots landed in the same area as PGA Tour sand. With no rain since every rival but he won with nearly Davies’ driver. But Davies’ iron Monday, the greens were lightning- flawless fairways and greens play. shots invariably finished below the quick for putts from above the hole. Davies, a 38-year-old financial hole and Brehm had scary downhill Davies’ putt on the par 3 sixth slid advisor from West Bloomfield, is putts. With the Heather course’s down off the green and nearly went the oldest champion in the usually greens firm and sun-baked, any- into the bog. He had to chip back and collegian-dominated Amateur since thing above the hole was fatal. bogied the hole as did Brehm who Randy Lewis won in 1999 at the three-putted it. age of 42. “I dug myself into a hole,” said Brehm, 20, who will be a junior at There was another slippery Davies played college golf, too MSU in the fall. “The greens were slope for slow players during the — he graduated from Oklahoma in faster than they were in the morn- championship. The GAM adopted 1990 and was on the golf team ing (semifinal when he defeated the Pace pf Play policy that’s been with Todd Hamilton, winner of the John Barry, 3-2) and they were in in effect in a number of other 2004 British Open and Craig Perks, tough spots but they were fair. “I states. The pace is 15 minutes per winner of the 2002 Players dug myself a hole early when Greg hole and if the whole group is Championship. birdied the third hole and I was 5 behind that time at the turn, each down at the turn. I tried to make one is penalized a stroke. If the “I knew my game didn’t match things happen, I scratched and group finishes the 18th hole after those guys so I figured I’d better clawed and it was pretty much that the expected time there is a two get a job,” Davies said, laughing. way all week.” stroke if it is the second breach, a one stroke if the first. He’s compiled a good amateur But Brehm said he felt good record including the 2005 Golf about going into the Michigan “It takes away officials holding Association of Michigan Mid- Open at the Bear and Davies will stop watches,” Director of Rules and Amateur title which he also won at be there too. So will Mahoney, who Competition Ken Hartmann said. Boyne Highlands, two Syron finished his college career at “There are atomic clocks at the fifth, Memorials, two Michigan Publinx Eastern Michigan and is turning ninth, 14th and 18th greens so play- Match Plays, and a Michigan pro at the Open on the Bear at ers can see their time.” Medal Play championship. It was at Grand Traverse Resort and Spa. the Horton Smith/Michigan Medal Six players were penalized over Play earlier this year that a case of This was the second time the the first two days of qualifying the yips led him to switch to a long Amateur’s been played at the and the word spread . He tucks the end of the grip Heather and the jewel of northern fast to keep pace. MG

95th Michigan Amateur on the Web: http://michigangolfer.com/2006shows/boynegolf/

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