Written By: Greg Johnson
BATTLE CREEK – Hot day, hot golf and the final four golfers were determined in the 48th Michigan Junior Amateur Championship Wednesday at Bedford Valley Golf Club.
Sumner Meekhof of Coopersville, Harris Hoekwater of Grand Rapids, Jack Klimek of Ada and Tommy Preston of Grand Rapids made a lot of birdies and made it an all-West Michigan foursome for Thursday morning’s semifinal matches. The championship match will follow in the afternoon.
Meekhof will meet Hoekwater in the 8 a.m. match, and Klimek will play Preston in the 8:10 match.
Meekhof, the younger brother of former Michigan Amateur and two-time GAM Champion August Meekhof, beat Drew Rzeppa of Rochester Hills 2 and 1 in a morning Round of 16 match and then made five birdies on the front nine on the way to beating Sawyer O’Grady of Grand Rapids 7 and 6 in the quarterfinal match.
“I know Sawyer pretty well and we’re good buddies, so I was just trying to have fun out there,” said Meekhof, who is 17 and will be a senior at Allendale High School in the fall. “I wasn’t expecting the match to be like that. Sawyer struggled some off the tee, but I won four out of five holes with birdies. I played pretty well.”
He hasn’t had a significant amount of experience in match play but said he has decided he likes it.
“I mean, I’m just excited, and I just like the opportunity to be able to here and I’m trying to enjoy it to the fullest,” he said.
Hoekwater topped Nicklaus Smith of Rochester 3 and 2 in the Round of 16, and then topped Blake Springstead of Kewadin 4 and 3 in the quarterfinal match.
“I hit more fairways today, and I made a lot more putts than I had in the previous days,” said Hoekwater, who is 17 and will be a senior this fall at Grand Rapids South Christian High.
“I’m definitely getting into a groove and finding my swing,” he said. “I’m tired. I mean it’s mentally draining trying to focus on every shot. I’m definitely tired, but definitely excited for what is to come.”
Hoekwater birdied the ninth hole, then No. 11 and won No. 12 with a par to take control of the match against Springstead.
“I made a few mistakes, but I got away with them,” he said. “I just like match play. It’s one player versus one player and I enjoy that. Tomorrow I’ll just focus on myself and see what’s the best score I can make on each hole.”
Klimek made his way to the semifinals first with a 2 and 1 win over his friend and the defending champion JP Levan of East Grand Rapids and then was 7-under in 16 holes in knocking out Draven Rogers of Fort Gratiot 3 and 2.
Klimek said he was hitting the ball well coming into the tournament.
“I felt like a good week was due,” he said. “I had a good day today, especially in the second match. My ball striking felt great and the ball went exactly where I wanted. Then at the end I started rolling in some putts, which didn’t happen earlier this week. That’s a big boost going into tomorrow.”
He shot 2-under on the front nine against Rogers and led just 1-up at the turn, but birdies on holes 11, 12, 14, 15 and 16 followed.
Klimek, who is 17 and will be a senior at Forest Hills Eastern High, said getting a shot at the championship on the final day means everything.
“This is what all the hard work is for,” he said. “Hopefully, I put it together tomorrow.”
Preston earned his final four spot with a 4 and 3 morning win over Ryan Tobin of South Lyon and then made late birdies in topping Owen Wilson of Belmont 3 and 1.
“I feel good, my game’s feeling pretty good,” he said. “I hit it really well in my last match today after starting the day a little rough. I just need to get the putter going tomorrow and I should have a chance.”
The Preston – Wilson match was close as the two players traded some birdies through 10 holes. With a 1-up lead, Preston won the 14th hole with a par, then birdied No. 15 and finally No. 17 to close out the match.
“I hit some great shots at the end,” said the 16-year-old who will be a junior at Grand Rapids Catholic Central in the fall. “I hit one to about six inches on 15, then just missed a 10-footer on 16 and hit it to six-feet from 213 (yards) on 17 with a knock down 4-iron.”
He said playing against his Grand Rapids area friends and rivals in the state junior championship is not a big surprise.
“We all know each other and like to compete,” he said. “We’ve played against each other in a lot of things.”
As for match play, he said he will just do his own thing.
“I focus on my shots like in stroke play,” he said. “I know I’ll need to make some birdies to win holes.”
The final four golfers were also determined in the age 15-and-under Division.
Zane Rueger of Saline, Watson Mercier of Novi, Benjamin Vento of Rochester Hills and Easton Short of Pinckney all won quarterfinal matches on Wednesday.
Rueger, the 15-and-under stroke play medalist, will meet Vento in one semifinal, and Vento and Short will face off in the other.
Rueger beat Crosby Robinson of Traverse City 5 and 4 in his quarterfinal match, while Mercier held off Owen McGlinch of Livonia 2 and 1.
Vento was a 6 and 5 winner over Max Prillwitz of Northville, and Short topped Colton Oake of Howell, 2 and 1.
