JACKSON – Even Jason Korody figured his net 65 off an actual score of even-par 72 in the first round at Arbor Hills Golf Club was a fluke.
“It’s not like I’m going to go back-to-back 72s,” he said. “It was one of those unicorn days. It’s unbelievable, honestly.”
Korody, 50 and a Howell resident, followed up his unicorn day with an actual 77 Tuesday for a net 70 and a 9-under 135 net total, and it was enough to make him the champion of the 25th Michigan Net Amateur Championship presented Michigan Golf Live.
“Besides a couple of swings today, I played really well,” said Korody, a first-time GAM tournament winner. “Yesterday I took my scorecard home. That was my first par round that I’ve ever shot. Never before, not in practice, not in tournaments. I’ve never posted a 72. I’m going to put it in frame at home. I made five birdies and I got up-and-down from everywhere. I made three putts over 30-feet, just putts that usually don’t go in. I got a lot of good breaks.”
Aston Yuhasz of Fremont, 19, was playing in his first GAM tournament. The maintenance employee for Water’s Edge Golf Club finished as runner-up after a net 72 for 138, three shots behind Korody.
Aaron Schuer of Brighton shot net 70 for 135 and third place, and three golfers tied at 140, including Gary Yee of Farmington Hills, who shot a net 64 following a first-round 76, Michael Cannata of Saranac, who shot a pair of 70s, and Malcolm Perry of Oak Park, who shot a final net 72.
Korody, who owns his own fire and water restoration business, said he played in GAM championships, including the Michigan Amateur, when he was in his 20s, but injuries and work have kept him from playing at that level since.
“I just started to get back into golf, and now I’m watching my handicap start to come down,” he said.
He said his actual 77 and final-round net 70 was at a low point when he made a double-bogey on the par 4 8th hole.
“But I came back after the struggle coming around the turn and I made a birdie on 11,” he said. “That settled me down. I don’t look at the scoreboard ever. I was just trying to play as good a round as possible.”
