Written By: Greg Johnson
GROSSE POINTE FARMS – The Michigan Section PGA Team had a strong showing in singles matches to power a 10 ½ – 7 ½ win over the Golf Association of Michigan team in the 54th Fuller Cup Matches Wednesday at Country Club of Detroit.
Top amateur golfers representing the GAM and top professionals representing the Michigan Section PGA squared off in a Ryder Cup-like format with six four-ball matches and 12 singles matches, and FootJoy was the clothing sponsor.
The score was 3-3 following the four-ball morning matches and then the PGA jumped into early leads and took control with match play wins by Jimmy Delnick of Carl’s Golfland, Brian Cairns of Fox Hills, Jim Deiters of Midland Country Club, Matt Thompson of Jonesville, Scott Brotebeck of Walnut Creek Country Club, Ben Cook of Quail Ridge Golf Course and Kosta Ramirez of Kosta Ramirez Golf Academy.
Delnick, Deiters, Thompson and Ramirez led the way for the PGA by scoring winning points in both formats.
Chet VandenBerg of Portage and Julian Menser of South Lyon were the only GAM players to win points in four-ball and singles.
The PGA won for just the second time in the last nine years and added to its 37-15-2 lead in the historic series.
The format has changed over the years, but the matches are presented to promote sportsmanship, friendship and quality golf among professionals and amateurs. The matches are named for the late Ernest Fuller, a Michigan golf course developer.
The GAM team is selected via the GAM Player of the Year points and availability, and the PGA selects its team from the players who won Section events in the last year, the host Professional and its Player of the Year points.
In addition to Delnick, Cairns, Deiters, Thompson, Brotebeck, Cook and Ramirez, the PGA was represented by Tim Pearce of Birmingham Country Club, Scott Hebert of Traverse City Golf & Country Club, Kyle Martin of Lochmoor Club, Patrick Wilkes-Krier of Kendall Golf Academy and Darren Husse of Warwick Hills Golf & Country Club.
In addition to VandenBerg and Menser, the GAM was represented by Caleb Bond of Williamston, Zach Koerner of Laingsburg, John Quigley of Sterling Heights, Anthony Sorentino of Rochester Hills, Jack Julian of South Lyon, Peter Stassinopoulos of Novi, McCoy Biagioli of White Lake, Lorenzo Pinili of Rochester Hills, Joe Mancinelli of Plymouth and Mason Sokolowski of Northville.
The winning Michigan Section PGA Team, including, front, from left, Jimmy Delnick, Tim Pearce, Scott Hebert, Brian Cairns, Jim Deiters, Darren Husse, back from left, Matt Thompson, Kosta Ramirez, Scott Brotebeck, Kyle Martin, Patrick Wilkes-Krier and Ben Cook.
