Written By: Greg Johnson
Weather shortened two of the 17th GAM Senior/Mid-Am Team qualifiers Monday, but the teams that will advance to the October finals of the championship presented by Shanty Creek Resort have been determined.
Country Club of Jackson, a week ago, and Tam O’Shanter Country Club in West Bloomfield and Travis Pointe Country Club in Ann Arbor, on Monday, each hosted one third of the field in the first stage qualifiers of the popular team tournament.
A field of 138 teams, or 276 of Michigan’s top golfers, competed in the opening segment of the championship that features a Senior golfer (55-and-over) teamed up with a Mid-Amateur golfer (25-and-over). The teams played four-ball, also known as best-ball, in a morning round, and foursomes, also known as alternate shot, in afternoon rounds. It was the afternoon rounds that were stopped by weather Monday at Travis Pointe and Tam O’Shanter.
Champion and runner-up teams were determined out of the teams at each qualifier site, but it took scorecard playoffs to determine trophies because of three-way ties and weather making on-course playoffs unavailable. Eight teams will advance to play in the overall finals of the championship on Wednesday, Sept. 30, at Pine Lake Country Club in Orchard Lake.
Rick Crandall of Fenton and Joe Montpas of Flushing emerged as the first-place team at CC of Jackson. They were tied with Michael Coriasso of Royal Oak and Grant Bruce of Birmingham, the 2024 overall champions, after regulation play, but Montpas rolled in an 18-foot birdie putt on the first playoff hole to secure the win.
Montpas was rolling in putts through the day. He shot a 10-under 62 on his own ball in the morning four-ball action and Crandall said he enjoyed being along for the ride.
“Joe was incredible,” he said. “I just stayed out of his way. He did it for us all day. It was fun to watch.”
Crandall and Montpas shot the 62 and a combined 75 in the foursomes round for 137 total. Coriasso and Bruce shot 68 in four-ball and 69 in foursomes for 137 to force the playoff.
Both teams advance to the Pine Lake finals. The duo Michael Ramsby and Dominic Choma of East Lansing shot 65-73 for 138, one shot out of the playoff and a trip to the finals.
At Tam O’Shanter, the 18-hole results after morning play were completed with three teams tied at 3-under.
The father-son duo of Mark and Ian Eriksen of Clarkston took home first-place trophies. Chris Bailey of Rochester and Andrew Smith of Oakland Township took second-place honors. Ken Hudson of Lake Orion and Jimmy Chestnut of Bloomfield Hills, the third team at 3-under, will also be invited to the finals.
At Travis Pointe, the 18-hole results after morning play were also used, and like at Tam O’Shanter, there teams were tied at 3-under.
Greg Davies of West Bloomfield and Anthony Sorentino of Rochester Hills were declared first-place trophy winners via a scorecard playoff. Ron Weaver of Macomb and David Praet of Lake Orion took home second-place trophies. Tom Fauser of Clinton Township and Taylor Whitt of Ann Arbor, the third team at 3-under, will also be invited to the finals.
