Written By: Greg Johnson
LANSING – Ethan Wong of Brighton and Victoria ThienAn McCulloch of Shelby Township each earned their first Golf Association of Michigan tournament titles in the 10th GAM 14 & Under Match Play Championship presented by Absopure at Woodside Golf Course Thursday.
Wong, 14, made a birdie on the first extra hole to top Zane Rueger of Saline for the boys’ title, and McCulloch, 14, turned back Abigail Offer of Ada, 3 and 2, to win the girls’ title.
Other winners were also determined in several flighted brackets in the instructional tournament designed to help prepare young golfers for GAM competitions in the future. The matches were played over nine holes.
Wong, who will be a freshman at Hartland High School in the fall, had a 1-up leading heading into the final hole of the title match with Rueger, but Rueger birdied to tie the match and send it to an extra hole. On No. 10 of the 12-hole course it was Wong who dropped a downhill 10-foot birdie putt for the win.
“It means a lot because if definitely put in a lot of work this year developing my game,” Wong said. “It feels good. It was fun. I enjoyed it.”
Wong earned his spot in the finals with a 2 and 1 win over Graham Hammer of Traverse City in the semifinal match. Rueger, meanwhile, made it to the final match by beating Greyson VanderVen of Ada 3 and 2 in the other semifinal.
McCulloch, who will be a freshman at Utica High School in the fall, was tied with Offer through four holes of their final match but then won three consecutive holes with pars to close it out.
“It feels great, definitely a lot better than last year when I lost my last match,” she said. “I think the best part was my short game because I came through with my chips and my putts a lot. It helped my make a lot of pars.”
McCulloch earned her spot in the finals with a 3 and 1 win over Dylan Hall of Southfield in the semifinals. Offer topped Anna Li of Okemos in 10 holes to make it to the final match.
