Macomb’s Matt Magnotte Wins Michigan Net Amateur Championship in Playoff


BATH – Matt Magnotte made his only birdie of the day on the final hole of a three-hole aggregate score playoff and won the 17th Michigan Net Amateur Championship presented by Michigan Golf Live at Hawk Hollow Golf Club Wednesday.

Magnotte, who will be 61 on Sunday, topped Harold Tramski of Port Huron in the playoff. The two were tied at the end of regulation play at a net 7-under 137 total after Magnotte had fired a net 69, and Tramski had rallied with a net 66 off an actual 74.

Based on their GAM/USGA Handicaps for the round, the 66-year-old Tramski had a 0.67 advantage over three-hole playoff. Both players made consecutive pars on the first two playoff holes (Nos. 10 and 11), and Magnotte needed only to tie on the par 3 No. 13 hole. He hit his tee shot to six feet and made the birdie putt just after Tramski missed a 20-foot birdie putt.

“I’ve been after one of these for a long time,” said Magnotte, who won his first GAM title in eight years of playing in the net tournaments, and earlier this summer lost in a playoff with his partner in the Net Team Championship.

“This was on my list of things to do this summer. It feels great. I’ve had some really good rounds and some really bad rounds, so it has been an up-and-down year. I played good the last couple of days. My ball-striking was really good. My putting not so good. That last birdie was my only one of the day and it was a good time to get it.”

Tramski, who earlier this summer finished second in the GAM Super Senior Championship, said he was pleased with the way he played.

“I was out there to shoot the lowest score I could,” he said. “Regardless of whether you win or lose, I just try to play by best. You can’t control what your opponent does. I needed to make a birdie in the playoff. He got one. That’s the way it is.”

 Alex Dillon of Royal Oak shot a final-round net 69 for 139 and third place. Kenneth Stock of Grosse Pointe Park took fourth place with a 70 for 143, and 2014 champion Steve Szymanski of Rochester Hills rounded out the top five with a 72 for 144.

-Greg Johnson, [email protected]

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