CLARKSTON – Eight two-golfer teams out of 82 will move on to finals of the GAM Net Team Championship later this summer following the first day of play presented by Michigan Golf Live Monday at Oakhurst Golf & Country Club.
The top four teams from the morning wave of half of the field, and the top four teams from the afternoon wave, will play on Tuesday, Aug. 17, at Red Run Golf Club to determine the championship team.
Meanwhile, wave champion and runner-up teams were awarded trophies following the net four-ball action Monday.
Oxford residents James Knox and Lindsay Wright emerged from a three-team card playoff to be crowned the morning wave champions. They shot 9-under 63 and were matched by Eric Kenar and Julie Kenar of Bloomfield Hills and Donald Stephanic of Grand Blanc and Kenneth Young of Shelby Township.
A net eagle on the par 5 No. 17 hole, one of three net eagles on the day for Knox and Wright, proved to be the difference in the card playoff, and the Kenar husband-wife team earned runner-up status.
Knox and Wright met through their children who played on the same soccer team. They are regular golfers at Boulder Pointe Golf Club and were playing for the first time as teammates in the Net Team Championship. They have played previously as partners in the GAM Net Chapman tournament.
In addition to Knox and Wright, Team Kenar and Stephanic and Young moving on to the finals from the morning wave, Tapinder Kalsi of Canton and Michael Lam of Northville shot 8-under 64 to earn the fourth spot.
The afternoon championship wave trophies went to Adam Mangiapane of Troy and Michael Moco of Grosse Ile. They teamed up for an 8-under 64 and will advance to the finals.
Mangiapane and Moco played as scratch golfers based on their handicaps in the net tournament but made nine natural birdies together to build their 64.
Two teams tied for second with net 65s including the defending champions Jack McHale and Michael McHale of Macomb, and Al Petrulis of Troy and Sal Petrulis of Howell. They will get to settle things in the finals. The McHale brothers have won the overall title three times.
Two teams at 66 played off for the fourth spot from the afternoon wave in the finals. Jim Gregory of Bloomfield Hills and Chris Bixby of Farmington Hills won the playoff with a net birdie 3 on the first playoff hole, No. 10. They topped Kyle Korte Macomb and Mark Korte of Canton.
Front page photo: Leigh-Ann Szabo putts as, from left, James Colson, Josh Liabenow and Andrew Overmeyer look on.
