GAM Media Relations
99th Michigan Amateur Championship
248.408.0085
June 24, 2010
A mix of veterans and newcomers advance to Sweet Sixteen at Michigan Amateur
Clarkston, MI – There were a lot of surprises during the first two rounds of match play at the 99th Michigan Amateur Championship at Oakhurst Golf & Country Club, as five of the top ten seeds lost their matches. The medalist, Tim Katanski (Ypsilanti) lost his first match to the 64th seeded player, David Brownback (DeWitt) 3&2.
Brownback describes his Cinderella story as first making it into the 64 field by winning the final spot last night in the playoff, then beating Katanski this morning and finally making it into the sweet 16 matches. What he was most worried about was that he wasn’t going to win the “best husband” award.
“I missed my wife’s and my anniversary on Tuesday, missed my wife’s birthday on Wednesday and I even had a special dinner planned for her but then had to call her to cancel because I was in a playoff for the final spot so I’m in the dog house and I don’t even get paid for this.” said Brownback. “The only way I can make this work is if I come home with the trophy.”
Defending Champion Tom Werkmeister (Kentwood) knows all about pleasing his wife (Leslie) who caddies for him by winning both of his matches. Werkmeister faces the 15 year old, sophomore at Mona Shores, Reed Hrynewich (Muskegon) at 8:00 a.m. tomorrow morning.
Hrynewich is facing a lot of firsts this week, competing in his first Michigan Amateur Championship, playing in his first match play format, and playing a defending champion who is more than three times his age at 42.
“I didn’t know what to expect in my first match ever,” said Hrynewich. “On the first hole, I chipped it within 3 ½ ft and my opponent told me to pick it up. So, when his putt came within 3 ½ ft of the hole, I told him to pick it up, but I wasn’t sure if I should have made him putt it.”
Hrynewich is likely the youngest player (15 year old) to make it to the Sweet 16.
“My goal was to make it match play. Next, I get to face Mr. Werkmeister.”
The group of sixteen is rather young, as 11 of the players left are 25 or younger. Those players are: Nick Carbary (Kalamazoo), Chris Cunningham (Milford), Kasey Hocquard (Cheboygan), Joseph Juszczyk (Dearborn Heights), Chad Johnson (Plymouth), Eric Lilleboe (Okemos), Joey Garber (Petoskey), Drew Preston (Ada), Matt Thompson (Battle Creek), Hrynewich, and Aaron Peterson (Ann Arbor).
The Championship continues on Friday morning at 8:00 a.m. There are several intriguing matchups, including the 2009 Michigan Amateur runner-up, Matt Thompson (Battle Creek) vs. Jeff Champine (Rochester Hills) and Juszczyk (2009 Michigan Amateur Medalist & Wayne State Senior) vs. Johnson (Wayne State Senior).
The quarterfinal matches will take place on Friday afternoon, with the semifinals and final match scheduled for Saturday.
For more information and live scoring, visit www.gam.org .
Thursday First Round Match Play Results:
David Brownback, Haslett, def. Tim Katanski, Ypsilanti, 3 & 2
Tom Daigle, Wixom, def. Kevin Klemet, White Lake, 3 & 2
Kasey Hocquard, Cheboygan, def. Justin Kors, Whitmore Lake, 5 & 4
Chris Mory, Haslett, def. Brett Quitiquit, Highland, 5 & 4
Payne Gniewek, Trenton, def. Jim Stoll, Haslett, 3 & 2
Joseph Juszczyk, Dearborn Heights, def. Greg Reynolds, Grand Blanc, 4 & 3
Erik Schleicher, Grosse Pte Shores, def. Ben VanBiesbrouck, Washington, 4 & 2
Zachary Kozuchowski, Fraser, def. Chad Johnson, Plymouth, 4 & 2
Tom Werkmeister, Kentwood, def. Mike Fedewa, Canton, 1 Up
David Vaclav, Flat Rock, def. Brian Pauli, DeWitt, 3 & 1
Reed Hrynewich, Muskegon, def. Frank McAuliffe IV, Ann Arbor, 3 & 1
Mike Nagy, Manistique, def. Billy McKay, Grand Blanc, (19 holes)
Eric Lilleboe, Okemos, def. Dean Shollack, Howell, 4 & 3
Greg Meisner, Waterford, def. Jake Losey, Grandville, 2 & 1
Steve Fedewa, Howell, def. Scott Jaschuk, Milford, 6 & 5
Jerred Barley, Tipton, def. Steve Nichols, East Lansing, 4 & 2
Jonathan Pauli, Haslett, def. Sazan Bardha, Birmingham, 3 & 1
Joey Garber, Petoskey, def. Chaz Meek, Burton, 5 & 3
Drew Preston, Ada, def. Anthony Sorentino, Shelby Twp., 1 Up
Dave Ellis, Negaunee, def. Russ Cunningham, DeWitt, (20 holes)
Matthew Thompson, Battle Creek, def. Jared Dalga, Grand Rapids, 4 & 3
Joe Brown, St Ignace, def. Joe Parker, Commerce Twp., 5 & 4
Jeff Champine, Rochester Hills, def. Joshua Bauer, Waterford, 2 & 1
Nick Stanek, Traverse City, def. David Hoffman, Portage, 2 & 1
Nick Carbary, Kalamazoo, def. David Bartnick, Milford, 4 & 3
Joe Kosanke, Cheboygan, def. Jonathan Lange, Midland, 1 Up
Eric Spencer, Bloomfield Hills, def. Jon Kalmink, Grosse Pte Park, 1 Up
Steve McKalko, Troy, def. Michael Horn, Clarkston, (20 holes)
Garrett Simons, Grand Ledge, def. Martin Jeppesen, Ann Arbor, 3 & 2
Chris Cunningham, Milford, def. Brandon Lemons, Portage, 2 Up
Brett Hudson, Bloomfield Hills, def. Bill O’Connor, Birmingham, (20 holes)
Aaron Peterson, Ann Arbor, def. Randy Lewis, Alma, 2 Up
Thursday’s Second Round of Match Play:
Brownback def. Daigle, 2 & 1
Hocquard def. Mory, 1 Up
Juszczyk def. Gniewek, 4 & 3
C Johnson def. Schleicher, 3 & 1
Werkmeister def. Vaclav, 4 & 3
Hrynewich def. Nagy, 5 & 4
Lilleboe def. Meisner, 6 & 5
S Fedewa def. Barley, 5 & 4
Garber def. Pauli, 5 & 4
Thompson def. J Brown, 3 & 2
Preston def. Dave Ellis, 4 & 2
Champine def. Stanek, 1 Up
Carbary def. Kosanke, 4 & 3
Spencer def. McKalko, 2 Up
Cunningham def. Simons, 2 & 1
Peterson def. Hudson 1 up
Friday’s Third Round Pairings:
Brownback vs. Hocquard 8:00 am
Juszczyk vs. C Johnson 8:10 am
Werkmeister vs. Hrynewich 8:20 am
Lilleboe vs. S Fedewa 8:30 am
Garber vs. Preston 8:40 am
Thompson vs. Champine 8:50 am
Carbary vs. Spencer 9:00 am
C Cunningham vs. A Peterson 9:10 am
