OWOSSO, MI – The 29th Michigan Girls Junior State Amateur tournament, sponsored by Osprey Recreational Properties, concluded today, June 27, at Owosso Country Club. Vanessa Koechli (Brighton) was named the 2007 14 & Up Champion. Koechli defeated Samantha Troyanovich (Grosse Pointe Shores) 2-1 in today?s final round of match play for the 2007 Michigan Girls Junior State Am title.
Koechli, a 16-year-old Brighton High School student, is fairly new to Michigan amateur golf. This year?s Girls Junior State Am was only the second amateur golf tournament she has played in. When asked what the key was to her success, Koechli explained, ?I just felt like I kept my composure. I couldn?t hit it as far, but I could make par.?
Unfortunately, Koechli won?t be back to defend her title next year as her family is relocating to South Carolina within the next few months. However, Koechli will most definitely be a great addition to South Carolina golf. She plans on continuing her golf career through college, hopefully at a school ?down South?.
The 2007 Michigan Girls Junior State Am was spread over three days and started with two 18-hole rounds of stroke play held Monday and Tuesday, June 25 and 26, for the 14-15 division and the 14 & Up division. Match play, held only for the 14 & Up division, began Tuesday afternoon with the Quarterfinals and concluded Wednesday, June 27, with Semifinals held in the morning and the Finals held in the afternoon. The 13 & Under division played two 9-hole rounds of stroke play, one held Monday and one held Tuesday.
17 year-old Shannon Warner (Livonia) was the Stroke Play Champion for the 14 & Up division, posting a 36-hole score of 144. Samantha Troyanovich, 18 years old, gained the Stroke Play Runner Up title, just three strokes behind Warner with a score of 147. Coming in third was Leigh Grawburg (Mt. Pleasant), posting a 150.
Elizabeth Nagel (DeWitt) completed two 18-hole rounds with a total score of 163 to gain the 14-15 division Stroke-Play Championship title. Devon Compton (Rochester) remained only one stroke behind Nagel with a 164 to gain the Runner-Up title. Meanwhile, Sarah Johnson (Wixom) also had a solid performance, posting a 165 and earning the third place position behind Nagel and Compton.
The 13 & Under division named Essence Biggs (Oak Park) the winner after two 9-hole rounds. She completed play with a total score of 86. Mariah Massa (Holt) followed close behind Biggs, posting an 87 for the Runner-Up position.
For more information and complete results, please visit www.gam.org and look under Tournament Results or click ?29th Girls Junior? in the left-hand column.
AP Results: 14 & Up Match Play
Quarterfinals:
Shannon Warner d. Katelin Davis, 6-5
Vanessa Koechli d. Meagan Bauer, 20 holes
Samantha Troyanovich d. Alexandra Lipa, 6-4
Louisa Shu d. Leah Grawburg, 4-3
Semifinals:
Koechli d. Warner, 21 holes
Troyanovich d. Shu, 21 holes
Finals:
Koechli d. Troyanovich, 2-1
