CLARKSTON ? Bill Zylstra (Plymouth) and John Jakubiak (Traverse City) teamed up in the 3rd GAM Senior Four-Ball at Oakhurst Golf & Country Club Aug. 24-25 and came away with the championship trophy.? The duo shot a 69-67?136 and did not have one bogey over the course of the two-day tournament.
?We didn?t make a bogey for two days and that is always key in best ball,? said Zylstra. ?Sometimes consistency out performs excitement and we were very consistent both days.?
Zylstra credited Jakubiak, who is just coming off back surgery, with playing the daunting 12th hole with skill both days. Jakubiak birdied the hole the second day which gave the team a mental boost that inspired them for the rest of the round.
?That 12th hole is about 195 yards over a lot of wetland and it is very challenging,? said Zylstra. ?John made a great putt the second day and birdied the hole and I think at that point we both thought we had a good chance to win.?
Jakubiak, who says he is still not in top form after his surgery, said luck was on his side when he was on the green Tuesday.
?I?m glad I could help Bill just enough for us to win the tournament, ?said Jakubiak. ?I happened to hit good shots on 12 both days and one of my putts just happened to go in.?
The pair started the second round on the third hole and when Jakubiak stepped off the 18th green, he started shaking hands with his opponents. Zylstra had to remind him they still had two more holes to go.
?John really stepped it up on the last nine,? Zylstra said. ?I know he was getting tired but he really stepped it up and I know with all of the physical problems he has had the past couple of years the win was very rewarding.?
Oakhurst played at 6,739 yards for the tournament which Zylstra said made for a challenging round.
?The course played very difficult,? said Zylstra. ??It played a little bit long for a lot of the guys and I think that is why the scores were kind of up.? A lot of the guys are distance challenged. But it is a great golf course; it?s not easy and there is a lot of terrain.?
Zylstra won the tournament last year at Lochmoor Club with Pete Allen as his partner.
