Hutchison Wins Michigan Open

HUTCHISON WINS MICHIGAN OPEN

WASHINGTON, MI – Randy Hutchison saved the best for last. The 24-year-old mini-tour professional from Traverse City made a dramatic birdie on the 18^th hole to win the Michigan Open Championship Thursday at The Orchards Golf Club.

“I knew I had to make a birdie, and I didn’t expect him to make a bogey,” he said of the final hole drama in which he eclipsed the one-shot lead of Matt Thompson, who had birdied holes 16 and 17 to take a one-shot lead. “My last birdie had been on the sixth hole, so I was due for one.”

Hutchison hit a sand wedge shot to just two feet for the final birdie, while Thompson missed the green with a 7-iron shot, just missed making a chip shot from left of the green and finally missed a seven-foot par-saving putt. Hutchison then knocked his final short putt in for the win and fist-pump celebration. “It reminded me of a putt I made at a qualifier to get in a Buick Open (2009),” he said. “I had good thoughts and just knocked it in.”

Hutchison, a former Michigan State golfer, won $10,000 and heads back to the NGA Hooters Tour. His final birdie gave him a 2-under-par 70 for a 16-under-par 272 total.

Thompson, a Battle Creek resident who will be a senior on the University of Michigan golf team in the fall, finished at 273 with a 68.

Brian Ottenweller, a former University of Michigan Michigan player now on the mini-tour circuit, finished at 275 and in third place with a 67.

Muskegon pro Andy Ruthkoski, the 2007 Open champion, shot 70 for 279 and fourth place, and Ann Arbor amateur Martin Jeppesen, an Eastern Michigan University golfer, shot 66 for 280 and fifth place. Sixth place went to mini-tour pro Ryan Lenahan of Grosse Pointe Shores, who shot a course-record 63 for 281. PGA Tour star Mike Weir was the previous record-holder at 65.

Hutchison was feeling great about his win.

“It’s always great to play in the Michigan Open, and to get my first professional win in this tournament is great,” he said. “Winning with my parents here – it’s just great, exactly the way you want it.”

Thompson, who was also second in the 2009 Michigan Open, missed at being the first amateur to win a state Open since 1975.

“I feel like he beat me,” he said of Hutchison. “I made bogey on the last hole, missed the green, then just missed that chip, but I shot 15-under. He just beat me. Randy’s a great player. He made a great birdie there to win.”


Place		Name	Representing	R1	R2	R3	R4	Total	Amount
1	Randy Hutchison		Traverse City, MI	69	65	68	70	272	10,000.00
2	Matt Thompson(a)		Battle Creek, MI	70	66	69	68	273	750.00
3	Brian Ottenweller		Grand Rapids, MI	71	67	70	67	275	6,000.00
4	Andrew Ruthkoski		Muskegon, MI	70	66	73	70	279	5,000.00
5	Martin Jeppesen(a)		Ann Arbor, MI	72	72	70	66	280	600.00
T6	Ryan Lenahan		Grosse Pointe , MI	71	69	78	63	281	4,000.00
	Erik Schleicher(a)		Grosse Pointe, MI	73	72	68	68	281	500.00
T8	Joey Garber(a)		Petoskey, MI	73	68	67	74	282	425.00
	Tom Werkmeister(a)		Kentwood, MI	70	75	67	70	282	425.00
	Clark Klaasen		Grand Rapids, MI	71	69	72	70	282	3,000.00
11	Korey Mahoney		Thompsonville, MI	70	77	67	69	283	2,000.00
T12	Brian Cairns		Fox Hills Golf & Banquet Center	68	72	75	69	284	1,662.50
	Joe Jusczyk		Dearborn Hts, MI	71	73	68	72	284	1,662.50
	Dan Olsen		Walnut Hills Country Club	72	73	69	70	284	1,662.50
	Eric Wohlfield		Brighton, MI	72	70	71	71	284	1,662.50
	Payne Gniewek(a)		Trenton, MI	72	69	72	71	284	385.00
	Jeff Champine(a)		Rochester Hills, MI	73	68	72	71	284	385.00
T18	Henry Do(a)		Ypsilanti, MI	70	70	72	73	285	360.00
	Brad Bastion(a)		Clinton Twp, MI	72	70	74	69	285	360.00
	Ryan Brehm		East Lansing, MI	70	69	76	70	285	1,400.00
	Willie Mack III(a)		Flint, MI	76	72	70	67	285	360.00
T22	Josh Fryer		Franklin Hills Country Club	71	69	75	71	286	1,250.00
	Ben Peacock(a)		Ada, MI	69	74	71	72	286	340.00
	Jared Jawor		Lake Orion, MI	73	74	68	71	286	1,250.00
T25	Bob Ackerman		Bob Ackerman Golf	70	69	76	72	287	1,100.00
	Chris Mory(a)		Haslett, MI	73	73	75	66	287	325.00
	David Vaclav(a)		Flat Rock, MI	71	72	70	74	287	325.00
T28	John Seltzer		The Polo Fields Golf & CC – Ann	74	71	70	73	288	936.00
	Jared Dalga(a)		Grand Rapids, MI	73	74	70	71	288	305.00
	Greg Stefan		Farmington Hills, MI	73	70	75	70	288	936.00
	Dan Ellis(a)		Negaunee, MI	74	67	74	73	288	305.00
	Kevin Muir		The Wyndgate	74	71	70	73	288	936.00
	Matt Horn		Clarkston, MI	75	72	74	67	288	936.00
	Erich Kuhlman		The Fortress	70	70	76	72	288	936.00
T35	Scott Hebert		Grand Traverse Resort & Spa	70	74	75	70	289	860.00
	Chris Osentoski		Metamora, MI	71	73	72	73	289	860.00
T37	Nicholas Gunthorpe(a)		Ovid, MI	70	74	73	73	290	285.00
	Patrick Colburn(a)		Traverse City, MI	75	70	73	72	290	285.00
	Michael Pedrys		Beverly Hills, MI	71	75	72	72	290	830.00
T40	Jack Seltzer		Kendall Academy of Golf	74	74	70	73	291	790.00
	Derrick Sayers		Battle Creek, MI	70	73	74	74	291	790.00
T40	Brent Goik		Bay City, MI	73	71	75	72	291	790.00
	Tommy Conway(a)		Brighton, MI	78	69	72	72	291	270.00
T44	Scott Hayes		Ann Arbor, MI	72	71	71	78	292	730.00
	Matt Pesta		Waterford, MI	74	73	71	74	292	730.00
	Tim Katanski		Ann Arbor, MI	75	71	74	72	292	730.00
T47	Brandon Cigna		Novi, MI	70	76	75	72	293	680.00
	Joseph Stimac IV		Burton, MI	71	76	74	72	293	680.00
T49	David VanLoozen		Edgewood Country Club	76	70	73	75	294	650.00
	Wesley Gates(a)		Novi, MI	73	73	77	71	294	255.00
	Michael Coriasso(a)		Grand Blanc, MI	72	70	74	78	294	255.00
T52	Jason May(a)		Sterling Height, MI	74	70	73	78	295	225.00
	Gary Bissell(a)		East Lansing, MI	72	72	74	77	295	225.00
	Chris Cunningham(a)		Milford, MI	72	71	73	79	295	225.00
	Joseph Szmadzinski(a)		Northville, MI	74	71	76	74	295	225.00
56	Dave Kendall		Kendall Academy of Golf	72	71	77	76	296	630.00
T57	Thomas Harding		Kendall Academy of Golf	73	72	74	78	297	610.00
	Barry Redmond		Boyne Golf Academy	76	72	72	77	297	610.00
	Brett Quitiquit(a)		Highland, MI	74	73	74	76	297	200.00
T60	John Nolan		Van Dyke Sports Center	71	76	79	73	299	580.00
	Aaron Peterson(a)		Ann Arbor, MI	73	74	76	76	299	190.00
	Donald Leafstrand		Ludington, MI	76	70	71	82	299	580.00
	Chad Horner		Essexville, MI	74	74	74	77	299	580.00
64	Phil Gieseker(a)		Auburn Hills, MI	76	71	75	78	300	180.00
T65	Daniel Flynn		Midland Country Club	71	77	78	75	301	560.00
	Lee Keselowski(a)		Schoolcraft, MI	69	75	79	78	301	170.00
67	Matt Alessi(a)		Bloomfield Hill, MI	75	72	82	73	302	160.00
68	Alex Humphreys(a)		Shelby Township, MI	73	73	79	79	304	150.00
69	Thomas Thompson(a)		Davison, MI	73	74	81	85	313	140.00
70	Jake Losey(a)		Grandville, MI	75	73	85	83	316	130.00
71	Todd Covert(a)		Commerce, MI	72	76	78	W	WD
72	Charles Pasco		Plum Hollow Country Club	75	73	W		WD