BLOOMFIELD HILLS – Four members of Oakland Hills Country Club advanced to the “Sweet 16” of match play today at their home club: Eric Spencer (Bloomfield Hills), Tom Gieselman (Commerce Twp.) Bill O’Connor (Birmingham) and Brett Hudson (Bloomfield Hills) will all tee of tomorrow in the second day of match play at the 101st Michigan Amateur.
“Local knowledge means a lot out here this week,” said Gieselman. “Just knowing where to hit it, where to miss and knowing the greens is a big help. There are some greens here where you can be just a little off and all of a sudden you have to play defensively.”
Hudson was up early in his second match of the day versus Jeff Champine (Rochester Hills), and then lost four consecutive holes.
“I really was worried after losing four in a row but my caddie told me to just relax and told me I was playing well and just to stick to what I was doing,” said Hudson.
Spencer, who is a five-time club champion at Oakland Hills, said that although he has been playing the North Course for 30 years, it is still somewhat of a mystery to him.
“The North Course doesn’t get as much play as the South Course but it is a tough little course,” said Spencer. “And the pins are set totally different than what the members are used to and the greens are very difficult to read. I’ve played the North Course all my life and I STILL can’t read the greens.”
Bill O’Connor won his final match against Nathan Clark 3 & 2 and noted that 25% of the Sweet 16 field is from Oakland Hills.
“I’m very excited to have four Oakland Hills members in the Sweet 16,” said O’Connor. “The excitement level at Oakland Hills overall to have this tournament here has just been tremendous.”
Stroke play medalist Brian Hayward (Grand Rapids) won a close match against 64th seed Casey Olson 1 up and won his match against Tim Coffey 2 & 1.
“The first match against Casey Olson (Okemos) both of us were playing really well. It was a fun match, though, because it was so close.”
“Both Casey and I played well in the first match so it was close but it was a lot of fun,” said Hayward. “My second match I didn’t play nearly as well but Tim (Coffey) didn’t play well either so it was fun. There were a lot of holes that were won with par.”
All of the golfers agreed the heat was more intense than it had been the first two days of the tournament. Although the strong breeze sometimes played havoc with their tee shots, match play participants were grateful for the somewhat cooling wind.
“It was hot, hot, hot out there but we survived,” said Hayward.
GAM Media Relations
101st Michigan Amateur Championship
248.408.0085
June 20, 2012
Wednesday, First Round Match Play Results (AP):
Brian Hayword, Saline, def. Casey Olsen, Okemos, 1 Up
Timothy Coffey, Midland, def Tommy Conway, Brighton, 20 Holes
Brett Hudson, Bloomfield Hills, def Justin Sokol, Bloomfield Hills, 3&1
Jeff Champine, Rochester Hills def. Steve Fedewa, Ypsilanti, 4&3
Alex Jones, DeWitt, def. Randy Lewis, Alma, 19 Holes
Austin Eccleton, Jackson, def. Erik Schleicher, Grosse Pte Shores, 3&2
Casey Baker, Ann Arbor, def. David Vaclav, Flat Rock, 19 Holes
Eric Spencer, Bloomfield Hills, def. Andrew Chapman, Traverse City, 2 Up
Tom Werkmeister, Kentwood, def. Dennis Kane, Richland, 7&5
Michael Zausmer, West Bloomfield, def. Nick Sears, Clio, 22 Holes
Tom Gieselman, Milford, def. Brett Quitiquit, Highland, 6&5
Jerred Barley, Tipton, def. Nick Dennis, Waterford, 7&5
Bill Zylstra, Dearborn Heights, def. Steve McKalko, Troy, 24 Holes
Brian Burt, Lansing, def. Kyle Rodes, Plymouth, 1 Up
Greg Davies, West Bloomfield, def. Zach Preuss, Rochester Hills 2&1
Joey Garber, Petoskey, def. Kasey Hocquard, Cheboygan, 2&1
Brad Bastion, Clinton Twp, def. Nikolaj Brons-Piche, Traverse City, 1 Up
Michael Castlefote, Birmingham, def. Jake Losey, Grandville, 6&4
Drew Preston, Ada, def. Rick Herpich, Orchard Lake, 3&2
Anthony Sorentino, Rochester Hills, def. Tom Sullivan, Grosse Pointe 5&4
Jimmy Dewling, Brighton, def. Evan Browser, Dearborn, 3&2
Rod Sowders, Harrison Twp., def. Jerry Gunthorpe, Ovid, 2&1
Ken Hudson, Bloomfield Hills, def. Josh Heinze, Canton, 4&3
Chet VandenBerg, Martin, def. Mike Ignasiak, Saline, 3&1
Joshua Bauer, Waterford, def. Spencer Slade, Saline, 2&1
Phil Gieseker, Saline, def. Greg Reynolds, Grand Blanc, 1 Up
Nathan Clark, Charlotte, def. Nick Cunningham, Grand Blanc, 5&4
Bill O’Connor, Birmingham, def. Mark Foster, Davison, 1 Up
Matt Paterini, Saline, def. Larry Sterling Jr., Shelby Twp, 3&2
Wesley Gates, Novi, def. Patrick Cansfield, Port Huron, 5&4
Dan Ellis, Negaunee, def. Bobby Thomas, Tecumseh 3&1
Chris Mory, Haslett, def. Matt Ostby, Mount Morris, 20 Holes
Wednesday, Second Round Match Play Results (AP):
Hayward def. Coffey, 2&1
B. Hudson def. Champine, 3&2
Eccelton def. Jones, 7&5
Spencer def. Baker, 4&3
Werkmeister def. Zausmer, 2 Up
Gieselman def. Barley, 2&1
Burt def. Zylstra, 2&1
Garber def. Davies, 3&2
Castleforte def. Bastion, 1 Up
Preston def. Sorentino, 5&4
Dewling def. Sowders, 1 Up
Vandenberg def. K. Hudson, 19 Holes
Bauer def. Gieseker, 5&4
O’Conner def. Clark, 3&2
Gates def. Paterini, 2&1
At 9:35 p.m., Ellis & Mory match AS on hole 23
