Orchard Lake, MI — In an 18 hole final that resembled match play, Jimmy Chestnut, 26, of Grand Blanc and a member of Warwick Hills CC defeated Brian Ottenweller of Grand Rapids by one shot, 203 to 204 at the 54 hole GAM Championship conducted for the 87th year at Orchard Lake Country Club. Only 11 contestants out of 35 in the final round negotiated under par rounds on the 6,959 yard manicured course.
Chestnut is a 2008 repeat winner, since he claimed the Michigan Amateur Championship in June at the Moors Golf Club in Portage, Michigan. He will start his senior year at Michigan State Law School in two weeks and has qualified for the United States Golf Association’s Mid Amateur Championship in Milwaukee, Wi. in September.
Ottenweller, a University of Michigan student and member of the Wolverines golf team started the final round with a two shot lead. Chestnut opened the final round with an eagle-birdie combination and posted a 31 on the par 35 front nine. Ottenweller kept the pressure on and missed an uphill birdie putt of 5 foot that would have sent the event into a playoff.
Chestnut said “he was nervous the last couple of holes.” He noted that his parents did not come to watch “because they think they are bad luck.” In today’s play there was a lot of talent and no need for luck for the new holder of the K.T. Keller Championship trophy
