FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE (8-15-2014)
93rd
Michigan PGA Professional Championship starts Monday at Oakland
University
ROCHESTER – The 93rd Michigan PGA Professional Championship is Monday through
Wednesday next week at Oakland University, and in addition to being a state
championship for Michigan golf professionals it serves as the starting point on
the road to the 2015 PGA National Championship next year at Whistling Straights
in Wisconsin.
Matt Pesta of Lincoln Hills in Birmingham played last week in the 2014 PGA at
Valhalla, and he started on his road last year against his fellow Michigan
Section professionals, advanced to the PGA Professional National Championship
where in turn he reserved his spot at Valhalla.
Pesta
will start on the road again next week when he is part of a field of 141
professionals playing in the 54-hole $53,000 championship on the Katke Cousins
and R&S Sharf golf courses at Oakland U. The low nine golfers, besides
Pesta and former national club pro champions Scott Hebert and John Traub who
are exempt, earn spots in the PGA Professional National Championship later this
summer at the Philadelphia Cricket Club. The low 20 there move on to Whistling
Straits.
Also
back at Oakland University starting Monday is 2013 champion Brian Cairns, who
won his third Michigan PGA Professional title last year (1996, 2000, 2013), and
is fresh off winning the recent Michigan Senior PGA Championship at Birchwood
Farms in Harbor Springs.
Cairns is one of eight former champions in the field, including six-time winner
Scott Hebert of Grand Traverse Resort & Spa (2006, ’07, ’08, ’09, ’11,
’12), Joe Pollack of Greg Norman Collection in Grand Rapids (2004), Tom Harding
of Kendall Golf Academy in Ypsilanti (1997), Steve Brady of Oakland Hills
Country Club (1993, ’95), Barry Redmond of Boyne Golf Academy (1990), Jack
Seltzer of Kendall Golf Academy (1988) and John Traub of Detroit (1984).
The championship has a rich and storied history. Past champions include golf
legends Walter Hagen, Horton Smith, Chick Harbert, Jimmy Demaret, Wilfred Reid
and Al Watrous, who won it a record seven times.
Oakland University is hosting for the third consecutive year. Half the field
will play the Katke Cousins course, and half will play the Sharf in the first
round and switch for the second round before a 36-hole cut to the low 60
scorers and ties. The final round will be played on the Sharf course.
Live
scoring and tee times are available at www.michiganpgagolf.com. Gallery is welcome.
Parking and admission are free. More information on the golf courses is
available at www.oakland.edu.
***
The
Michigan PGA Professional Championship is presented by Club Car, Mercedes-Benz
and OMEGA with supporting sponsors Titleist/Footjoy, Nike Golf,
TaylorMade-adidas, Ashworth Golf and the PGA Tour. Justin Phillips of the
Michigan PGA is the tournament director. He can be reached at 517-641-7421 or [email protected]. The
media contact for the event is Greg Johnson. He can be reached at 616-560-8995
or [email protected].
Attached: Is
a photo of Brian Cairns, the defending champion, in recent action at the
Tournament of Champions at Boyne Mountain Resort.
Also
attached: Is the Michigan PGA Section logo.
