Written By: Greg Johnson
HOLLAND – Rick Williams of Northville and Dan Gillig of Portage, longtime golf buddies, teamed up to win the 17th GAM Senior Four-Ball Championship presented by Sullivan Golf Travel Tuesday at Macatawa Golf Club.
“We teamed up in a best-ball in Kalamazoo (Dan Parker Memorial) a few weeks ago and won that one, too,” said Williams. “We work well together. I just turned 55 so I’m just starting to play in this senior stuff and I’m having a blast, and I’ve always enjoyed playing golf with Dan.”
Williams and Gillig shot a 4-under 68 Tuesday for a two-day 7-under total, just ahead of two teams at 138.
David LeVan of Ann Arbor and partner Bill Ulle of Novi shot a second consecutive 69 for 138, and Vaughn Stevens of Grand Rapids and Mike Zoerhoff of Caledonia shot 68 for 138. LeVan and Ulle were presented the runner-up trophies in a scorecard playoff.
Frank Comito of Macomb and Gary Rymiszewski of Oxford shot 66 for 139 and fourth place, while the defending champions, Leo Daigle of Wixom and Kevin Klemet of White Lake shot 71 for 140 and tied with David Goodyke and Doug Temple of Holland, who shot a second consecutive 70.
In the Super Senior Division (golfers ages 65-plus) Ray Emsley of Davisburg and Ron Perrine of Holt emerged as champions from a three-team sudden-death playoff at 7-under 137. Perrine birdied the first playoff hole (No. 10) with a 6-iron shot to three-feet for the win. They shot 69 in regulation play.
A scorecard playoff between the other two playoff teams resulted in Rick Herpich of Orchard Lake and Tom Rex of Charlevoix getting the second-place trophies. They shot 67 for their 137, and Jeff Knudson of Beverly Hills and Keith Potter of Farmington Hills shot 70 for their spot in the playoff.
The winners of the two divisions in the championship have their names inscribed on the Gus Cosmos Trophy.
Williams and Gillig met over 10 years ago when they worked for the same company and have been friends and golf buddies since.
Williams said they birdied two of the first five holes, and then hung on as the wind picked up.
“Coming down the stretch we needed a few par putts and my partner was clutch,” Williams said. “It was a solid day. We made a few putts early for birdies, and we never really backed ourselves into a corner. We made one bogey, but overall we were solid all day.”
Perrine called it a privilege to play in the tournament and Super Senior Division.
“You meet so many great people and players,” he said. “We had a great day out there playing golf.”
Emsley pointed at his partner.
“It was all Ronnie today,” he said. “He played great.”
