Michigan Women’s Amateur: “Sweet 16” Determined

Written By: Greg Johnson

SPRING LAKE – Lauren Davis of Coopersville isn’t nervous or feeling any more pressure than normal because she happens to be playing in the Michigan Women’s Amateur Championship at Spring Lake Country Club where her father Ray is a PGA assistant golf professional.

“I just feel ready,” said the 17-year-old after winning her round of 32 match Wednesday and being part of the “Sweet 16” moving on to Thursday’s play in the 107th edition of the state championship being presented by Carl’s Golfland.

“If anything, I feel like it being here took pressure off because I know every single thing out here on the course and I’ve played here tons of times.”

Her father, who has served Spring Lake CC for 19 years, is also serving as her caddie.

“He’s caddied for me before, we had a few hiccups yesterday, but we’re good,” she said.

Davis, a Coopersville High School golfer who has verbally committed to the golf program at Central Michigan University, beat Oakland University golfer Savannah Haque 3 and 2 in the first round of matches.

She will meet Chelsea Collura of Wyandotte, the 29-year-old owner of Nuggett Leasing, in a round of 16 match Thursday morning. Collura, the 2022 GAM Mid-Amateur Champion, beat Adie Maki of Canton and Loyola University of Chicago 1-up in the first round.

Davis said she feels great and better about her game after Wednesday’s play.

“I played better today than yesterday and I love match play,” Davis said. “Sometimes in stroke play I have a bad hole and I get down on myself, but in match play I know it’s just one down. My goal is to win the tournament. I like that it’s at Spring Lake where I know I can play well. Honestly, I wanted to make sure I made the cut (into match play), and now in match play I want to make it all the way to the end.”

The rest of Sweet 16 will be attempting to do the same thing, and that group includes stroke play medalist and top seed Shannon Kennedy of Beverly Hills and Michigan State University. Kennedy stayed hot in the first round of matches and beat 59-year-old Michigan Golf Hall of Fame member Julie Massa 7 and 6.

“I didn’t make a ton of birdies, but I didn’t make any bogeys and played solid,” Kennedy said. “The game is in good shape. I’m going to practice some and then rest and be ready for tomorrow.”

Kennedy will meet Katie Chipman of Canton, a reinstated amateur who in 2017 was the runner-up in the Michigan Women’s Amateur Championship to Aya Johnson, then of Muskegon. The 25-year-old Chipman, who is seeking a career in the golf business, beat Sabrina Langerak of Marne and Ball State University 6 and 5.

Chipman turned professional for LPGA/Epson Qualifying after college golf at Grand Valley State University but has not competed the last two years. She called playing again nerve-wracking.

“Today’s probably the best I played in three rounds,” she said. “I left a few shots out there during stroke play, made some bogeys. Today was better. I don’t spend any time on my game, nothing close to what I did when I was in school.”

Also moving on from the first round was 2021 Michigan Women’s Amateur Champion Kimberly Dinh of Midland. Dinh, 31, had to go 20 holes to turn back Grace Boczar of Canton and Oakland University.

“Survive and advance, it’s all good,” Dinh said. “I hit some crazy shots today but I survived it.”

Mackenzie Blomberg of Auburn Hills, a former teammate of Chipman at Grand Valley, survived the most golf, having to go 24 holes to finally top Natalie Samdal of Caledonia and Western Michigan University.

The reigning GAM Women’s Champion, Bridget Boczar of Canton and Oakland University, is also in the final 16. She beat Zoe Dull of Spring Lake, the daughter of Spring Lake CC members, 3 and 2.

The final 16 include seven college golfers, five golfers who are in high school or recently graduated, a reinstated amateur, a scientist, a business owner and an executive assistant.

THE SWEET 16

UPPER BRACKET

Shannon Kennedy, 20, Beverly Hills, Golfer at Michigan State University

Katie Chipman, 25, Canton, Working in the golf industry

Bridget Boczar, 19, Canton, Golfer at Oakland University

Kamryn Shannon, 20, Jackson, Golfer at Ferris State University

Lilia Henkel, 21, Grand Rapids, Golfer at University of Delaware

Lauren Timpf, 16, Macomb, Golfer at Macomb Lutheran Northern High School

Lauren Davis, 17, Coopersville, Golfer at Coopersville High School

Chelsea Collura, 29, Wyandotte, Owner of Nuggett Leasing

LOWER BRACKET

Olivia Stoll, 19, Haslett, Golfer at Grand Valley State University