GREAT LAKES CHAMPIONSHIP AT THE HIGHLANDS: Florida’s Riley Smyth Shoots Sizzling 66, Wins Inaugural Event
By Greg Johnson
HARBOR SPRINGS – Riley Smyth of Tequesta, Fla., shot a closing 6-under 66 on The Heather course to win the inaugural Great Lakes Championship at The Highlands presented by Johnnie Walker.
It was her second career win, both coming this season, which is her third on the LPGA Epson Tour. She broke from a tight four-golfer race with consecutive birdies at holes 15 and 16 to post a 12-under 204 total.
It gave her a one-shot advantage on a trio of golfers who had raced across the back nine. That trio included Erika Hara of Japan, who also shot 66, Isi Gabsa of Germany, who shot 68 and Laney Frye of Kentucky, the leader after the first two rounds who closed with a 69.
Smyth, 25, came to the famed over-the-pond approach at hole No. 18 with the one-shot lead and safely made it over to make a par 4 and secure the win.
“This 18th hole is not easy, so just to be able to get it over the water and on the green was definitely a big sigh of relief,” she said standing on the 18th green after the awards ceremony.
“I mean, it’s a really tough hole where no matter how far you get it down there (off the tee), you still have 180 over the water, which is a really stressful shot to have to hit under pressure. It really felt great walking off that green knowing I had a one-shot lead.”
Smyth, who moved from No. 8 in the Race For The Card standings (top 15 earn LPGA status at the end of the season) to a projected second and earned $37,500 of the $250,000 purse for the win, called the Great Lakes Championship a tremendous tournament and the Robert Trent Jones-designed Heather a great course.
“Everyone here was really welcoming, and it was really well-run tournament for being the first year of it,” she said. “I really enjoyed the experience of being in Northern Michigan. The golf course, the resort, is really great, but hopefully I won’t be back next year to defend because I’ll be up on the LPGA.”
The Great Lakes Sports Commission announced that the tournament will be on the Epson Tour schedule for at least two more years. The players gave the first-time tournament rave reviews.
Jessica Welch of Thomasville, Ga., the defending champion of the 2024 Michigan PGA Women’s Open, shot a closing 74 and said she loves The Highlands, The Heather and Northern Michigan.
“I love it up here,” she said. “You get a sense, almost like you’re off in the woods. It’s just green everywhere. There’s just something about that. You just breathe easier in that kind of atmosphere.
“Everybody is so nice up here, the golf course is great, and it seemed very organized. We stayed in the Main Lodge, and it was great, too. I know I’m from Georgia, but I like it in Northern Michigan. I could live here nine months of the year. Not coming in the winter.”
A bonus for Smyth is that she moved to the top of the points list of the Pure Michigan Cup, a bonus pool of $20,000 created by the Michigan Economic Development Corp. and the Epson Tour.
The Pure Michigan Cup money will be distributed to the top three points earners at the conclusion of the Michigan stretch of tournaments, which includes the previous FireKeepers Casino Hotel Championship in Battle Creek, the Great Lakes Championship at The Highlands and the Island Resort Championship. To be eligible the players must have played in each of the three tournaments. Points are awarded based on finishing positions, and the top point earner will get $10,000, second $6,000 and third place $4,000.
