Kyle Martin Holds On, Wins 101st Michigan PGA Professional Championship
By Greg Johnson
Kyle Martin, the head golf professional at Lochmoor Club in Grosse Pointe Woods, had some good fortune but also withstood a long rain delay and made some critical shots under pressure in winning the 101st Michigan PGA Professional Championship at Prestwick Village Golf Club this week.
“I did have some good fortune and I didn’t have my best stuff by any means, but when it counted, I produced shots,” said the 38-year-old Grand Rapids native, who shot a final even-par 72 for an 8-under 208 total. “I hit it solid on the back nine and with the rain delay it was nice to just go back out and get it done.”
Kyle Dobbs of Oak Pointe Country Club charged with a 71, including an eagle-birdie combination at holes 14 and 15, and finished second one-stroke behind at 209.
Josh Fryer of Franklin Hills Country Club shot 211 for third and Tim Pearce of Birmingham Country Club finished with 212. Rounding out the top-5 was Ron Beurmann of Country Club of Jackson, the recent Michigan PGA Senior Championship winner, with 214.
Martin won $7,000, will have his name inscribed on the historic Gilbert A. Currie Trophy and will be awarded a sponsor’s exemption into the PGA Tour’s 2023 Rocket Mortgage Classic at Detroit Golf Club.
“There will probably be a party for that, the (Lochmoor) members will enjoy me getting in the Rocket Mortgage and I’m really looking forward to playing in a (PGA) tour event,” he said. “I haven’t done that before.”
Martin, who has won two Michigan PGA Match Play titles, said winning the section championship in stroke play meant a lot to him as a competitive golfer.
“It gets that monkey off my back that I can do more than match play,” he said. “I can do both and then there’s the names on that trophy. There are some big names and to be in that same company is awesome.”
Others who qualified for the 2023 PGA Professional National Championship next April in New Mexico include those top-five named above and:
Scott Hebert of Traverse City Golf & Country Club
Jeff Roth of Boyne Golf Academy
Dan Urban of Gull Lake Country Club
Josh Jeffords of Hills of Lenawee Golf Club in Adrian
George Bowman of Oakhurst Golf & Country Club in Clarkston
John Seltzer of Seltzer Golf School in Grand Rapids.
RESULTS: See michiganpga.com
