Michigan Men's Golf 2009 Summer Updates
8/26/2009 12:00:00 AM | Men's Golf
Monday-Wednesday, August 24-26 -- What a battle it turned out to be, however, Matt Thompson was eliminated in 19 holes in his first round of the 64-player match play field at the U.S. Amateur Championship. Facing Cameron Wilson in the first round, Thompson was red-hot to start, building a four-up lead after only four holes before momentum turned for Wilson as he took the next three holes cut the lead to just 1-up. Making the turn Thompson was able to get a hole back on No. 10 and go up two holes with eight holes remaining. In one of the most exciting matches of the day, the two exchanged victories over the next three holes, as Thompson carried as 1-up lead through 14 holes. Wilson was able to win the 15th hole and square the match and that is where it stayed as the match was sent to extra holes. On the 19th hole, Wilson pared the 466-yard first hole as Thompson bogeyed to end his U.S. Am run. Thompson qualified for match play after tying for 45th with a 147 total (75-72) in 312-player field. Nick Pumford tied for 61st with a 148 total (75-73), but was unable to advance to the match play after 27 players battled for 19 spots. U-M had one other Wolverine in action after Bill Rankin did not advance after he closed with a 156 tally after rounds of 77 and 79.[U.S. Amateur|Stroke Play|Thompson|Pumford|Rankin|Match Play|Thompson 1st Round]
Monday,August3-- Make it a trio of Maize and Blue players in the U.S. Amateur field after Matt Thompson played his way into the championship after winning in a playoff at the Muskegon Country Club in Muskegon, Mich. After shooting a 72 and 74, Thompson closed his qualifier with a 146 total, equaling Wolverine teammate Billy McKay (74-72) and Mory Christopher (72-74) forcing a playoff. After bogeying the first playoff hole, McKay was eliminated. After four holes, Thompson was able to secure the position. Thompson, along with Bill Rankin and Nick Pumford will represent U-M at the 2009 U.S. Amateur Championship, which will be Monday through Sunday (August 24-30) play at the Southern Hills Country Club and Cedar Ridge Country Club in Tulsa, Okla. Four more Wolverines -- Lion Kim, Micahel Slovitt, David Weisfeldand Jack Schultz -- are all expected to play in qualifiers inthe following week.[U.S. Amateur|Qualifying Results]
Monday, July 27 -- Using rounds tallies of 71 and 69 recently, graduated Wolverine Nick Pumford qualified for the 2009 U.S. Amateur Championship with a 141 at the Prestwick Village Golf Club in Highland, Mich. The Maize and Blue now has two among the field; Bill Rankin played his way into the field with a (74-67/141)playoff win at the Boyne Resorts (Heather Course) in Harbor Springs, Mich. The 2009 U.S. Amateur Championship will be Monday through Sunday (August 24-30) play at the Southern Hills Country Club and Cedar Ridge Country Club in Tulsa, Okla. [U.S. Amateur|Qualifying Results]
Thursday, July 23 -- Recently graduated Wolverine Bill Rankin became the first Wolverine to play his way into the 2009 U.S. Amateur Championship. His 141 total at the Boyne Resorts (Heather Course) in Harbor Springs, Mich., earned him a spot in the field. After opening with a 74, he stormed back with a 67 to post a 141 total and create a four-man playoff for two qualifying spots. Rankin ended up winning the playoff after five playoff holes to secure a spot. A few other confirmed Wolverines headed to qualifiers include Nick Pumford at Prestwick Village in Highland, Mich., on Monday (July 27) and Matt Thompson at the Muskegon Country Club in Muskegon, Mich., on Monday, Aug. 3. The 2009 U.S. Amateur Championship will be Monday through Sunday (August 24-30) play at the Southern Hills Country Club and Cedar Ridge Country Club in Tulsa, Okla. [U.S. Amateur|Qualifying Results]
Monday-Thursday, July 13-16 -- After a dramatic 19 hole battle with Jeff Williams in the opening round of match play at the 2009 U.S. Amateur Public Links at the Jimmie Austin/Oklahoma Golf Club in Norman, Okla., Lion Kim advanced with a 1-up victory. Unfortunately in the second round, Kim was eliminated 3-and-2 against 23rd-seeded Sean Maekawa. In stroke play, Kim used back-to-back rounds of 72 to advance to match play, earning the 10th seed with a 144 total. Incoming freshman Jack Schultz was also among the field and did not advance to match play after he tied for 91st with a 153 (75-78). [USAPL|Stroke Play|Match Play Tree|Kim's 1st Match|Kim's 2nd Match]
Friday, July 3 & Monday July 6-- Matt Thompson and former Wolverine Scott Chipokas used four-under 68s to tie for ninth in the PGA John Deere Classic Pre-Qualifier at the Pinnacle Country Club in Milan, Ill., to advance to the qualifier on Monday, July 6. At the qualifier, Chipokas fired a 73 to tie for 45th, while Thompson shot a 78 to tie for 68th missing the cut for the PGS event. [Pre-Qualifier|Qualifier]
Tuesday-Thursday, June 30-July 2 -- With his three-under 68 in stroke play qualifying Lion Kim tied for medalist honors at the 109th Mens North & South Amateur Championship at Pinehurst No. 2 advancing to the 64-player match play. In his opening match the 32nd seeded Kim defeated 33rd seed Chris Carlin, 4-and-2, before falling to 64th-seed Andrew Loupe in the second round 4-and-3. [Results]
Tuesday-Wednesday, June 30-July 1 -- David Weisfeld competed in the prestigious 54th Ike Championship at the Nassau Country Club in Glen Cove, N.Y. After back-to-back rounds of 71, he closed with a 78 to finish with a 220 54-hole total and a top 20 finish - tie for 17th. [Results]
Wednesday-Saturday, June 24-27 -- In a dramatic Saturday, Matt Thompson gave a valiant effort but finish as the runner-up at the 98th Michigan Amateur Championship at Spring Meadows Country Club in Farmington Hills, Mich. In a back and forth final match against 41-year old and third-seeded Tom Werkmeister, Thompson took an early two-up lead through six holes, before the match was squared at hole 10. Taking advantage Werkmeister built his own two-up lead on the backside and never looked back winning 3-and-2. Earlier in the day, Thompson came back to defeat fourth-seed and EMU player Martin Jeppesen 1-up in the semifinal to reach the championship match. Breaking down his Amateur run, Thompson earned the eighth seed after finishing with a 141 (72-69) total in stroke play. He won his first-round match, 6-and-4, over Frankie McAuliffe (57th-seed) before knocking off 25th-seeded Anthony Provenzola 5-and-3 in the second round. Following a 2-and-1 win over 56th-seeded Michael King in the third round, Thompson used a 4-and-3 win over 64th-seed Joey Garber to earn a spot in the semifinal. Combined with his 4-0-1 U-M match play record, Thompson is 9-1-1 in match play events in 2009. [Results|Match Play]
Sunday, June21 -- With a 140 total in his qualifier, incoming freshman Jack Schultz joins Lion Kim, who tallied a 136 in his qualifier at Dunham Hills in Hartland, Mich., in the fieldat the U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship in Norman, Okla., July 13 - 18, at the Jimmie Austin OU Golf Club. [U.S. Public Links]
Monday and Tuesday, June 15-16 -- Playing in his second British Amateur Championship, Bill Rankin missed advancing to match play by one stroke after opening with a 76 and following with a 72 to give him a 148 36-hole total, tying him for 77nd. [British Amateur|Stroke Play Results]
Monday, June 15 -- Using back-to-back rounds of 68 at Dunham Hills, in Hartland, Mich., Lion Kim's 136 total has qualified him for the U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship. Michael Slovitt has qualified to play in the Western Amateur Championship, Monday through Saturday (August 3-8) at Conway Farms Golf Club in Lake Forest, Ill. [U.S. Public Links|Western Am]
Thursday, June 8 -- Bill Rankin did not travel to his U.S. Open Sectional qualifier after he went back overseas to Lancashire, United Kingdom, to compete in the 2009 British Amateur Championship at Formby and West Lancashire. Ross Millman did not compete in his U.S. Open Sectional after suffering a wrist injury.
Monday-Thursday, June 8-11 -- Using a 12-under 272 total, Matt Thompson finished tied for the medalist runner-up at the 2009 Michigan Open at the Orchard Lake Country Club in Orchard Lake, Mich. After opening with a one-under 70, he fired an amazing eight-under 63 in the second. He followed with a four-under 67 and a one-over 72 to earn the runner-up spot. Descending all four of his rounds, former Wolverine Andy Matthews (1999-2002) finished seventh with a 281 total (72-71-70-68). Other Wolverine players at the Openwere Erich Kuhlman (1988-89), whotied for 17th at 286 (74-66-73-73), and Randy Erskine (1968-70), who did not make the 36 hole cut andtied for 83rd at 152 (75-77). [Results]
Tuesday, May 19 -- Matt Thompson was the medalist runner-up with a 67 in his Michigan Amateur Qualifier at Arbor Hills Golf Club in Jackson, Mich. Billy McKay tied for 42nd with a 79 and did not qualify. The 98th Michigan Am will be held at Spring Meadows Country Club in Linden, Mich., on June 23-27. [ Results ]
Monday, May 18 -- Bill Rankin shot a 71 to finish as the medalist runner-up and Ross Millman shot a 72 to tie for fourth at their U.S. Open local qualifier at the Red Run Golf Club in Royal Oak, Mich. Other current and former Wolverines who did not advance include: Nick Pumford (75), tying for 10th, Lion Kim (76), tying for 14th and Anthony Dietz (79), tying for 36th. [ Results ]
If you have additional information for this page, please e-mail Tom Wywrot at twywrot@umich.edu.
Players Mentioned
