BATH, Mich. (Oct. 2, 2013) – Donnie Trosper of Canton and Greer Clausen of Bloomfield Hills, champions from the junior and high school ranks, emerged as the winners in the GAM Tournament of Champions presented by Preferred Data Systems at Eagle Eye and Hawk Hollow Golf Clubs Wednesday.
Trosper, 17, a junior at Canton High School and this year’s Michigan Junior Amateur Champion, shot a 5-under-par 67 on Eagle Eye to top the men’s competition of club champions gathered from Golf Association of Michigan member clubs and GAM event champions.
“Everything I hit seemed to go in the hole today,” Trosper said.
Greer, 18 on Wednesday, celebrated her birthday by shooting a 73 and then beating Stacy Slobodnik-Stoll with an eagle on the second hole of a sudden-death playoff to claim the women’s title.
She is a senior at Cranbrook High School, women’s champion at Fieldstone Golf Club and contemplating college and playing collegiate golf. She was also paired with Slobodnik-Stoll, one of the state’s top amateur golfers and the head women’s golf coach at Michigan State, through the day’s regulation round. Clausen chipped in with a putt from off the green on No. 17 in regulation to help forge the tie with Slobodnik-Stoll.
“I was nervous just playing with her because she’s such a great coach and player, but she is so nice that after the first few holes I just played golf,” Clausen said. “Getting to play with her was a great birthday present already.”
Greer’s tee shot on the second playoff hole reached the 242-yard par 4 second hole, and she made the 25-foot eagle putt to emerge the winner.
“The tee was moved up, but I still didn’t expect my tee shot to be there,” she said. “Then I made the putt. It was just my day I guess.”
Greer and Slobodnik-Stoll’s 73s were one shot better than the 74 posed by Monica Veit of Clio. Julie Massa of Holt and Valerie Madill-Gibbs of Goodrich each shot 77 and Donna Benford of Linden and Barb Schmid of Grand Rapids checked in with 78s.
Trosper, meanwhile, received a lesson last week from PGA Professional Dave VanLoozen of Edgewood Country Club and the teaching pro tweaked his swing perfectly.
“I’ve been striping it since, really hit it great today,” said the junior standout who was second and fourth in the two American Junior Golf Association events in Michigan over the summer.
“I hit my approach shots to within 10 feet all day really. I got in a few bad spots coming in and made two bogeys (Nos. 16 and 17), but otherwise it was great.”
His 67 was three shots better than a trio of 70s turned in by Brett Hudson of Bloomfield Hills, Mitch Wilson of Portage and Chet Vandenberg of Grand Rapids. Jeff Champine of Rochester Hills and Derek Klimek of Ada each shot 71.
View results for GAM Tournament of Champions
ABOUT THE GAM Tournament of Champions
18-hole stroke play tournament open to Men and
Women who have won their GAM Club
Championship or
a GAM Championship in the current year.
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