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Tour Ends After 15 Years In Business
As the saying goes, "All good things must come to an end." Ken Carter, Executive Director of the Michigan Players Tour, has announced that the Michigan Players Tour will no longer schedule or conduct tournaments in Michigan, and that there will be no Tour schedule posted for the 2021 season. '"As much as I want to continue providing opportunities for players to compete in Michigan and the Great Lakes region, and to help them pursue their dreams to make it to the highest levels of the game, the time has come for me to move on," Carter said. Carter has taken a position as superintendant with a residential home builder in Kingsland, Texas, building homes in the $600K to $1.2M range at The Legends At Lake LBJ golf course community. There are other professional mini tours in the Midwest conducting events that players in Michigan can use to develop their games. "I have contacted other mini tours in the country, and asked them to schedule events in the Midwest region because I have closed down," Carter said. "I would also be willing to entertain offers to take over the MPT, as long as the name of the Tour remains intact and events are conducted exclusively in Michigan," Carter added. "I will maintain the MPT web site for several more months, and provide links to other minitours, in order to provide continuity for players seeking playing opportunities," Carter said. Here are some links to other tours --
Posts 68, Wins By 2
Echavarría, who played collegiate golf at the University of Florida and graduated in 2011, finished 2nd at the Chitimacha Louisiana Open in 2011 as an amateur on the Korn Ferry Tour, and has won two events on the PGA Tour Latinoamerica. With the schedule of the 2020 Korn Ferry Tour being suspended earlier this year due to the Covid-19 pandemic, players such as Andrés have been in limbo, and have not been able to play their way into the “shuffle” on the KFT and compete in many events. Fortunately, the 2020 KFT season has been extended through the fall of 2021, and Andrés can still pursue status on the 2022 PGA Tour with his current exemption on the KFT. The Grande G.C. is a beautiful upscale course located in Jackson, just a few miles south of I- 94 on US 127. For complete scores, please see the Results page.
Posts four under par 67 at Stoatin Brae G.C.
Second place went to Walnut Creek CC assistant professional Sam Spayd of Livonia, who posted a 69. Due to the Covid 19 pandemic, the Big 10 Conference, as well as most other college athletic conferences around the US, have cancelled all fall sports, including golf, leaving most college players in the region looking for places to play. This was what brought Seward up to compete on the MPT. The GLVO was the first pro tournament played at Stoatin Brae, which is the newest addition to the Gull Lake View Resort’s spectacular lineup of courses. The course is a replica of British Open style links courses, and features severely undulating greens, pot bunkers, and long fescue surrounding each hole. For complete scores, please see the Results page.
Posts 64, Wins By 4
Lilleboe, who played collegiate golf at Ferris State University in Big Rapids, earned status on the PGA Mackenzie Tour this spring, finishing T16 out of 123 players at Mackenzie Tour Q School in Port St. Lucie, FL in March. Unfortunately, the 2020 Mackenzie Tour season was cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Hawk Hollow G.C. is a classic parkland course located in Bath, just a few miles north of the Michigan State University campus in East Lansing. The 17th and 18th holes are perhaps the two toughest finishing holes players face each year on the Tour. For complete scores, please see the Results page.
Both Post Two Under Par 70 in Soggy Conditions
A line of severe thunderstorms rolled through the northern suburbs of Detroit during the mid-morning of July 19th, resulting in a delay of about a half an hour to the tee times. But once play began, former Tour winner Blaze Hogan of Hobe Sound, FL and Kyle Rodes of Plymouth were able to post solid rounds of two under par 70, good enough to clip amateurs Eric Curtis and Jack Williams of Rochester by one shot in the 2020 Romeo Open. Given the soggy conditions and the threat of additional thunderstorms, Hogan and Rodes decided to forgo a playoff to decide the title, and split the prize money. Greystone G.C. is a classic and beautiful parkland course for the first 15 holes, but then unleashes one of the most difficult finishing stretches of golf in Michigan. The 18th hole, in particular, plays 451 yards, and the second shot must carry a lake to reach the shallow green. For complete scores, please see the Results page. Images From Greystone G.C.
Piesko Grabs First MPT Title Shoots Three Under 69, Wins By Two
Taking full advantage of the delightful weather was Doug Piesko of Bruce Township, who posted a workmanlike round of three under par 69 to edge 2018 Michigan Open Champion Jake Kneen of White Lake by two shots. Piesko, who played collegiate golf at Lake Superior State University, has been a regular competitor in the Michigan Open, has been playing the mini tours in Florida, and has been competing in various PGA Tour Monday qualifiers, most recently to qualify for the Rocket Mortgage Classic, Designed by Arthur Hills, Stonebridge G.C. is an enjoyable and challenging course located in the Stonebridge housing development southwest of Ann Arbor, and is a course demanding accurate shot placement, both off the tee and into the very small greens. For complete scores, please go to the Results page,
Burry Wins Shootout Again Event Definitely Lived Up To Its Name June 27, 2020
Burry, who plays out of Winagamie G.C. in Neenah, Wisconsin, where his father is PGA Professional, won this event last year, and was the leading money winner on the 2019 MPT Order of Merit. Burry has status on the 2020 Mackenzie Tour, but the season has been cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Andres Echevarria, a former player at the University of Florida, is a two time winner on the PGA Tour Latinoamerica, and won the 2019 Molino Canuelas Championship in Buenos Aires. Former EMU teammates Beau Breault and Kyle Rodes set the pace on the front nine, posting -3, with Echevarria one back. Breault birdied 10, getting him to -4, but a double at 13 dropped him back. Burry began his back nine birdie binge at 11 and 12, and with a birdie on the 14th, held a one shot lead over the field standing on the 15th tee. From there, all three players made two more birdies on the final four holes, preserving the one shot win. The Fortress is a beautiful and challenging course located in Frankenmuth, one of Michigan’s most charming and beautiful tourist destinations. For complete scores, please go to the Results page.
Three Under 69 Clips Kneen, Holley By One
Terry was scheduled to play in the Coyote Preserve Open last week, but his clubs were lost by the airlines on a flight home, and he was forced to withdraw. Both Terry and Kneen posted one under on the front, but a two shot swing on the 10th gave Terry a two shot lead starting out on the back. Kneen, however, reeled off 3 straight birdies, getting him to 3 under, and with Terry’s birdie on 14, the two ended up tied standing on the 15th tee. Another two shot swing occurred on 15, with Terry making bogey, and dropping to -2, Kneen birdied, getting him to 4 under, and a two shot lead. The final three holes decided the matter. Kneen bogeyed 16 and 17, and then failed to birdie 18, a reachable par 5 of 477 yards. Terry made par on 16 and 17, and then unleashed a massive 339 yard drive on the final hole, and made birdie, giving him the win. Holley was three shots back through 17, but eagled 18, which moved him into a tie for 2nd. Mystic Creek G.C. is a beautiful and challenging 27 hole public course, and is located in Camp Dearborn southwest of Milford. For complete scores, please go to the Results page.
Even Par 71 Good Enough On Tough Track June 7, 2020
Playing in his first MPT event, and having never seen the course before, Breault posted a 2 under par front nine, giving him a 2 shot lead over Sudinsky heading to No. 10. Kneen, however, made a charge on the back nine, with birdies on 10 and 15 to get him to one under, and when Breault doubled the 15th, the 3 shot swing gave Kneen a one shot lead standing on the 16th tee, with Sudinsky right there a stroke behind Breault. All three players bogeyed the par five 16th, but when Kneen bogeyed the 221 yard par three 17th, Kneen and Breault were tied, with Sudinsky one back, as they teed off on 18. On the final hole, Kneen made par, but Breault made birdie, giving him the one shot victory. Coyote Preserve G.C. is one of Southeast Michigan’s most beautiful and challenging public courses, and is one of six courses designed by Arnold Palmer in Michigan. Over the years, CPGC has proven to be one of the most difficult courses on the MPT. For complete scores, please go to the Results page.
2020 Tour Schedule Completed Season To Consist of Ten Events
The 2020 season will consist of ten events, with the first event to be played on Sunday, June 7th, at the gorgeous Coyote Preserve G.C. in Fenton. Players should take note of two important changes in 2020.
The Tour will, however, continue to offer a $25 discount into each event once a player competes in a minimum of 3 tournaments. In 2020, the schedule will include four courses that have never been used by the Tour. These are,
The Tour looks forward to your participation! Let the "Roaring '20's" begin!
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