MUSKEGON – Tim Pearce, the head golf professional at Birmingham Country Club, has knocked on the door in major tournaments a handful of times in the last few years.
This time he birdied his way through the door, shooting a closing 4-under 68 with a flawless back nine performance and won the 105th Michigan PGA Professional Championship by two shots Wednesday at Muskegon Country Club.
“I’ve tried so hard to win this so many times that today I kind of accepted that whatever the result, I just wanted to enjoy it,” he said. “I’m very happy. In a tournament like this someone has to just kind of break away, and it felt like all day we were kind of bunched up and no one was going to take it.”
Then he took it, first by making back-to-back birdies via approach shots to within seven feet on the back-to-back par 5s, No. 13 and 14.
“I took advantage of the par 5s, made good shots, and then with four holes to go I told myself to suck it up and hit some more good golf shots coming in,” he said, “because what else are you going to do? Then I hit the best six iron maybe of my life on 15 (a par 3) to about three feet for birdie, and then on 18 I hit a really good four-iron, maybe one of the best of my life, too, on the green, right when I needed it. Just to pull off the shots I needed is really rewarding.”
Pearce’s final 68, which included a 33 on the back nine via birdies on holes 13, 14, 15 and 18, put him at 8-under 208.
Matt Thompson, the teaching pro from Jonesville who led or shared the lead after the first two rounds, shot a closing 71 for 210, and tied for second with Nick Joy of High Pointe Golf Club near Traverse City, who shot 70.
Ryan Lenahan of Walnut Creek Country Club in South Lyon shot 70 for 211 to finish fourth.
Eight-time Michigan PGA Professional champion Scott Hebert of Traverse City Golf & Country Club closed with a 69 for 213 and tied for fifth with Jim Deiters of Midland Country Club, who shot 72, and James Delnick of Carl’s Golfland in Plymouth, who shot 73.
Thompson, who runs junior golf programs at The Hills of Baw Beese Lake in Hillsdale and Binder Park Golf Course in Battle Creek, said he had a shortage of birdie chances in the final round.
“I didn’t have a lot of close looks, just didn’t get shots close and it might not have mattered, but man, I wish I could have the swing back on 18 because I think I had the right club and then I went up one and hit it horrible,” he said. “The bogey at 16, too. I hit a poor chip there and didn’t give myself a good chance at par. One of these tournaments, I’m going to have to be the guy that fires the good score in the final round.”
Pearce, 31, took home the $7,500 first-place check and the historic Gilbert A. Currie Trophy, and said the thought of not getting it done once again did creep into his mind, but he kept the right attitude.
“I was happy to have the chance to keep knocking on the door and having that chance,” he said. “That’s all you can really do, give yourself the chance. I’m proud of myself for hanging in there and playing the best I could today. It feels so great.”
Pearce and seven other top finishers qualified with their performance for the 2027 PGA Professional National Championship at Streamsong Resort in Florida next April. The low 20 finishers in the national championship earn spots in the 109th PGA Championship at Fields Ranch East, PGA Frisco in Texas next May to compete with the best players in the world.
Lanahan, Hebert and five-time past champion Jeff Roth of BOYNE Golf Academy, based on past performances, are already exempt players ticketed for the 2027 PGA Professional National Championship.
The eight from this week who will join them at Streamsong are Pearce, Thompson, Joy, Deiters, Delnick, three-time past champion Ben Cook of Quail Ridge Golf Club near Grand Rapids (72 for 214), Gary Lewandowski of Tullymore Golf Club in Stanwood (71 for 214), and Frank McAuliffe of Meadowbrook Country Club (72 for 215).
In related news announced on Wednesday, Lenahan was named to the U.S. PGA Cup Team, which will represent the United States against golf professionals from Great Britain/Ireland in the 32nd PGA Cup in October at The K Club in Ireland.
SPONSORS: This year’s presenting sponsors are Club Car, Corebridge Financial and Rolex. Supporting partners are Gallagher, the Golf Channel, the PGA Tour, and Shipsticks. Supporting sponsors are Titleist/Footjoy, Callaway Golf, Nike, and TaylorMade.
