By Greg Johnson for www.skyviewsports.net
Kyle Martin of Lochmoor Club Chases Historic Threepeat Starting Monday
BENTON HARBOR – The 103rd Michigan PGA Professional Championship is Monday through Wednesday at Harbor Shores Resort and Kyle Martin of Lochmoor Club in Grosse Pointe Woods is chasing tournament history.
Martin, 40, became the ninth golfer to win consecutive tournaments in the century-plus of championships a year ago, joining the likes of the first two-time winner, legend Walter Hagen, in 1930-31.
This year he has a chance to become just the second golfer to win three consecutive titles.
Scott Hebert of Traverse City Golf & Country Club, a record eight-time winner of the Michigan Section PGA championship who is also in this year’s field, is the only golfer to ever win three consecutive state titles and was also the only golfer to ever win four in-a-row with his streak from 2006 through 2009.
Martin said he is not thinking too far ahead.
“You can look at it and think winning another and being part of history would be cool, but I’ve always tried not to just get there and play well enough the first two days to have a chance on the third day,” he said. “Then if you have a chance on that last day, you go for it. That’s how I’m going to approach it.”
Martin visited Harbor Shores last weekend for a practice round and found the heralded Jack Nicklaus-design on the shores of Lake Michigan with fast greens and several wetland penalty areas to avoid.
“I was surprised at the speed and undulations on the greens, especially how steep some of them were,” he said. “The greens reminded me of The Bear (Grand Traverse Resort Nicklaus design) where you have to hit it to the right plateau. If you don’t it can be an entertaining two-putt, or more.”
Martin said he is feeding off his play in the recent Tournament of Champions at Boyne Mountain Resort. He was in a three-golfer sudden-death playoff with eventual champion Joe Juszczyk and Tom Werkmeister for the win and missed a final 15-foot birdie putt.
“I’m comfortable with the way I’ve been playing,” he said. “Like all club pros, I would like to have more time to practice, but I’m going to hope for my game to flash. I think the golf course will be quite different from Flint. You had to make birdies there. Pars will be good in a lot of places at Harbor Shores, though there are some birdies out there. It should be fun.”
The championship for Michigan PGA Section golf professionals determines who takes home this year’s first-place check from an estimated $55,000 purse, has their name added to the Gilbert A. Currie Trophy and is awarded a sponsor’s exemption into the PGA Tour’s 2025 Rocket Mortgage Classic at Detroit Golf Club.
Martin, the 2015 and 2020 Michigan PGA Match Play Champion, played last month in the Rocket Mortgage Classic for the second consecutive year and he would like to make it three straight visits there, too.
“Playing in a PGA Tour event is always a career highlight,” he said.
Martin, who last year in the championship at Flint Golf Club shot 14-under to win behind a closing 65, also wants to be part of the golfers who take advantage of another feature of the Michigan PGA Professional championship. The tournament serves as the starting point and qualifier on the road to major championship golf with the best players in the world at the PGA Championship of 2025, which will be played in May at Quail Hollow in Charlotte, N.C.
The low nine golfers at the end of the Michigan PGA Professional Championship, not including Hebert and Jeff Roth of BOYNE Golf Academy, who are already exempt, will earn playing spots in the 2025 PGA Professional National Championship next April at PGA Golf Club in Port St. Lucie, Fla. The low 20 finishers from that championship move on to Quail Hollow to play with the best players in the world at the 105th PGA Championship.
“There’s a lot to play for in this championship every year,” Martin said. “I’m excited about it.”
Martin is among 12 past champions in this year’s field. Hebert, whose wins were in 2006, ’07, ’08, ’09, ’11, ’12, ’14, ’16, and Roth, a five-time champion (1998, ’99, 2001, ’03, ’19), are once again in the field.
The others are three-time winner Brian Cairns of Fox Hills Learning Center (1996, 2000, 2013), two-time winner Steve Brady of Oakland Hills Country Club (1993,’95), two-time winner Benny Cook of Quail Ridge Golf Club in Ada (2021,’22), Lee Houtteman of Leland Country Club (2018), John Seltzer III of Egypt Valley Country Club (2017), Dan Urban of Gull Lake Country Club (2015), Ron Beurmann of Country Club of Jackson (2010), PGA Life Member Jack Seltzer of Linden (1988) and PGA Life Member John Traub of Berkley (1984).
The field will play 54-holes over three days with a cut to the low 60 scorers and ties after Tuesday’s second round.
Harbor Shores has been home to the Kitchen Aid Senior PGA Championship every other year starting in 2012 and running through its final year this year. The golf course is part of a beach, golf and residential waterfront community. It is an award-winning design that features golf holes on four diverse terrains – parkland, sand dunes on the lake, woodlands and wetlands along the Paw Paw River and Ox Creek. The development also made national news by reclaiming abandoned and polluted land as part of a non-profit effort.
The course was honored in several best new course rankings in 2010 and has been honored as environmental leaders by the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America. Each of the 18 holes includes a sculpture/dedicated display honoring each one of the major championships won by Nicklaus.
The Michigan PGA professional Championship dates to 1922 and the past champions list includes Hagen, Al Watrous, Chick Harbert, Jimmy Demaret, Horton Smith, John Barnum, Marvin Stahl, Randy Erskine, Lynn Janson and Buddy Whitten.
SPONSORS: This year’s presenting sponsors are Club Car, Corebridge Financial and Rolex. Supporting partners are Gallagher, the Golf Channel and the PGA Tour. Supporting sponsors are Titleist/Footjoy, Callaway Golf, Nike and TaylorMade.
RESULTS, TEE TIMES: See michiganpga.com Gallery is welcome. Parking and admission are free. More information on Harbor Shores is available at harborshoresresort.com.