SOUTH LYON – Patrick Wilkes-Krier of Kendall Golf Academy in Ypsilanti has been in final groups and has come close to winning major Michigan championships in the past.
The 41-year-old teaching professional is excited for another chance after he shot a 3-under 69 Tuesday to take the lead through two rounds of the 104th Michigan PGA Professional Championship at Walnut Creek Country Club.
“I have a chance at it tomorrow and that’s what I think about all year, being able to play and try to come out on top,” he said. “The Michigan PGA puts on great events and it’s always against a bunch of really good players. If I’m at the top of the leaderboard and playing well, I think it says some good stuff because the quality of competition is really good and the courses are really good.”
He will start Wednesday’s final round in the $57,000 championship with a two-shot lead on Tim Pearce, the head golf professional at Birmingham Country Club, who was at 142 after a 72.
Kosta Ramirez, the director of instruction at The Mines in Grand Rapids, and Ben Cook, a three-time former champion from Caledonia, were at 143 after each of them shot 74. They were part of a three-way tie for the lead through the first round.
Adam Schumacher of Point O’Woods Golf & Country Club in Benton Harbor shot 72 and was alone at 144.
Scott Brotebeck, the host professional from Walnut Creek, shot 72 and was part of a group of six golfers at 145.
That group also included eight-time champion Scott Hebert of Traverse City Golf & Country Club, who shot 71, 2017 champion John Seltzer of Egypt Valley Country Club in Ada, who shot 74, Jim Deiters of Midland Country Club, who shot 72, Jordan Weinger of Twin Beach Country Club in West Bloomfield, who shot 70, and Joe Berklich of Dunham Hills Golf & Country Club in Hartland, who shot 72.
The 36-hole cut was made at 11-over 155 and 62 golfers will play in Wednesday’s final round. The final group of Wilkes-Krier, Pearce and Ramirez will tee off at 11:20 a.m.
At stake is the first-place check of $7,500 from the $57,000 purse, the historic Gilbert A. Currie Trophy and an exemption into the PGA Tour’s Rocket Classic at Detroit Golf Club.
Also at stake is a chance to play with the best golfers in the world.
The low nine eligible golfers at the end of the Michigan PGA Professional Championship, not including Hebert, Jeff Roth of BOYNE Golf Academy and Ryan Lenahan of Walnut Creek, who are already exempt, will earn playing spots in the 2026 PGA Professional National Championship next April at Bandon Dunes Resort in Oregon. The low 20 finishers from that championship move on to play with the best players in the world at the 106th PGA Championship.
Cook, who has left the golf business to open up an Edward Jones financial advisor office near Grand Rapids, is defending his third title via a one-year grace period under Michigan PGA rules. He is not eligible to move on to the 2026 PGA Professional National Championship.
Wilkes-Krier missed just one green and was bogey-free in his round to take the lead.
“It was not good off the tee with some clubs, but it never got me in trouble,” he said. “I always had a look at the green. I was in the rough an enormous amount, but I kept hitting good shots out.”
Pearce, another golfer with close calls and final group appearances seeking his first Michigan major, was 3-under on his first nine (the West nine) in the second round but struggled coming in (North nine).
“I made a couple of bogeys from the middle of the fairway, just kind of missed my shots and that was kind of the theme of the back nine,” he said. “We’re right where we want to be though. I think this is three years in a row in the last group. Patrick and I are good friends. I’m looking forward to going for it.”
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.
