BELLAIRE – Otto Black grew up in Pinckney, currently lives in Brighton and the Hall Financial Michigan Open presented by Make The Turn and Harbor Title Agency was a championship he has wanted to win and tried to win for several years.
“To be honest, the money helps and all that, but being part of those names on that trophy, that means more than anything,” he said while pointing down at the James D. Standish Jr. historic silver plaque where his name will be inscribed as the 108th champion of the state open championship. “I think it’s just so cool to be part of that.”
The 31-year-old mini-tour professional who has chased the PGA Tour dream around the world, on Thursday finally won the tournament he always wants to come home to play.
He shot a closing 1-under-par 70 for a 16-under total of 268 on the Cedar River Course at Shanty Creek Resort, and it was just enough to hold off the charge of Howell mini-tour pro Beau Breault, who shot 68 and was within a single shot before a closing bogey on No. 18 left him at 270.
“(Beau) did what he had to do – he had to make birdies down the stretch, and I give him credit for that,” Black said. “I just kind of stuck with what I was doing. I was like, if I just keep hitting my shots, everything else will take care of itself.”
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Breault, the 2018 Michigan Amateur Champion, pulled within a single shot twice during the round, including after making birdies on four of the last six holes. His charge was marred by a double bogey on No. 14 and the final bogey.
“I battled,” he said. “I made a couple really bad swings at the wrong time, but I had to be aggressive because he had a pretty big lead on me for most of the day,” he said. “The par 3 (No. 14), I had issues there the whole week. I knew I needed to be somewhat aggressive. He hit a good shot in there where he would make par, and I was trying to make a push. I just hit a really bad shot at the wrong time, but I’m proud of the way I came back after that and made three birdies to make him sweat a little bit at the end.”
Black earned $13,500 for the win, and Breault $8,500 for second place.
Traverse City mini-tour player Alex Scott shot a closing 66 to jump up to third place with a 12-under 272 total.
Yuqi Liu of Ann Arbor, making his pro debut after graduating this spring from the University of Michigan, shot 73 for 273. He was joined in the tie for fourth by current Michigan State University golfer Lorenzo Pinili of Rochester Hills, who shot 65 and finished as the low amateur in the championship.
Nick Krueger, a mini-tour pro and the 2022 Michigan Amateur champion from Spring Lake, was next at 274 after a closing 69.
Two former Michigan Open champions, 2023 champion Joe Juszczyk of Dearborn, who shot 69, and Matt Thompson, the golf coach at Hillsdale College and 2017 champion, who shot 67, tied at 275.
Black’s voice cracked with emotion during a trophy presentation speech. He said he is very honored to be a Michigan Open champion.
“You just work so hard, and I’ve been so close in this one before, it’s just so great to see the good outcome,” he said. “It’s just how golf goes sometimes. You just keep doing what you are doing, you get a good team and support around you, trust it and it works.”
Black said his early birdies at Nos. 2 and 3 were great for momentum and he said saving par from in front of the green on No. 7 was big.
“I was able to stay pretty steady after that,” he said. “It turned out to be enough.”
