Former Bulldog Golfers Among Favorites Entering This Week's Michigan Open Championship
Pictured is Ferris State Alum Eric Lilleboe, who won last year's Michigan Open Championship
Big Rapids, Mich. - The Turtle Creek Casino Michigan Open Championship, which is the Michigan PGA's premier event, is set to take place this week at The Bear near Traverse City and several prominent Ferris State men's golf alumni are among the favorites in the field.
A total of 156 players will descend upon Traverse City aiming to win the largest purse in the tournament's 103-year history with $115,000 in prize money on the line. It takes place at The Bear, which is located at the Grand Traverse Resort and Span in Acme, and runs from Monday thru Thursday (Aug. 31-Sept. 3).
The tournament was originally scheduled for June before being postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The list of favorites includes defending champion and Ferris State alum Eric Lilleboe of Okemos, who is among 15 former winners in the field. A year ago, he shot a 54-hole score of 13-under par to win the event after the final round was cancelled due to rain.
The top players in the field also includes six-time champion and fellow Bulldog alum Scott Hebert of the Traverse City Golf & Country Club along with FSU alum Ben Cook of Yankee Springs in Wayland, who won the Michigan PGA Professional Championship held last week.
A number of other former Bulldog golfers are also in the field, including current Bulldog head men's and women's golf coach Kyle Wittenbach, along with several current Bulldog men's golfers.
This year marks the 28th time the Michigan Open will be contested at The Bear, which was designed by Jack Nicklaus.
Historically, some of golf's most famous names are listed on the Michigan Open's James D. Standish, Jr. Trophy. Walter Hagen, the father of modern professional golf and captain of the first five U. S. Ryder Cup teams, won the event in 1921. Michigan PGA Professional and Ferris State alum Scott Hebert is tied with Al Watrous for all-time Michigan Open titles with six. Legendary Michigan amateur, Chuck Kocsis, who played on three Walker Cup teams, won three titles.
Complete tournament results and scoring can be found at this link:
Michigan Open Championship