Which 3 Holes will decide the Ally Challenge at Warwick Hills CC? PGA Pro tells us (with drone)

Jerry Pate at the Kitchen Aid

Colin Montgomerie

     With the Buick Open folding up the Buick Open following its 2009 run at Warwick Hills, men's professional golf left the state of Michigan. With the Ally Challenge presented by McLaren coming to the long time host of PGA golf, the PGA Legends who used to provide many memories to fans a generation or two ago, get another crack at the course for the next three years if not more. 

Rocco and myself on Media Day

Peter Jacobsen

In a five-minute video, Doug Brody, the current PGA professional and host to many tournaments tells us the likely three hole culprits. 
Which 3 Holes will decide the ally challenge at Warwick Hills CC? <<< Video
PGA Pros and operators, we can drone your course. Call us. 
The drone is out and golfers, fans and sponsors alike car relive one of the longest running stops on the PGA Tour. I believe the field has just about all of the top 20 Legends 2018 money winners

Xavier Mens Coach Brian McCants is the subject of our Monday conversation

In this weeks Monday Conversation, Xavier Men's Coach Brian McCants talks about what makes a good college golfer and the type of player he prefers to sign. 

Brian McCants- Xavier Men's Golf Coach <<< Video

Brooke Henderson is the first Canadian to win her countries major in 45 years

   

     Earlier this summer, Brooke Henderson was the defending champion of the Meijer LPGA stop in Grand Rapids. Brooke is not only an outstanding player but one who has a good head on her shoulders and is not afraid to win. She appeared at the press conference in Grand Rapids and the press conference and my question are included. The Press Conference in Grand Rapids is here <<< Video

The Toronto Star article is below and a good read.  From the Toronto Star

Brooke Henderson ends Canada’s 45-year drought at CP Women’s Open

By DAMIEN COXSports Columnist

Sun., Aug. 26, 2018

And that, ladies and gentlemen, is how you end a drought.

Brooke Henderson stormed into the Canadian history books like a runaway train on Sunday, blowing away the field to win the CP Women’s Open in Regina with relative ease.

obody, but nobody, was going to stop Henderson from becoming the first Canadian woman in 45 years to capture our country’s national golf championship. When it was over, there was no shy wave to the crowd at the Wascana Country Club, no restrained celebration. It was a party on the 18th green, complete with a champagne shower for Henderson and with one-time Canadian No. 1 Lori Kane leading the assembled crowd in a rendition of “O Canada.”Henderson went into the final round leading by a single stroke, and ended up winning by four, delivering a sensational round of 65 in the rain and cold of a late summer day in Saskatchewan. If she felt the pressure of becoming the first Canuck since Jocelyne Bourassa in 1973 to win on home soil, it didn’t show.

Instead, she was a picture of pure concentration against an elite field and a clutch of pursuers, right up until she cooly drained a three-foot putt for one last birdie on the final hole.

It wasn’t dramatic, not really. When she followed up a birdie by up-and-coming American star Angel Yin that briefly cut her lead to two strokes with a birdie of her own on the 13th hole, it was essentially all over. Nobody had the game to catch her on this weekend.

Afterward, as Henderson reflected on a difficult year for her family in which she lost both grandfathers, she finally let her emotions show.

“It’s been a tough year,” she said, her voice breaking. “To get this for my family, and for Canada, I’m just so happy.”

At just 20 years of age, Henderson looks headed for superstardom in her sport, as well as perhaps becoming the most successful female professional athlete in Canadian sports history.

Henderson is on the same trajectory that Canadian tennis star Eugenie Bouchard was when she made it to the Wimbledon women’s final in  2014, a time when it appeared Bouchard, then 20, was a solid bet to eventually win at least one Grand Slam title and become one of the best known female athletes on the planet.

Link to the Toronto Star article <<< Click for the Toronto Star

Takeaways from the Randy Wise Junior Open

1. Rick Slaight and his staff did a tremendous job in hosting the Randy Wise Junior Open. The course was immaculate and both he and his club members and superintendent rolled out the red carpet to host the event. Not sure if Spring Meadows will host the tournament next year as Warwick Hills Country Club is hosting the ally challenge the next three years and rumor is Flint GC is in the mix.

2. Michaela Morard from Huntsville, Alabama is really quite a talent. Entering her junior year of high school, this Alabama beauty has already won five times on the AJGA circuit and is a threat to win any tournament she enters and that includes the Invitationals. She is ranked number 9 in the Rolex rankings. In her first competitive round at Spring Meadows CC, she broke the course record of 68 by a shot and took it from all people, LPGA player Morgan Pressel. Roll Tide!

3. Michigan girls swipe six of the top 17 spots in the tournament including second and third place.
Ariel Chang of Macomb Twp. and Nicole Whatley (MSU verbal commit) of Northville did southeast Michigan proud with strong finishes in the tournament. Chang put together rounds of 73-71-74 for a two over 218 in the tournament. Whatley tuned up Spring Meadows with scores of 75-69-75 for a three over 219. These are all very nice young ladies and its great to root for all of the girls division.

4. Noah Kolar of Grand Rapid's Michigan won the boys division with an even par 216 for the three days of the tournament. This young man will be a senior this year and has been getting feelers from colleges throughout the state of Michigan but has no offers. Young man, update your resume because that's about to change.

5. Like the girls, Michigan area boys did themselves proud sweeping the top three spots. This rarely happens in this tournament but Michigan junior golf should feel proud of their efforts. Coalter Smith of Grosse Pointe Farms (Wisconsin commit) with 74-71-72 for a one-over 217. In a second place tie is Nick Krueger of Spring Lake Michigan who finished with the same score.

5. The future of the Randy Wise Junior Open. Randy said himself that he ponders his commitment from year to year.  Most people do not realize that while he does not put in prize money, a good amount of cash goes into merchandise, logistics and even  an ambulance that is on standby in the parking lot. There is no way I know all that goes into this but Randy said he does it for the kids as he is very impressed with the way they conduct themselves as people and between the ropes.

6. My own future covering the AJGA. I will need a sponsor for the week. I spend three-four days volunteering to cover this event with video, stories for Detroit Sports Media and this blog. I'm cost effective and worth it. I also use my drone for video pieces that are edited into the stories. 

Who are the 25 greatest golfers of all-time? 

New Era has compiled the list. Where do Arnie, Jack and Tiger fit? Does Daly make it? How about Young Tom Morris?
How about some of the PGA Legends coming to Warwick in a few weeks being on the list? Hint, there are 3-4. I can tell you I do NOT agree with their top golfer. Please comment.

Do you agree with this list? <<< To the list

Five is the Charm for Michaela Morard and Michigander wins boys title

Michaela Morard and sponsor Randy Wise

Noah Kolar with Randy Wise

Michaela Morard needed to be bribed as a post-toddler to practice golf with her father at the local driving range. Her putting rounds gave her a great time with her dad and an ice cream on the ride home. After several bribes from dad, her dad was getting creamed by this prodigy regularly beating him by her estimation when she was eight-years-old. (see her interview for more) That is bad news for the rest of the girls AJGA compeitors as Morard's four shot victory was an effort of cruise control giving her a four shot victory over Ariel Cheng of Macomb Twp. Morard's victory is historic as this Alabama bound golfer has won for the fifth time in her AJGA career and her wire-to-wire victory was tested early with bogeys coming out of the gate, but was never really in doubt. Morard may be playing for Alabama in two years with more big tournaments to come and her ultimate goal is to play the LPGA. Her first round 5-under par 67 broke the course record of 68 at Spring Meadows Country Club held by Morgan Pressel. Yes, the LPGA's wonderkind of a decade ago. Michaela Morard on the evolution of her career <<< Video      The race for second place was between Cheng and Nicole Whatley of Northville and Cheng edged Whatley by a single shot. Morard's national resume is extremely impressive as she is ranked number nine in Rolex AJGA rankings and has won 3 Alabama junior singles titles. “This win means a lot. I made a bunch of friends so playing with them today was a lot of fun and I got to meet a lot of new people. Also, I get to add to my tournament wins, so that’s awesome.," said Morard. Her 17 top-10 AJGA finishes in five years, three State of Alabama individual championships and three-time honors for Junior Rolex Junior All-American titles meaning her opponents might need ice cream bribe just to get on the golf course with her.       The boys on the other hand had well over a dozen players within a realistic seven shots of the lead but a player in the next to final group won in his third AJGA start Noah Kolar came away with a one shot lead over two Michiganders who tied for second place. Koler is a repeat player in the Randy Wise Junior Open. Coalter Smith of Grosse Pointe Farms (Wisconsin Commit) finished in a tie for second place with Nick Krueger of Spring Lake, Michigan. Noah Kolar on his 2018 Randy Wise Junior Open AJGA Win <<< Video Noah Kolar hits iron on the par-3 13th      For Koler, he is drawing interest from several division one schools and in an interview, he said that he hopes coaches in contact with him will be impressed with this addition to his golfing resume. Kolar has been grinding to improve."This win means a lot. All the hard work I put in this summer, that definitely makes it worth it. It’s a win against the best competition and it shows that I’m one of the best in the country.”  2018 Randy Wise Junior Open Award Ceremony <<< Video

Girls Results from AJGA.org  Partial- For the complete leaderboard, go to www.AJGA.org 1 Michaela Morard Huntsville, Ala. (2020) -2 67 73 74 214 2 Ariel Chang Macomb Twp, Mich. (2021) +2 73 71 74 218 3 Nicole Whatley Northville, Mich. (2021) +3 75 69 75 219 T4 Haylin Harris Carmel, Ind. (2018) +6 74 72 76 222 T4 Jasmine Ly (Canada) Windsor, Ontario (2019) +6 75 71 76 222 T4 Leila Raines Galena, Ohio (2020) +6 72 70 80 222 Other Notables T7 Taylor Kehoe- AJGA Winner (Canada) Strathroy, Ontario (2022) +7 72 81 70 223 10 Anika Dy Traverse City, Mich. (2019) +9 78 71 76 225 T11 Anci Dy Traverse City, Mich. (2021) +10 69 79 78 226 T11 Mikaela Schulz West Bloomfield, Mich. (2019) +10 75 77 74 226 13 Isabella Portokalis AJGA Winner (Canada) London, Ontario (2019) +13 76 76 77 229 7 Boys Results from AJGA.org- Partial Pos. Player Total To Par Gross R1 R2 R3 Total Gross 1 Noah Kolar Grand Rapids, Mich. (2019) E 71 73 72 216 T2 Coalter Smith Grosse Pointe Farms, Mich. (2019) +1 74 71 72 217 T2 Nick Krueger Spring Lake, Mich. (2019) +1 73 71 73 217 T4 Shawn Sehra (Canada) Windsor, Ontario (2020) +2 70 75 73 218 T4 Spencer Crowe Lake Forest, Ill. (2018) +2 71 75 72 218 Other Notables T7 Colin Sikkenga Kalamazoo, Mich. (2018) +4 73 76 71 220 T12 Jack Muir Birmingham, Mich. (2018) +6 74 72 76 222 T12 Will Anderson Portage, Mich. (2020) +6 69 75 78 222 T15 Justin Sui Lake Orion, Mich. (2020) +7 77 72 74 223 T15 Luke Pelak Mattawan, Mich. (2019) +7 71 76 76 223