(Grand Rapids, Michigan)—A bevy of top college women golfers, a handful of high school champions and even a member of the Michigan Golf Hall of Fame will be part of the field of 24 golfers taking part in the Founders Challenge August 4-5 near Grand Rapids.
Michigan State University women’s golf coach Stacy Slobodnik-Stoll is the playing captain for the twice-victorious Public Course team, which will be trying again to best the Private Club team headed by Joan Garety, herself a former MSU star and member of the Michigan Golf Hall of Fame. But both playing captains will have plenty of talent on hand. Garety’s team includes University of Louisville star Jenny Calkins of Greenville, who helped her team to top-ten finish at the NCAA Division I championship this spring. Others on the Private Club side, include Kim Kester of the University of Toledo, Big Ten golfer Heather Scholten of Northwestern, Western Michigan University’s Laura Bavaird, former Michigan Senior Amateur champion Barbara Schmid, and Allison Tyler, a 2006 Michigan high school state individual champion.
Slobodnik-Stoll’s side includes 2007 Big Ten champion Rachel Meikle of Michigan State, Stephanie Mory of the University of Illinois, 2007 Michigan "Miss Golf" Award winner Shannon Warner of Livonia, Division II All-America selection Becky Hoffman of Ferris State University, longtime amateur star Susan Campbell of Kalamazoo and incoming Grand Valley freshman Kristina Langton, another Michigan high school individual state champion this spring.
Other college players taking part in the event include Michelle Boogaard, Caitlin Bennett, Ashley Smith (all of Grand Valley) Becky Hoffman and Missy Ward (Ferris State), Kelly Boogaard (Eastern Michigan) and Jennifer Domagalski (Michigan State). Competing for the first time is Dr. Mary Vajgrt of Kalamazoo, a former star at Indiana University.
The Founders Challenge will be contested at two well-known tournament venues in the Grand Rapids area. The first day better-ball foursome matches on August 4 will be held at The Meadows Golf Club in Allendale on the campus of Grand Valley State University. The final day of competition takes place on August 5 at Egypt Valley Country Club in Ada, just three weeks following the conclusion of the 2007 Michigan Women’s State Amateur championship there.
"These players really represent the best of golf in this region," said Stacy Slobodnik-Stoll, who led her team to a Big Ten title and an NCAA championship berth in 2007. "They’re highly competitive and motivated and they love the match-play nature of this event, which is a nice change of pace from stroke-play competitions we see so often." Growing up in Grand Rapids, Slobodnik-Stoll has played scores of rounds over the years with Joan Garety, who preceded her at Michigan State. "Stacy sets the tone for her team, both at MSU and here in the Founders Challenge," said Garety. "But our team this year is anxious to win this time around and we’ve got several players who are really on form this summer."
The Founders Challenge began in 2005 under the sponsorship of Founders Bank & Trust of Grand Rapids. Founders’ President and Chief Executive Officer Laurie Beard said the Founders Challenge honors the achievements of women in golf. "These girls and women represent athletic excellence, determination and personal integrity. Their accomplishments are a great tribute to themselves and the sport of golf."
The event sponsor since its inception, Founders Bank & Trust (www.foundersbt.com) is a locally owned community bank specializing in tailored relationship banking with offices in Grand Rapids, Grandville and Traverse City. Besides Founders Bank & Trust, additional event sponsorship is provided by golf industry clothing leader Fairway & Greene, international direct-sales giant Alticor, and Winners, Inc.
Contact:
Tom Cleary (tjcleary@aol.com, 616-915-4267)
Terry Moore (terry_moore@comcast.net, 616-247-1931)
