STANWOOD, Mich. – Whitehall’s Laura Kueny said the Tullymore Classic made her proud she was from Michigan.
Not so much her play, which concluded with a 3-under 69 for a 213 total Sunday, but the show the tournament put on for golf fans, family and friends.
“This already is one of the better tournaments on tour,” said the former Michigan State star who has one Symetra Tour win (2013 Symetra Classic) and won the Michigan Women’s Open in 2011.
“It’s a great golf course. The crowds were great. It was a great experience being on the billboards and posters. I wish I putted better, but it was my seventh event in the last five weeks and I’m mentally and physically drained. ”
Britney Hamilton of Lake Orion, a fourth-year tour member, said it has been nice to play in three tournaments in Michigan and one in South Bend in the last six weeks.
“In past years we didn’t have as many tournaments in this area of the country,” she said. “It’s really nice to be in your home state and say you are from Lake Orion and people know where it is. You don’t have to keep saying you are from Michigan. And two weeks ago my sister had a baby, so I was able to get home and meet the new member of the family.”
Hamilton, who shot 70 for 4-under 212, said Tullymore’s hosting of the tournament made her proud.
“For a first-year event they definitely hit the ball out of the park,” she said. “We have not had this many spectators at an event yet this year. Even on pro-am days there were people out here watching.”
Liz Nagle of DeWitt, who shot 75 for 218, said Tullymore worked out great for her. She was able to drive the hour or so home to DeWitt each night and sleep in her own bed.
“I like when tournaments are close to home, and I love it here,” she said. “I was surprised. The crowd is so good on Fourth of July weekend. Everybody is friendly. This has been perfect for the tour, and it shows all the players from around the world what we have to offer in golf in Michigan.”
Amy Meier of Rochester said she felt like a hometown girl this week.
“Even though I might be three hours across the state, it was just so great to be in Michigan and have the great crowds,” she said after shooting a 75 for 219. “The atmosphere was great. It has been a while since I’ve heard so much cheering.”
Her sister Christine Meier, who went to Michigan State while she was at Ohio State, missed the 36-hole cut but shared similar sentiments, as did Jennifer Elsholz of Grand Rapids, who missed the 36-hole cut in her first professional event. She recently graduated from the University of Toledo and was in the tournament via a sponsor’s exemption after winning both the Michigan Amateur Championship and the Golf Association of Michigan Championship in 2014.
“This past week was absolutely amazing,” Elsholz said on Facebook Wednesday. “I got the chance to play with professionals and be a part of a Symetra Tour event. Thank you to everyone who reached out to wish me luck or ask how I did. Your support means the world to me… it was a blast! I’m looking forward to what my future will bring.”
Praise for Tullymore started early in the week and ended on Sunday with the same person, the champion, Daniela Iacobelli.
Born in Detroit, she shot an opening 64 to take a one shot lead after the first round, shot 70 in the middle and closed with the winning 66 and a dramatic 12-foot putt on 18.
“I just love Michigan golf,” she said. “It’s some of the prettiest golf courses I’ve ever played on, including Tullymore. This place is awesome. I’ve never seen so many people with such attention to details ever. It feels like an LPGA event out here.”
From special host Meg Mallon, the LPGA star making a hole-in-one in the pro-am to Laura Gonzalez Escallon of LaHulpe, Belgium, making a hole-in-one on the 15th hole in the second round, to Lee Lopez charging on Sunday with a 10-under 62, to the impressive winning putt on the final hole victory by Iacobelli, the tournament and Tullymore were big hits.
“Just perfect,” Tullymore CEO Terry Schieber said. “Our members and volunteers, the staff in every department did the best they could to make the golfers feel welcome so they could put on a great show for the people of the Canadian Lakes area. And they put on a great, great show.”
ABOUT TULLYMORE: Tullymore Golf Resort is a must-stop for golfers who want to play, stay and watch. The resort has hauled in a page of awards and honors including being named Michigan’s No. 1 Golf Resort and one of the Top 50 Golf Resorts in the U.S. in the 2010 Golf World Readers’ Choice Awards. In addition, the resort was named the Silver Medal Winner – Premier Resorts 2010 – The Best Destinations in Golf by Golf Magazine. As for the Tullymore course, it has earned a five-star rating from Golf Digest several times since 2007 and has been ranked among the top 100 Greatest Courses in America multiple times.
Visit www.tullymoreclassic.com for more tournament information.
Visit www.tullymoregolf.com for resort information.
Visit www.symetratour.com for results and more.
Contact: Greg Johnson 616-560-8995greggie24@hotmail.com
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Dave
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Dave Richards
Resort & Golf Marketing
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