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News archives from 2009

Kline feels fine at Runny Nose

November 29, 2009

With a record field of 15 players and reasonably warm, sunny conditions for late November, Greg Kline won his first Runny Nose Open shooting a 35-36 - 71 for a 3 stroke victory over PC Carlos.  Kline, a veteran of 7 RNO's, hit 5 fairways, 8 greens and needed 33 putts to net the 1-under par performance.  He collected $40 for the win making for a very profitable November after winning the inaugural MT Skills Challenge 3 weeks earlier.

Carlos (37-37 - 74) made a late run with 5 birdies in 6 holes but a triple bogey on the final hole relegated him to 2nd place ($30) in his first Runny Nose appearance.  Charlie Roy (39-37 - 76) and Tom Moran (40-36 - 76) tied for 3rd earning each a $15 payday.

Click here for complete results of the 2009 Runny Nose Open

Kline's skills shine in November

November 8, 2009

Greg Kline won the inaugural Mulligan Tour Skills Challenge on Saturday scoring 38 points to beat Phil Abele by 6 points.  On a picture perfect first Saturday of November, Kline finished among the top 3 players in each of the first 5 events, highlighted by making the 60 foot putt of event #5 to score the 10 first place points.  His efforts on the Riverview Highlands practice facility earned him $70.

Abele finished with 32 points despite winning 2 of the events - the 40 yard pitch and the 12 foot breaking putt - and earned the 2nd place prize of $45.  Kelly Arnold overtook Erik Meland in the final event making 2 of 5 putts from 6 feet.  Arnold finished with 27 points and earned $25.  Meland finished 4th with 26 points while Barb Hoelzle (5th), Tom Hoelzle (6th) and Tom Moran (7th) rounded out the field in the first MT Skills Challenge.

Kline & Co. win '09 Comm Cup before singles matches

September 28, 2009

Captain Greg Kline led his Central Division team to a convincing win over the West Division in the 5th Commissioner's Cup Matches.  Buck's Run Golf Club in Mt. Pleasant hosted the annual matches last Friday and Saturday, September 26-27.

Team Central moved ahead 5½ to 2½ after the morning matches but a lopsided afternoon session left the Central with a 12½ to 3½ lead that rendered the singles matches anticlimactic.  Unfortunately for the West, the lead only grew as the Central took 6 ½ of the 8 points for a final score of 19 to 5.

Team Central (from left): Dan Schwartz, Tim Markel, Eric Morris, Greg Kline, Jason Rectenwald, Thom Bales, David Martin and Tom Sachs

Click here for complete results of the 2009 Commissioner's Cup matches

Wyka is 2009 TOUR Champ, Perch nabs 3rd Money Title

September 20, 2009

Rookie Scott Wyka made a living on the major championships.  Adding to a 3rd place finish at the Memorial in May and a win at the Harbour Pointe Open in June, he closed out the Tour's 2009 tournament schedule by taking the TOUR Championship on Saturday at the Polo Fields Golf & Country Club in Ann Arbor.  All 3 of his top-4 finishes came in major championships.

Wyka recorded 6 birdies and an eagle on his way to shooting 36-35 - 71.  The 1-under par performance marks the first time a player has ever finished under par at the TOUR Championship.  He finished the season ranked 3rd in earning with $120.

David Martin (37-36 - 73) finished 2nd after a costly triple bogey 7 at the par-4 18th.  Martin has settled for 2nd place 3 times in the 3 TOUR Championships that he has entered.  He finished a stroke behind Greg Kline in 2007 at the Fortress in Frankenmuth and he was also 1-stroke away from first at the 2006 championship won by Denny Ersig at Inkster Valley.

Joe Robar (38-37 - 75) opened with a 9 on the par-5 1st hole and finished in solo 3rd.  Rick Persichetti (40-36 - 76) and Randall Reher (39-37 - 76) tied for 4th while Don Morris (45-32 - 77) and Erik Meland (39-38 - 77) shared 6th.  Persichetti earned $12.50 and finished the year with $184.67 to claim the 2009 Money Title - his 3rd money title in 7 years.

Scott Wyka - winner 2009 TOUR Championship

Click here for complete final standings of the 2009 TOUR Championship

Persichetti takes PLAYERS and WESTERN Championships

September 1, 2009

Rick Persichetti collected wins number 16 and 17 in one weekend - one major weekend.  "Perch" claimed the PLAYERS Championship last Saturday at Inkster Valley GC and then followed up with a win at the WESTERN Championship on Sunday at Stonebridge GC in Ann Arbor.  They were the 5th and 6th major titles for the 7-year pro out of Dearborn.

Making the PLAYERS field by virtue of a top-20 ranking in the central division, Perch shot an amazing 3-under 69 in tough conditions at a tough course.  The 6,709 yard layout at Inkster Valley proved quite challenging as strong afternoon winds forced players to be careful with every shot.  The win was worth $48 and propelled Persichetti past Lou Acosta to win the Central Division Money Title ($100.17).

Acosta (37-38 - 75) and Charlie Roy (37-38 - 75) shared 2nd place.  Acosta led the field in both driving accuracy (12/14 fairways) and greens in regulation (12/18) but had a pedestrian 36 putts.  Roy, fresh from his own double win last weekend, was going for 3 in a row.  Tim Markel (38-38 - 76) finished 4th in his best showing in a major championship.

Persichetti overtook Don Morris for the lead in prize money this season.  Perch has $172.17 in earnings after the 2 wins.

Rick Persichetti - 2009 PLAYERS Champion

With Sunday's more benign conditions and Stonebridge playing to a length of 6,481 yards, scores were expected to be lower.  But Stonebridge put up her best defense - undulating greens - to keep order in the world of Mulligan Tour major championships.

Persichetti birdied the 16th and 17th holes to finish at even par 72 - 2 strokes better than Greg Kline.  Maureen Abele, leading after 9 holes, fell back to 3rd place with a 4-over 76.  Tom Moran finished 4th at 79.

The victory tied Persichetti with Tour founder Erik Meland for most Tour wins.  Each has 17 titles but Persichetti now has 6 majors on his resume, just one behind the leader Greg Kline.  Perch is the 2nd player to amass a "career slam" - winning 4 different majors.  He has 2 Memorial wins (2004, 2008), 1 Harbour Pointe Open (2004), 2 WESTERNS (2006, 2009) and a PLAYERS (2009).  Persichetti also takes over the top spot on the MT World Ranking for the first time since the ranking began.

Rick Persichetti - 2009 WESTERN Champion

Click here for complete final standings of the 2009 PLAYERS Championship

Click here for complete final standings of the 2009 WESTERN Championship

Roy wins, Part II

August 23, 2009

Charlie Roy closed out the Tour's regular season by winning the final 2 events.  After winning the Caddyshack Classic on Saturday, he traveled up to Stony Creek Metropark on Sunday and took the 2009 Fifty Cent Classic by 3 strokes to sweep the weekend's tournaments.  He is the 2nd player in Tour history to win twice in one weekend following Ed Loescher who pulled off the feat in 2006 (Fox Hunt and Go Blue Classic).

Roy (31-35 - 66) hit 7 fairways and 9 greens and converted 2 eagles and 7 birdies to pull away from the field.  A commanding 8-shot lead allowed Roy the luxury of finishing with triple-bogey at 17 and bogey at 18 and still claim the title.  From off the list, he climbed up to 8th on the money standings after earning $68.50 in 2 days.  As is tradition at the Fifty Cent, the winner collected his first place prize of $32.50 in the form of 65 fifty cent pieces.

Young Tom Litzler (36-33 - 69) led the field with 28 putts and recorded his 5th top-4 this year collecting 49 half dollars.  He moved up to 2nd on the money list with $105.50 earned in 13 tournaments in 2009.  Erik Meland (35-36 - 71) birdied the final 2 holes to get back into red numbers and claim 3rd just ahead of Todd Masura.  A rookie from Livonia, Masura (35-37 - 72) captured his first top-4 and earned $8.50 in half dollars.

Charlie Roy - 2009 Fifty Cent Classic champ

click here for complete final standings of the 2009 Fifty Cent Classic

Lord of the Links

August 23, 2009

Charlie Roy seemed at home at the Links at Lake Erie on Saturday - and the gopher trophy will spend another year at the Roy home as a result.  Roy went 6-under par on a stretch of 5 holes (#2 - #6) to complete the defense of his 2008 Caddyshack Classic title and become the first multiple winner in the event's 11 year history.

Hitting 8 of 14 fairways and 8 greens in regulation, Roy used 27 putts to finish at 5-under 67 and a 2-stroke win.  A 2nd year pro out of Livonia, Roy has only 2 top-4 finishes in 17 career starts but both are victories at the Caddyshack.  The win was worth $36 and an invitation into next weeks WESTERN Championship.

The Tour's leading money winner added to his lead.  Don Morris (33-36 - 69) tied Karl Carter for 2nd place earning himself a $22.50 paycheck.  Morris now leads the race for the 2009 Money Title with $153.50 in prize money.  Carter recorded his first top-4 finish in only his 5th start on Tour.  The rookie had 2 eagles and 5 birdies to shoot 32-37 - 69.  John Powell (34-36 - 70) finished 4th and the $9 paycheck keeps him within striking distance ($93.25) of Morris for the Money Title.

Charlie Roy - 2009 Caddyshack Classic champ

click here for complete final standings of the 2009 Caddyshack Classic

Eric Morris makes Carrington Classic his first Tour victory

August 16, 2009

Eric Morris shot a 35-32 - 67 to win the 2009 Carrington Classic by 3 shots and claim his first career win.  Morris, a rookie from Romulus, carded 6 birdies and 2 eagles including a net ace at the 17th that closed the deal.  The victory, worth $36 in prize money, is his first top-4 finish in 14 career starts and pushed him up from 41st to 30th on the Mulligan Tour World Ranking.

Tournament host Jason Rectenwald tied Art Wakeford for 2nd place.  Rectenwald (33-37 - 70) led the field hitting 9 of 18 greens in regulation and was T5 with 31 putts.  Wakeford (37-33 - 70) led the field with 28 putts and recorded his first top-4 in his 7th career start.  Young Tom Litzler (32-39 - 71) bogied 2 of his last 3 holes to fall back to 4th place.

Click here for complete Final Standings of the 2009 Carrington Classic

Ugly scores at Downing Farms

August 2, 2009

Don Morris won the 2009 Ugly Pants Open on Sunday at Downing Farms GC, his 3rd win of the year.  In fact, Morris has clinched the west division money title for 2009 with 2 tournaments remaining including the WESTERN Championship.  Morris has 6 top 4's in 13 starts this year and all 3 wins were in the west (Ugly Pants, Animal House, Go Blue).  He leads the Tour with $131 in prize money and could be the first rookie to win the Money Title since Rick Persichetti in 2003.

Morris shot 34-39 - 73, 2-over par on the Downing Farms layout and beat Dan Schwartz (38-36 - 74) by a stroke.  Schwartz was leading the tournament after a birdie at #15 but finished with 3 straight bogies and settled for 2nd place.  Rick Persichetti (38-40 - 78) finished 3rd and rookie Jim O'Connor (42-37 - 79) posted his first top-4 in his 6th start.

The scores were uglier than usual at the Ugly Pants - the field averaging 12 strokes over net par - matching the attire of the participants.  Rookie Julie Gardner won the Ugly Attire award in a close vote with Jeff Klipa.

Don Morris - 2009 Ugly Pants Open winner

click here for complete standings of the 2009 Ugly Pants Open

Bales wins UPS Store Quad-Tour Challenge in a playoff

August 2, 2009

Thom Bales teamed up with Corey Pavin (69), Bernhard Langer (65) and Paula Creamer (70) to win the 2009 UPS Store Quad-Tour Challenge on Saturday.  Bales shot a 39-34 - 73 on Idyl Wyld's par-70 layout to finish at 7-under 277 and then beat Tim Markel in a playoff.  Markel shot a 37-36 - 73 and also finished with a 277 total after help from Stephen Ames (67), Loren Roberts (67) and Creamer (70) from the pro tours.

Bales needed a total of 7 putts in the 4-hole putt-off winning handily as Markel finished with 11 strokes.  Bales is 2-1 in playoffs and picked up a $32 first place check.

Rick Persichetti (36-26 - 72) finished 3rd with a 6-under 278.  The foursome that tied for 4th place at 283 included Erik Meland, Tom W Litzler, Mike Pearcy and Julie Gardner.  It was Gardner's first top-4 in her rookie campaign.

Thom Bales - 2009 UPS Store Quad-Tour Challenge champ

click here for complete final standings of the 2009 Quad-Tour Challenge

Kelly Arnold marches to the Match Play Championship

July 27, 2009

Kelly Arnold survived a semi-final match with 3-time winner Greg Kline and then went on to win the final against Young Tom Litzler to capture his first Match Play Championship and his 3rd major title on Sunday at the Links at Whitmore Lake.

Arnold won his first round match-up with Tom Sachs 2&1 on Friday and returned Saturday to battle against his Memorial tournament partner Rick Persichetti.  Four natural birdies in the span of 6 holes in the middle of the match helped build a 3-up lead that would hold up for a 3&1 finish.

In the Sunday morning semi-final match against Kline, Arnold was 3-up after 4 holes but gave it all back as the two made the turn all-square.  They traded the lead 5 times on the back nine (played on the front) and a lipped out par putt on #9 kept Kline from forcing extra holes in the closest match of the tournament.

In the final, Arnold birdied 3 of the first 6 holes and was 4-up thru 7.  He played 13 holes in 1-under par and Young Tom never had a chance.  The final score was 6&5.

Kelly Arnold - 2009 Match Play Champion

Sunday at Match Play

July 25, 2009

The only thing that stands between a showdown between 3-time winner Greg Kline and the '07 winner DeVonne Mowry at the 2009 Match Play Championship is Kelly Arnold and Young Tom Litzler.  Kline, winner in '04, '05 and '06, beat Erik Meland 4&3 in the first round and then got past the '02 champ David Martin in round 2.  Mowry beat Thom Bales 2&1 on Friday and then John Powell on Saturday.

Kelly Arnold advanced to the Sunday final four by beating Tom Sachs 2&1 on Friday and then beating his Memorial tournament partner Rick Persichetti on Saturday.  Young Tom Litzler dispatched the defending champ Bob Bruning 2&1 on Friday and then beat his dad, Old Tom Litzler on Saturday also by a 2&1 score.

Kline is playing Arnold in one semi-final on Sunday morning while Mowry plays Young Tom in the other.  The final and 3rd place matches are set for Sunday afternoon.

Dave Randall beats Randall Reher in a playoff for Crazy Brit title

July 19, 2009

Dave Randall, a 4th year veteran from Northville, earned his 3rd title in 31 career starts on Tour by winning the 2009 Crazy Brit in a playoff on Saturday.  He needed overtime to overtake rookie Randall Reher after both collected 42 points in the British Stableford scoring format of the Crazy Brit.  Randall (first name Dave) 3-putted the first playoff hole while Randall (last name Reher) 2-putted for the lead in the 4-hole aggregate score playoff.  But Reher 3-putted the next 2 holes to give up the lead and when Randall made his 3rd consecutive 2-putt on the 4th hole the victory was secured.

Randall scored points on every hole and made 8 birdies, including a stretch of 4 in a row starting at #10, to total 42 points.  Reher started with an eagle on the first hole and then added 8 birdies of his own, also scoring points on every hole, to get to 42 points - a record score in this tournament.  Randall's first place check of $32 was his first prize money earned in 2009 and he debuts at 18th on the Money List (4th on the Central money list).  Reher, the rookie from Troy, finished in the money for the first time collecting a check for $24 and is 25th on the money standings (7th on the Central).

Bob Bruning (20-21 - 41 points) also had an eagle and 8 birdies on the Whispering Willows course in Livonia but missed joining the playoff by 1 point.  Rick Persichetti (21-19 - 40), Dan Schwartz (16-24 - 40) and Larry Kwiatkowski (20-20 - 40) shared 4th place.

Dave Randall - 2009 Crazy Brit champion

click here for complete final standings of the 2009 Crazy Brit

Morris takes Go Blue Classic with 69 at Reddeman Farms

July 13, 2009

Don Morris solidified his case for "Rookie-of-the-Year" honors with a 2nd win this season.  He shot a 3-under par 69 at Reddeman Farms GC to take the 2009 Go Blue Classic title beating Erik Meland by a stroke.  Morris won the Animal House Classic back in May and is the 2nd multiple winner of the year.  He leads the Tour with $103 in earnings and leads the west division with $96.50 in prize money.

Morris converted on 7 birdie opportunities after hitting career highs in fairways (10 of 14, T1 in the field) and greens (7 of 18, T2 in the field).  The $32 first place check gives him a $60 lead over John Powell ($36.00) for the west division money title with only 3 events remaining on the west schedule - Ugly Pants Open (Aug 2), Caddyshack Classic (Aug 22) and the WESTERN Championship (Aug 30).

Meland (36-34 - 70) had 2 eagles and 3 birdies but could not take advantage of the closing par-5's at 16 and 18.  He credited an improved putting stroke (T4 in the field with 31 putts) for his first top-4 finish in a full field event this year.

Denny Ersig (36-35 - 71) played the last 2 holes 3-over to fall back to 3rd and Russ Butler (37-36 - 73) netted his first top-4 finish since the '08 Real McCoy Classic.

Don Morris - 2009 Go Blue Classic champ

click here for complete final standings of the 2009 Go Blue Classic

Carol Koch defends the Ladies Open title at Sandy Creek

July 13, 2009

Carol Koch successfully defended her MT Ladies Open title last Saturday by shooting 35-38 - 73 at Sandy Creek Golf Club in Monroe.  She beat the '07 Ladies Open champ DeVonne Mowry by 2-strokes by playing the final 3 holes birdie-par-birdie.

Koch hit 8 of 14 fairways and 3 greens in regulation while needing 38 putts.  She earned $28 for her 2nd career win and qualifies for the TOUR Championship as well as her choice of division championships - either the PLAYERS Championship or the WESTERN Championship.

Mowry (39-36 - 75) overcame a double-bogey - bogey start with an eagle at the 3rd but bogies at the 5th, 6th, 9th and 11th proved to be too much.  Barb Hoelzle (37-42 - 79) was 2-over par and leading thru 15 holes when back and knee problems hampered her finish.  Rookie Barb Kaczmarek (42-41 - 83) and Tour veteran Sue Meland (41-42 - 83) tied for 4th.  Julie Gardner finished 6th in her first Ladies Open.

Randall Reher (36-33 - 69) was low net male and earned an exemption into the TOUR Championship as well as his choice of one of the division championships.  Charlie Roy (36-35 - 71), Greg Kline (36-38 - 74) and Jason Rectenwald (38-37 - 75) were the other top-4 finishers and are also exempt from qualifying for one of the division championships.

The Tour raised $525 for "Rally for the Cure" thanks to the participation of all of the players and the invited guests.  Greg Kline won the 50/50 putting contest and continued the tradition of donating back the winnings to "Rally"

Carol Koch - 2009 Lady Golfer of the Year

click here for complete final standings of the 2009 MT Ladies Open

Powell strings together 2nd win

June 29, 2009

Last year's "Rookie of the Year" has his sights set on "Player of the Year" in 2009.  John Powell has steadily climbed the ranks of the Mulligan Tour and now is officially the #1 ranked player on Tour after a victory at the 2009 Strokes on a Rope.  Powell bogied 4 of the final 5 holes to create a close finish but the 7-over 79 was good enough for a 1-stroke win over Jason Rectenwald.

The first multiple winner on Tour this year, Powell earned $36 for the win and is 2nd on the Money List ($84.25).  He jumped ahead of David Martin to claim the #1 World Ranking due in large part to his success in the majors.  He followed a trio of 2nd place finishes in '08 (Memorial, Match Play, WESTERN) with a win at the Memorial and a T5 at the Harbour Pointe Open this season.  Powell has 10 top-4 finishes in his 21 starts on Tour.

Rectenwald (40-40 - 80) led the field with 27 putts and continues to lead the Tour in putting average (28.4).  He finished in the money for the first time since a 2nd place at the '08 HPO and recorded his 10th top-4 overall in 40 career starts.  "Young Tom" Litzler finished 3rd at 9-over 81.  Don Morris and 2-time champ David Martin shared 4th with 81's.

John Powell - 2009 Strokes on a Rope champ

Click here for complete final standings of the 2009 Strokes on a Rope tournament

Wyka wins HPO in a playoff

June 21, 2009

Scott Wyka, a rookie from Dearborn, beat Mike Pearcy in a 5 hole playoff after both finished at 1-under 35 in a 9-hole Harbour Pointe Open.  Overnight rains made the west nine at Pheasant Run Golf Club unplayable and title sponsor Commercial Underwriters Risk Management favored a 9-hole tournament over the complications of rescheduling one of the Tour's major championships (the north nine was closed for Canton fireworks that night).

Wyka made 3 birdies on Pheasant Run's south nine, including one on the final hole - a 425-yard par 4 that only 4 players in the field managed to birdie.  Pearcy also made 3 birdies in the short round but bogied the 9th hole to fall back into the tie.

The 4-hole aggregate score playoff finished tied at 11 strokes each as the 2 battled major championship nerves in 3-putting 3 times a piece.  On the first extra hole Wyka made a short par putt to end the tournament after Pearcy 3-putted for a fourth time.

Wyka earned $50 for the win and moves up to 2nd on the Money List ($70) but it was Pearcy strengthening his hold on the top spot ($99.50) with the runner up finish.  He has 4 top-4's in 7 starts this year including playoff loses in the season's first 2 majors.

Denny Ersig and Jeff Klipa shared 3rd place at even par 36 earning each a check for $17.50.  The foursome of players tied for 5th at 1-over 37 included Kelly Arnold, John Powell, Victor McCoy and Phil Abele.

Scott Wyka - 2009 Commercial Underwriters Harbour Pointe Open champ

Click here for complete final standings of the 2009 Harbour Pointe Open

Kline nabs Par-54 for 14th title

June 20, 2009

Central division Commissioner Greg Kline won the Par-54 Classic on the Strategic Fox course at Fox Hills Golf & Banquet Center on Friday.  The field of 16 avoided the impending storms that arrived later in the evening and it was Kline earning his 14th Mulligan Tour title with an even par 54.  He made 6 birdies from hitting 12 of 18 greens while needing 31 putts.  The $20 first place check moves Kline into the top-10 on the 2009 money standings and within $1 of becoming the 4th player in Tour history to earn $1000.

Erik Meland birdied the final 2 holes to net solo 2nd place with a 2-over 56.  DeVonne Mowry, the Par-54 champ in 2007, finished 3rd with a 3-over 57.  Don Morris and Tom Sachs tied for 4th with 58's.

Greg Kline - 2009 Par-54 Classic champ

Click here for complete Final Standings of the 2009 Par-54 Classic

Lou Acosta wins Real McCoy

June 14, 2009

Morning rains softened Farmington Hills Golf Club on Saturday and the Tour players took advantage of a vulnerable course that was quite receptive.  Lou Acosta became the 2nd rookie this year to get his first Tour win by taming Farmington Hills with an eagle and 7 birdies.  Acosta shot a 33-30 - 63 for a 1-stroke victory over Terry Baar and Mike Pearcy.  Among the field of 48 players were 42 touring pros that combined to record 27 eagles and 166 birdies.

Acosta led the field in driving accuracy - hitting 11 of 14 fairways - and greens in regulation - hitting 15 of 18 greens.  He needed 30 putts (T5 in the field) and became the 2nd player ever to shoot a gross score of even par or better.  His gross even par 71 nearly matched Craig MacBeth's 1-under par 70 at the 2004 Animal House Classic at Taylor Meadows GC.

Coming off her victory at the Holy Grail, Baar (33-31 - 64) has never finished outside the top-10 since the Real McCoy moved to Farmington Hills GC.  She also finished 2nd in 2006 when Dave Randall set the RMC scoring record of 10-under 61.  Baar moves up to 5th on the Money List with $54.50 earned in 6 starts this year.  Pearcy (31-33 - 64) moves to the top of the Money List ($64.50) after recording his 3rd top-4 finish in 6 starts this year.

Making her first appearance in 2009, Sue Meland (28-37 - 65) played a personal best gross 47 on the front and 102 for the tournament.  She tied the reigning Memorial champ John Powell (31-34 - 65) for 4th.  Tournament host Victor McCoy, finally getting injuries put into the past, produced his best numbers ever at the RMC and finished T7 at 4-under 67.

Lou Acosta - 2009 Real McCoy Classic champ

click here for complete final standings of the 2009 Real McCoy Classic

Terry Baar makes Holy Grail her 2nd career win

June 8, 2009

Thirty Four entrants came to St. Johns Golf and Conference Center last Saturday seeking the Mulligan Tour's Holy Grail.  Armed with 3 holy hand grenades, Terry Baar shot a 3-under par 69 for a 2-stroke win over Don Morris and claimed her 2nd Tour victory.  Baar, whose previous win came at the 2004 Ugly Pants Open, was aided by an eagle and 6 birdies.  It was her 14th top-4 finish in 72 career starts.  The win was worth $32 and came with the automatic invitation to the WESTERN Championship in late August.

Morris (34-37 - 71) made a hard charge at the end finishing with a flurry that included a hole-in-one at the par-3 16th to earn an invitation to the West Skins Game in October and a 2-year membership.  Morris finished birdie-eagle-eagle-birdie on St.John's final four holes to explode from the pack and capture 2nd place.  He earned another $24 in prize money and rose to the top of the Money List ($60).

Bob Baar (36-36 - 72), husband of the champ, finished alone in 3rd place - his 22nd top-4 in 78 career starts.  Mr. Baar became the 15th player in Tour history to go over $400 in career earnings.  Greg Kline (35-38 - 73) birdied the 18th to avoid the logjam of players finishing at 74 to claim his 41st top-4 finish in 102 career starts.

Terry Baar - 2009 Holy Grail champ

click here for complete final standings of the 2009 Holy Grail

Powell and Robar take Green Towels after playoff

May 31, 2009

After falling a stroke short of forcing a playoff with Rick Persichetti and Kelly Arnold in the 2008 Memorial Tournament, John Powell and Joe Robar returned to Gateway Golf Club this year as one of the favorites to win the Green Towels.  A nearly flawless round that included 7 birdies and no bogies set a new scoring record of 7-under par 65 at the Memorial but extra holes were needed when the team of Erik Johnson and Mike Pearcy matched the record.  Pearcy and Johnson, in their 2nd year on Tour but playing in their first major championship, were aided by 3 eagles and may have won in regulation if not for a double-bogey at the par-3 5th hole.

The playoff, the 4th in the last 10 Memorials, saw Powell/Robar calmly make 2-putt after 2-putt while Pearcy/Johnson struggled with the flatstick.  A 3-putt bogey on the first playoff hole but them behind but the 4-putt 3rd hole sealed their fate.  With Powell setting up his partner, Robar sank the winning putt on Gateway's severely undulating practice green and the 2 earned their first Tour victories on a major stage. 

"PC" Carlos and rookie Scott Wyka finished in 3rd place at 4-under 68.  Three teams tied for 4th with 69's - including the defending champs, Persichetti and Arnold, the '07 champs, Jeff Klipa and Victor McCoy, and DeVonne Mowry and rookie partner Eric Kelsey. 

John Powell and Joe Robar - 2009 Memorial Tournament champs

click here for complete final standings of the 2009 Memorial Tournament

David Martin wins Western Swing

May 24, 2009

David Martin, the Tour's all-time money leader with over $1200 in career earnings, collected his 15th title Saturday by winning the Western Swing for the 2nd time.  The model of consistency, Martin hit 10 of 14 fairways and 12 of 18 greens on Calderone Farms' mix of links and wooded holes to shoot 33-37 - 70, beating Barb Hoelzle by 2 strokes.  Martin has 64 top-4 finishes in 111 tournaments over 9 years.  Following a T-3 at the Tin Cup 2 weeks prior, Martin has the early lead on the 2009 Money List with $44 in earnings.  Martin's other Western Swing victory came in 2007 at Reddeman Farms.

The reigning PLAYERS champ, Hoelzle (32-40 - 72) bogied 4 of her last 5 holes to relinquish the lead to Martin.  The 2nd place finish ($27) allows Hoelzle to debut at 6th on the current Money List.  Kelly Arnold and Tom Sachs tied for 3rd another stroke back at 1-over 73.  It was Arnold's 15th top-4 in 34 career starts and Sach's 5th top-4 in 17 starts.

David Martin - 2009 Western Swing champ

click here for complete Final Standings of the 2009 Western Swing

Tom Moran cashes in at Chelsea Classic

May 24, 2009

Tom Moran, in his 5th year on Tour and making his 45th career start, lapped the field Saturday at Calderone Farms GC to win the 2009 Chelsea Classic by 6-strokes.  Moran used an eagle and 5 birdies against only 2 bogies to capture his 2nd Tour title ('07 Go Blue).  The win was worth $28 in prize money.

Maureen Abele beat out the rest of the pursuers by finishing at 1-over 73.  Young Tom Litzler finished 3rd at 3-over 75 and the '07 Chelsea champ Thom Bales finished 4th with a 76.  Making her first start of the year, Abele (37-36 - 73) made 3 eagles and 3 birdies to capture her 2nd top-4 finish in 16 starts.  Litzler was also making his 2009 debut and recorded his 18th top-4 in 33 tournaments entered.

With 2 top-4's in 4 starts this year, Moran ranks 2nd on the Money List ($36) and automatically qualifies for the WESTERN Championship in August.

Tom Moran - 2009 Chelsea Classic winner

click here for the complete Final Standings of the 2009 Chelsea Classic

Meet the New Kids on the Block

May 17, 2009

A field of 31 competed for the 2009 Animal House Classic title at Salem Hills last Saturday and the top 6 places were taken by 1st or 2nd year players.  Meet the new kids on the block.  Rookie Don Morris posted a 5-over 77 to avoid a 4-way playoff.  Just a couple weeks out of Q-School, Morris beat Matt Murdza, Joe Robar, and Erik Johnson by a stroke to win his first Tour title.

Windy conditions on a saturated course pushed net scores well into the 70's for the 2nd week on Tour.  Morris kept the ball in play avoiding every animal trap but one - a 3-putt snake on #9.  In fact, Morris went on to win the "bonus" putt-off after the tournament that included the 4 lowest "Zoo ratios" from the tournament.  He beat his son Eric and Erik Johnson on the 2nd extra hole of the 4-hole playoff.

Murdza (36-42 - 78) led the field in greens-in-regulation (8/18) and took 32 putts to record his first top-4 in only his 2nd career start.  Robar (40-38 - 78) carded a net ace on the par-3 3rd hole and captured his 2nd top-4 finish in 7 starts.  Johnson (37-41 - 78) finished in the top-4 for the first time in 5 starts.  Rookie Lou Acosta (39-40 - 79) and 2nd year pro John Powel (40-39 - 79) tied for 5th.

Don Morris - 2009 Animal House Classic champ

Click here for complete final standings of the 2009 Animal House Classic

Perch takes Tin Cup for 15th career win

May 10, 2009

Rick "Perch" Persichetti, a 7th year pro from Dearborn, collected his 15th career victory at the 2009 Tin Cup.  A chip-in birdie at his final hole (#15) was the difference in beating rookie Lou Acosta by a stroke.  In blustery conditions that left many in the field struggling to score, Persichetti finished 38-39 - 77 and the 5-over par winning score tied the highest previous winning score in Tin Cup history (2006 - Greg Kline).  The net scoring average for the field (with full MTHI) was 84.1 strokes.

Acosta (38-40 - 78) came straight out of Q-School and netted his first top-4 finish.  His low gross 82 in this wind had many veterans thinking that Acosta will be a player finding himself in contention many times in the future.  David Martin, Greg Kline, and Tom Moran tied for 3rd with 79's.  Martin (38-41 - 79), winner here in 2004, led the field in putting (28) and recorded his 63rd top-4 finish in 110 career starts.  Kline (39-40 - 79) led the field with 7 greens-in-regulation and finished in the top-4 for the 40th time in 99 starts.  Moran (42-37 - 79) collected his first top-4 since last year's Match Play Championship.

Rick Persichetti - 2009 Tin Cup champ

Click here for complete Final Standings of the 2009 Tin Cup

Bruning wins season opening Weekend Warrior Golfer.com Classic

May 3, 2009

Picking up where he left off, Bob Bruning, the 2008 Money Titleist, started the new season by winning the Weekend Warrior Golfer.com Classic last Saturday after posting a 34-41 - 75 at Pine View GC.  The 3-over par effort was 1-stroke better than Phil Abele and 2-strokes better than Jim Cwikla and Mike Pearcy.

Bruning hit 7 of 14 fairways and 5 of 18 greens in regulation on his way to making 5 birdies.  His 35 putts were a little better than the field average (36.8) but the key to winning is avoiding the big holes.  Bruning had 6 bogies but only one "other" - a double-bogey 7 at the par-5 10th.  The win earned Bruning a $32 paycheck and a spot in the WESTERN Championship in late August.

Pine View's back nine was playing a few strokes higher than the front, but Abele (40-36 - 76) closed the gap by playing the final 6 holes in 2-under par.  He was 2nd in the field with 31 putts and made 6 birdies in the tournament but was ultimately undone by a double-bogey 5 at the par-3 2nd hole and a triple-bogey on 8.

Pearcy (39-38 - 77) led the field with 7 birdies but was hurt by 6 3-putts.  Still, he earned his first top-4 finish in his 7th start on Tour and tied for 3rd place with an old Tour veteran.  Cwikla (36-41 - 77), an 11 year pro from Westland, netted his 22nd top-4 finish in 76 career starts.

New tournament hosts, Brent Newhouse and Vail Harding, from the Weekend Warrior Golfer.com website, made their Mulligan Tour debuts.  Harding finished T-25 with a gross 89 while Newhouse finished T-29 with a 90.

Bob Bruning - 2009 winner of the Weekend Warrior Golfer.com Classic

click here for complete Final Standings of the 2009 Weekend Warrior Golfer.com Classic

The UPS Store agrees to ship  Quad-Tour package

April, 2009

With membership reaching 60 golfers, the Tour brought 2 tournaments off the shelf and added to the 2009 schedule.  The Chelsea Classic will play simultaneously with the Western Swing at Calderone Farms GC on May 23rd and the Quad-Tour Challenge finds a title sponsor and will move to Idyl Wyld GC.   The UPS Store in Livonia has agreed to sponsor the 2009 Quad-Tour Challenge.  The 4-player tournament in which the Mulligan Tour player's score is added to that of 3 professional golfer's scores - one each from the PGA, the Champions, and the LPGA Tours - is scheduled for August 1st at the Livonia municipal course.

click here to visit the local UPS Store

WeekendWarriorGolfer.com to sponsor 2009 Pine View Classic

April, 2009

A new website called Weekend Warrior Golfer.com has signed on as title sponsor of the Pine View Classic.  The site, run by Brent Newhouse of Ypsilanti, offers course and product reviews as well as articles on all things golf.  "We need golf to breathe", claims the website.  "We need golf on the weekend to make it through the week.  You understand this - You are a weekend warrior golfer."

The tournament will be called the WeekendWarriorGolfer.com Classic and retain the current playing format of an 18-hole, stroke-play, net-scoring event.  One of the oldest events on Tour, Pine View GC will host the tournament for the 11th year on May 2nd.  The start is currently set for tee times beginning at 8:00am.  However, if there are more than 8 groups (32 players) in the field the course will likely switch to a modified shotgun start - everyone teeing off at 8:00 on holes #13 or 14 thru #1.

click here to visit the Weekend Warrior Golfer.com website

Tour negotiating with Polo Fields for 2009 TOUR Championship

March, 2009

The 2009 TOUR Championship may take the Mulligan Tour to its first private golf course.  Polo Fields Golf & Country Club in Ann Arbor has offered to host the final major of the year on September 19th.  The details are still to be worked out, but an afternoon start is likely on a football Saturday near the Big House.  

Tour readies for 2009 schedule

February, 2009

The Mulligan Tour is currently preparing for representation at 2 spring golf shows.  First, the Tour will promote itself at the Spring Golf Show at the Gibraltar Trade Center in Taylor on Feb 27 thru March 1.  Then the Tour is planning to go to the Michigan Golf Show at the Rock Financial Showplace on the following weekend (March 6-8).  

The 2009 schedule is nearing completion.  Only a few tournaments have not had their place solidified on the calendar by mid February.  The Tour is hoping to have these final spots confirmed before the end of the month.  New and returning members are reminded to take advantage of the discount offered by joining the 2009 season before April 1st.

Tour scales back for 2009

November, 2008

The poor economy is interfering with almost every aspect of life in southeast Michigan.  And with the prospect of another "down" year for the metro Detroit area, the Mulligan Tour is preparing a "scaled back" 2009 season.  Expecting that membership will remain lower than the record 59 members of the 2005 season, the Tour is planning to put several tournaments on hiatus until the level of membership dictates that they return.