David Praet Makes Eagle on 18th Hole, Wins GAM Mid-Amateur Championship

HARBOR SPRINGS – David Praet of Lake Orion rolled in a 50-foot eagle putt on the par 5 final hole to win the 43rd GAM Mid-Amateur Championship presented by Stifel Investment Services at The Highlands at Harbor Springs Thursday.

The 39-year-old investment banker came to the 18th hole of the Moor course trailing Ryan Johnson of Bloomfield Hills and Anthony Sorentino of Rochester Hills by one shot. He hit a 193-yard 6-iron second shot deep into the large green and then made the long eagle-putt to cap a final-round 1-under 69, which catapulted him into the lead.

Johnson, who had led for most of the round, made par on the final hole and finished with a 70 for 139. Also at 139 was Sorentino, who in a group ahead had also eagled 18 to shoot a closing 68.

“This means everything,” Praet, an Indianwood Golf & Country Club member, said. “I’ve been playing golf in Michigan for a long time, since I was a junior, took a lot of amateur golf off during my 20s to focus on my career, then I picked it back up. I just feel like this validates a lot of hard work and determination. I kind of feel like I’m one of the club now. It seems like all of my buddies have won a lot of these events.”

Over 200 golfers played on the Moor and Hills courses over two days, and in addition to the Mid-Amateur (golfers ages 25-and-over) being crowned, champions were determined in three other age categories (Mid-Seniors 45-and-over, Seniors 55-and-over and Super Seniors 65-and-over).

The Mid-Seniors trophy went to Sorentino, a three-time past overall champion. John Drewery of Ontario, who shot 69 for 146, was the Mid-Seniors runner-up. The Mid-Seniors are part of the overall competition, too.

Kevin VandenBerg, a Michigan native, Pulaski N.Y., resident, summer GAM member and past overall champion (2000), won the Senior Division for the second time. He shot a final 1-over 73 on the Hills course for 145 and won by two shots.

Steve Nichols of East Lansing was second after a 76 for 147, and Glen McCoy of Port Huron was third after a 76 for 148.

Randy Lewis of Alma, a Michigan Golf Hall of Fame member who won the overall title in 1998, won the Super Senior Division for the second consecutive year.

He shot a 72 for 144, finishing just ahead of Matt Wiley of Allen Park, who shot 74 for 145.

Praet, who previously won a GAM Tournament of Champions, called the victory his biggest. He missed much of the last year with a back injury, and on Wednesday he hurt his wrist after hitting a tree root during a shot on hole seven.

“I was four shots back through (the 11th hole) and my wrist that I had tweaked had worked itself out,” he said. “I thought make some birdies coming in and who knows what will happen.”

He made two birdies and the eagle, shooting 4-under over the last six holes, and said it was a blast being in the hunt.

“It was fun to be in the mix and competing, and I just had a real good line on the eagle putt,” he said. “Honestly, you are just trying to get down in two there, but it found the hole.”

VandenBerg, who came to the Mid-Amateur after what he called a disappointing appearance in the U.S. Senior Amateur in San Antonio, said he played much better at The Highlands.

“I putted very well today, started off really well,” he said. “I had a couple of bogeys on the back, but I had a cushion and was able to get in.”

A Kalamazoo native, he loves coming home to Michigan for the Mid-Am.

“It’s great to see my friends, all the GAM people and this weekend I play in the Kircher Cup (BOYNE Golf event),” he said. “I love coming up here. Winning adds to it.”

Lewis said he didn’t come to The Highlands thinking he could win the Super Senior title again this year. He has been working on swing changes for the last nine months and was hoping to break 80 in his rounds.

“But for whatever reason, it was really good,” he said. “It was really good yesterday, and pretty good today with the windy conditions. It feels great. It’s kind of affirmation that my swing changes are starting to come together, and I love it up here. I always want to win at Boyne. It’s an iconic place.

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