BELLAIRE — Joe Juszczyk of Dearborn Heights is 39 and considering transitioning from being a journeyman tour professional for the last 15 years to being a teaching professional.
“Life stuff is kind of taking priority and I just want to be around home a bit more,” he said after taking the lead Monday through the first round of the Michigan Open.
The 2023 Michigan Open champion shot 6-under 65 on the Cedar River Course at Shanty Creek Resort and had a one-shot lead on Traverse City golfers Shea Harmeson, an amateur, and Bay Meadows professional Cameron Ruge, who each shot 66.
Joe Montpas, an amateur from Flushing, mini-tour pro Will Anderson of Portage and two-time Open champion Eric Lilleboe of Okemos were next after 67s, and defending champion Otto Black of Brighton was among the crowd at 68.
The starting field of 156 golfers plays another round Tuesday followed by a 36-hole cut to the low 70 and ties. The $100,000 championship continues through Thursday.
Juszczyk, who doesn’t have current tour status, said he has played only 10 rounds this year while teaching at Whole Golf in Bloomfield Hills and was happy with the way he played.
“I made a couple bogeys on par 3s that I would like to clean up, but I’m putting well and keeping it in play,” he said. “I wasn’t hitting it very well last year when I came here, so coming in this year I was a little guarded. But I’m hitting it a lot better this year, so I’m trying to attack wherever I can.”
He made eight birdies against his two bogeys and said he would love to add a second Open title to his resume.
“I would love to add a second, a third, a fourth, fifth, as many as I can,” he said and laughed. “I plan to keep on playing in this event and the Tournament of Champions. I don’t really know what the future holds. I might get back at (tour golf). I might not. It just depends.”
Harmeson, who is 21 and recently finished his collegiate career at Kansas State University, and Ruge, 27 and last fall’s Michigan PGA Match Play Champion, each played in the morning wave.
“I’ve been playing pretty solid the last couple of weeks and then didn’t play great yesterday in a fun round with my friends, so I was kind of no expectations,” said Harmeson, a former Saginaw Valley State golfer.
“Sometimes that makes it a little easier to come out and just give it your all, and I’m home in Northern Michigan and this course has a homey feel to it. I’ve played a lot like it up here.”
Harmeson plans to become a professional at the end of the summer. He is playing in the British Amateur next week and plans to play in the Michigan Amateur Championship and attempt to qualify for the U.S. Amateur.
Ruge and his hot putter charged across the back nine with a 6-under 29. He made birdies on 10, 15, 17 and 18, which were wrapped around an eagle on the drivable par 4 No. 13 hole.
“I drove the green about 25 feet behind the pin at 13 and made it,” he said. “I found something on the second day of the (Michigan Pro-Am) and I’m playing solid.”
He said last year’s win in the Michigan PGA Match Play Championship has given him great confidence going into this season.
“Getting that first big win is a big reason I was able to have the back nine I had today,” he said. “I feel like I can contend in all the championships.”