MUSKEGON — Matt Thompson, a teaching professional who runs junior golf programs in Hillsdale and Battle Creek, and James Delnick, a teaching professional at Carl’s Golfland in Plymouth, shared the lead through the first round of the 105th Michigan PGA Professional Championship at Muskegon Country Club Monday.
They each shot 4-under 68 with Thompson playing in the morning wave, and Delnick playing in the afternoon on a windy, sunny day.
Muskegon Country Club’s highly regarded Donald Ross course held its own as just seven golfers in the field of 108 shot under par, including a foursome who shot 70, the second-best score of the day.
The foursome at 70 included defending champion Patrick Wilkes-Krier of Kendall Academy in Ypsilanti, Ryan Lenahan of Walnut Creek Country Club in South Lyon, Cody Haughton of Red Run Golf Club in Royal Oak and Nicholas Joy of High Pointe Golf Club near Traverse City.
Tyler Wong of Sunnybrook Country Club in Grandville was the only golfer who checked in with a 71, and the five golfers at even-par 72 were Gary Lewandowski of Tullymore Golf Resort in Canadian Lakes, Darren Husse of Warwick Hills Golf & Country Club in Grand Blanc, Tim Pearce of Birmingham Country Club, Kosta Ramirez of Mines Golf Club in Grand Rapids and Jim Deiters of Midland Country Club.
The field plays another round Tuesday before a 36-hole cut to the low 60 scorers and ties. The final round in the $56,000 54-hole championship is on Wednesday.
In addition to bringing the state’s top playing professionals together to play for the Michigan Section championship and the Gilbert A. Currie Trophy, another important feature of this week’s championship is it serving as the starting point and qualifier on the road to major championship golf with the best players in the world at the 109th PGA Championship of 2027 (May 2027 at Fields Ranch East, Frisco, TX).
The low eight golfers, not including three Michigan golfers who are already exempt, will earn spots in the 2027 PGA Professional National Championship at Streamsong Resort in Florida, next April 25-28. The low 20 finishers from that national event move on to play with the best players in the world in the PGA.
Scott Hebert of Traverse City Golf & Country Club, an eight-time past champion who shot 74, Jeff Roth of BOYNE Golf Academy, a five-time past champion, who shot 76, and Lenahan, who was part of the foursome opening with a 70, are exempt players already ticketed for the 2027 PGA Professional National Championship.
Thompson, the 2017 Michigan Open Champion, has been teaching two junior golf programs while playing and practicing very little this summer, but he has still managed to play well in the few tournaments he plays.
“I’m just trying to play and just keep everything the same,” he said. “I drove it really well, got it on the green and made a few birdies.”
Thompson, who will be 37 next week and earlier this summer finished second to touring professional James Piot of Canton in the Tournament of Champions at Boyne Mountain, said making a 20-foot birdie putt on hole 15 and hitting an approach shot to three feet on No. 4 were the highlights of his round.
“This is a great golf course and I just kind of plodded along enjoying it,” he said. “I’ve played one full round since the TOC. I’m not sure how I’m doing it, but I’m playing well and not going to change anything now.”
Delnick, 32 and a Ferris State University Professional Golf Management graduate from Clarkston, said his game has improved through the summer.
“I missed the cuts at the Michigan Open and the Tournament of Champions, but I kind of started to figure it out a little bit,” he said. “I was prepping for this, and I know that I have the game for it. There’s a learning curve to it. This is my third (Michigan PGA Professional Championship) and I feel like I’ve been getting better and right now my game is in a good spot.”
Delnick had eight birdies on his card for the round and birdied five of the last six holes on the back nine to finish.
“I putted really well and just did some monster scrambling on the front nine to get through it,” he said. “Then on the back I settled in a little bit and hit some really good shots. Coming down the stretch I got the driver kind of rolling again.”