MUSKEGON — Matt Thompson bogeyed three consecutive holes early in his round Tuesday but battled back and will have a one-shot lead starting the final round of the 105th Michigan PGA Professional Championship at Muskegon Country Club.
The 36-year-old teaching professional from Jonesville who shared the lead at 4-under after the first round, shot 71 for a 5-under 139 total.
Three golfers checked in on his heels.
James Delnick of Carl’s Golfland, who shared the first-round lead with Thompson, checked in at 140 after making birdies on his last two holes to shoot 72.
He was joined at 140 by Tim Pearce of Birmingham Country Club, who matched the low round of the tournament with a 68, and Nicholas Joy of High Pointe Golf Club near Traverse City, who shot a second consecutive 70.
“I settled down after a couple of bad swings, birdied eight and nine to get back a little, and then played solidly on the back,” said Thompson, who runs junior golf programs at The Hills of Baw Beese Lake in Hillsdale and Binder Park Golf Course in Battle Creek.
“All in all, after that start I can’t ask for much more than a chance in the final round.”
Several golfers have a chance at the $7,500 first-place check and the Gilbert A. Currie Trophy in the final round of the $56,000 championship. Six golfers were within three shots of the lead and 14 within five shots after two rounds.
Following the trio at 140 was a twosome at 141, including Ryan Lenahan of Walnut Creek Country Club in South Lyon, who shot 71, and Jim Deiters of Midland Country Club, who shot 69.
Three-time champion Ben Cook of Quail Ridge Golf Club near Grand Rapids (2020, ’21, ’24) jumped into the mix with a 68 for 142.
And four more golfers were at 143, including Gary Smithson of Grand Rapids and Golf Cars Plus – Yamaha who shot 69, Gary Lewandowski of Tullymore Golf Resort in Stanwood, who shot 71, Darren Husse of Warwick Hills Golf & Country Club in Grand Blanc, who shot 71, and Frank McAuliffe of Meadowbrook Country Club, who shot 68.
The 36-hole cut was made at 159 with 64 players moving on to the final round where beyond being champion there are other things at stake.
Another important feature of this week’s championship is that it serves 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, PGA 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 70 and is tied for 12th place, Jeff Roth of BOYNE Golf Academy, a five-time past champion, who shot 72 and was tied for 20th, and Lenahan, who is two shots off the lead, are exempt players already ticketed for the 2027 PGA Professional National Championship.
Thompson, the 2017 Michigan Open Champion and a former University of Michigan standout, feels good about his chances in the final round. He was tied with two others for the lead a few weeks ago going into the final round of the Tournament of Champions at Boyne Mountain. He finished second by a shot when touring professional James Piot of Canton fired a 65 on the Alpine Course to pass him.
“I had a great mentality for the final round at the Tournament of Champions and I played well,” he said. “I’ll just try to do the same thing, just play my game, pick my spots. If somebody shoots 65 here, hey they deserve it.”