Hebert Wins 2014 Michigan PGA Professional Championship

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Scott Hebert (above), head golf professional at the Grand Traverse Resort and Spa won the 93rd PGA Professional Championship at Oakland University with scores of 61-65-72.

The PGA professionals not only were playing for the Michigan title, but also for a spot in the National PGA Professional Championship later in 2014 in Philadelphia. Qualifying for the tournament were Hebert, Matt Pesta of Lincoln Hills Golf Course in Birmingham, Kyle Martin of Lochmoor Club in Grosse Point Woods, George Bowman of Oakhurst Golf and Country Club in Clarkston, Brian Cairns of Fox HIlls Learning Center, Ian Ziska of Katke Golf Course at Ferris State, Frank McAuliffe of Kendall Academy of Golf, John Seltzer of Oak Pointe Country Club in Brighton, Gary Lewandowski of St. Ives Golf Club in Stanwood, Al Kuhn of Fountains Golf and Banquet and Dan Urban of Prestwick Village Golf Club in Highland.

Full press release follows:

Scott Hebert’s ‘Performance for the Ages’ Wins Michigan PGA Professional Championship

ROCHESTER – Scott Hebert beat Matt Pesta by six shots to win the 93rd Michigan PGA Professional Championship at Oakland University Wednesday, and Pesta was duly impressed.

“That was a performance for the ages by a Michigan PGA pro,” he said. “His first two rounds have to be the best two ever played by a club pro in this state. I’m proud to finish second to him.”

Hebert, the head golf professional at Grand Traverse Resort and Spa, shot a closing even-par 72 on the Sharf course following a course and tournament record 61 Monday on the Sharf and a 65 Tuesday on Katke to finish at 18-under 198.

Pesta, the head pro at Lincoln Hills Golf Course in Birmingham, shot 70 to close at 204, and Kyle Martin of Lochmoor Club in Grosse Pointe Woods shot 67 for 205 and third.

“It was hard to play with that big of a lead,” said Hebert, who started the day with an eight-shot lead and led by as many as nine early in the round. “Right from the start you are just trying to not make too big of a mistake and at the end I knew I had a big lead and it was just hard to stay focused on putting and go after stuff like I normally would.”

Hebert won $6,400 for first and will have his name inscribed on the Gilbert A. Currie Trophy for the seventh time.

It capped an eye-popping week in which the 61 set the modern tournament and course record, and was also the modern record for a single round in any Michigan PGA Section tournament, including the Michigan Open. His 18-under 198 also tied the all-time tournament record set by J. R. Roth in 2001 at Shanty Creek Resorts (The Legend and Cedar River).

And it was his seventh Michigan PGA Professional title in the last nine years to give him 14 major Michigan PGA Section titles, including six Michigan Open championships and a Tournament of Champions win. That is one off the record of 15 major titles shared by Michigan Golf Hall of Fame members Al Watrous and J.R. Roth. Watrous also holds the record for the most Michigan PGA Professional titles with nine.

Hebert, 45, said he will look back on the records with fondness one day, but for now he loves to compete and was especially thrilled with the 61 and the condition of the courses at Oakland University.

“You can’t ask for a better start than that and this is a great place for the championship,” he said. “It was different having to play with a lead like that, but I would start them all that way if I could.”

As for the tournament inside the tournament – nine golfers earned spots in the PGA Professional National Championship later this summer in Philadelphia. Hebert, the 2008 national champion, and Pesta a top 20 national finisher last year, are exempt and already going along with John Traub, the 1980 national champion.

Martin, as the third place finisher goes, as does George Bowman of Oakhurst Golf & Country Club in Clarkston and Brian Cairns of Fox Hills Learning Center in Plymouth, who tied for fourth. Bowman shot 69 for 208, and Cairns, the defending champion, shot 65, the low round of the day.

Ian Ziska, the head pro at Katke Golf Course at Ferris State punched his ticket to the national championship with a sixth place finish off a closing 68 for 209, and Frank McAuliffe of Kendall Academy of Golf in Ypsilanti is going once again after his 69 put him at 214 and in seventh place.

John Seltzer of Oak Pointe Country Club near Brighton, who shot 70 and tied Gary Lewandowski of St. Ives Golf Club in Stanwood, who shot 67 for 215, are also national championship bound along with Al Kuhn of Fountains Golf & Banquet, who shot 74 for 216.

Dan Urban of Prestwick Village Golf Club in Highland earned the last spot by winning a four-player playoff at 217. He shot a closing 69 and won on the second hole of the playoff.

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The Michigan PGA Professional Championship was presented by Club Car, Mercedes-Benz and OMEGA with supporting sponsors Titleist/Footjoy, Nike Golf, TaylorMade-adidas, Ashworth Golf and the PGA Tour.

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