AM 14 & Under Match Play: Watson Mercier van Novi, BELEN BERISHAJ from BIURMINGHAM WIN

AM 14 & Under Match Play: Watson Mercier van Novi, BELEN BERISHAJ from BIURMINGHAM WIN

LANSING – Watson Mercier from Novi and Belen Berishaj from Birmingham originated as champions of the 9th Gam 14 & Under Match Play Championship presented by Absopure on Woodside Golf Course.

Mercier, 13, was at the top of the field of boys after beating Leland Dekorver of Jenison 1-up in the Nine-Hole Championship Match on Thursday afternoon, and Berishaj, 12, was at the top of the field of girls with a 2 and 1 nine-hole championship match victory on Eleanor O’grady by Grand Rapids.

“It feels really great to win, it means a lot,” said Mercier who took a 1-up lead with a par 3 no. 8 hole and brought the last hole for the victory.

It was Mercier’s second GAM title. He won the GAM 12 and under Championship last summer.

“I have improved,” he said. “I tried to get the ball on the green (in regulations) and then two putt, and I could do it a lot today.”

Mercier took the last 1-up lead in the narrow game at number 8 with a chip and five foot put for par while Dekorver made a bogey.

He earned his place in the last game with a 1-up victory over Liam Oostveen of Kalamazoo in the semi-final of the morning. In the meantime, Dekorver went on his way to the title match with a 3 and 1 semi -final victory over Graham Hammer from Traverse City.

Berishaj became a first game winner in the girls’ competition, although earlier this summer she reached Michigan Junior Girls in the Michigan Junior Girls.

“It is really special to win,” she said, and noticed that she lost to the final 15-and-under Michigan Girls Junior amateur champion Cameron Baker in her previous game experience. “This time I could beat a really good player.”

Berishaj took a 1-up lead on the seventh hole that par saved after a second shot hit and missed the Green.

“I was able to make it too chip and the putt,” she said. “It was a good up and down.”

At No. 8 Berishaj and O’Grady, both Tee -shots are just briefly on the front apron of the green. Berishaj was able to chip and make the putt to save par and close the victory. She said the key for her tried to make a lot of pars during the two days.

“I hit a lot of greens, but when I didn’t get on the green, I made something up and down,” she said.

Berishaj said she uses the same approach for every tournament.

“I always want to win,” she said.

Both finalists had tough semi -final morning games to continue playing to reach the title match. Berishaj had a hole of one ends to return Victoria Thein McCulloch from Shelby Township, and O’grady also had to go 10 holes to the top Presley Kiehler of South Lyon.

The shot of the day was made by Hammer, who won his championship consolation match against Oostveen in the afternoon with the help of a hole-in-one at number 8. He used a 5-iron shot of 166 meters. It was his first bait.

“I didn’t see it,” he said. “I picked up my tee, but then I heard my father scream.”

Winners were determined in various flights in the tournament designed to prepare young golfers in the future for GAM matches. Find the results on Gam.org or on the Golf Genius app.

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