HALL FINANCIAL/FOUNDERS BREWING CO. MICHIGAN OPEN

BELLAIRE – Founders Brewing Company is partnering with the Michigan Section PGA and joining Hall Financial as a title sponsor for the 2026 Hall Financial/Founders Brewing Co. Michigan Open Championship.

The Grand Rapids-based craft brewing company, one of the largest and most-recognized breweries in the U.S., is sponsoring a major state golf championship for the first time. The 109th edition of the state championship for Michigan’s top golfers will be played June 8-11 on Shanty Creek Resort’s Cedar River course.

Hall Financial is a title sponsor for the fifth consecutive year, a time span in which its support has helped increase entries and provided record purses. Make The Turn, a Detroit-based marketing firm, is once again a presenting sponsor for the championship.

 The Michigan Section PGA, which administers the championship, expects the tournament to continue to thrive and that this year’s purse should exceed $100,000.

 “We’re excited to have Founders Brewing join as a co-title sponsor,” Michigan PGA Executive Director Kevin Helm said. “It’s a respected brand seeking to be involved in a championship that involves the state’s top golfers. In the last four years the event has benefited greatly from tremendous support by Hall Financial, and we look forward to continuing the momentum established with the added support from Founders.”

Founders’ Chief Sales Officer Steve Wheeler said the brewing company is proud to support a tournament that celebrates the passion, dedication and sportsmanship that is defined by the game of golf.

“At Founders, we’ve always believed great things happen when people come together around a shared experience,” he said. “Events like this bring that spirit to life, bringing together talented players from across the state to compete, connect, and celebrate the game we love.”

Hall Financial CEO David Hall said the company is proud to continue its partnership with the Michigan PGA and excited to welcome another iconic Michigan brand to the championship.

“The Michigan Open brings together the best players in our state and highlights everything that makes Michigan golf special,” Hall said. “We’ve seen this championship continue to grow over the past several years, and we’re excited to keep building on that success alongside the Michigan PGA and Founders Brewing. Supporting Michigan golfers and PGA professionals is something we take a lot of pride in.”

Registration is open for the championship, which after nine qualifiers are played across the state this spring, will have a starting field of 156 of the state’s best Michigan PGA Section professionals, touring professionals and amateur golfers.

The Cedar River course at Shanty Creek will be the tournament’s host for the second consecutive year, but with a new Michigan-based ownership group at the helm. The resort recently announced that Shanty Creek Ski and Golf Resort, LLC, acquired the resort from Trinidad Resort & Club, LLC.

“We’re incredibly honored to once again welcome the Hall Financial/Founders Brewing Co. Michigan Open to Cedar River,” Andrew Reh, general manager and COO of Shanty Creek said. “Partnering with Founders Brewing and Hall Financial as title sponsors makes this event even more special — three Michigan originals coming together to celebrate the best of our state’s golf.”

Last June at Shanty Creek, Otto Black of Brighton, a touring pro, held off a final-round charge by Howell touring pro Beau Breault to win the 108th state championship by two shots.

First played in 1916, the Michigan Open annually attracts the top professional and amateur golfers in the state and its list of winners includes golf legends Walter Hagen, Al Watrous, Chuck Kocsis and Dave Hill, and more recent Michigan Golf Hall of Fame inductees Randy Erskine, Buddy Whitten, Lynn Janson, Jeff Roth, Tom Gillis and Scott Hebert. The PGA Tour’s Ryan Brehm is a three-time winner of the historic James D. Standish Jr. Trophy.

ABOUT HALL FINANCIAL: Hall Financial is proud to partner with the Michigan PGA and the Hall Financial/Founders Brewing Co. Michigan Open. Supporting the Michigan PGA and its members is a passion for Hall Financial CEO, David Hall. Growing the game of golf in the state of Michigan while providing a key financial resource is a privilege for Hall Financial. David Hall started Hall Financial in 2016 with the core mission to be the most client-focused mortgage company in the industry. Since its inception, the company has built a reputation for making the mortgage process simple and fast while delivering clients with Five-Star service. With nearly 7,000 Five-Star reviews, the team at Hall Financial is committed to providing customized mortgage solutions tailored to each client’s needs. Media contact for Hall Financial: Mark Gildersleeve, Sr. Vice President- Growth & Strategy, 248-590-0131, mgildersleeve@hallfg.com. Website: callhallfirst.com

ABOUT FOUNDERS BREWING CO: Founders is one of the highest-recognized breweries and one of the 10 largest craft breweries in the country. Founded in 1997 in Grand Rapids, it has been ranked as one of the top breweries in the world by Ratebeer.com since 2006 and several of its beers are in the top 100 beers of the world on Beeradvocate.com. Surrounded by the Great Lakes, Founders is devoted to using Michigan’s freshwater resources in a sustainable fashion to provide the highest quality beer possible – from All Day IPA to craft beer stalwarts like KBS, which celebrates 20 years of barrel-aged excellence this year. Website foundersbrewing.com

ABOUT SHANTY CREEK: Shanty Creek is a four-season destination resort spanning nearly 5,500 acres and four distinct villages: Summit, Schuss, Cedar River, and Hawk’s Eye, each with lodging, dining, and golf. Located in Northern Michigan’s Bellaire, just 30 miles northeast of Traverse City, Shanty Creek offers a variety of activities and outdoor recreation perfect for your next Michigan getaway. Website: www.shantycreek.com. Media contact for Shanty Creek: Lindsey Southwell, lsouthwell@shantycreek.com, 231-676-9598.

PGA MEDIA CONTACTS:
Greg Johnson, PGA media coordinator, 616-560-8995, gregeeee24@gmail.com
Justin Phillips, PGA tournament director, 517-641-7421, jphillips@michiganpga.com.
Website: www.michiganpga.com