ROCHESTER – As he has for the last 14 years, Joe Juszczyk of Dearborn Heights has been traveling as a touring professional and making sure to get home to play in the Hall Financial Michigan Open, which is next Monday through Thursday, June 10-13, at the Katke-Cousins Course at Oakland University Golf & Learning Center.
And this time for the first time he will be returning as the defending champion, which he termed a cool thing.
“Winning last year obviously meant a lot to me and especially my family and the people who follow me for sure,” he said. “It has not changed my life in any drastic way, but it does mean a lot to win your state Open. It feels great every time I think about it, gives me confidence and it’s great being part of that group with a couple of my buddies who have won it.”
The 37-year-old journeyman has secured conditional status on the PGA Tour Americas, a tour starting this year that replaces the combined events of the former PGA Tour Canada and PGA Tour Latinoamerica. Juszczyk said he has been playing well.
“The game is at a high level because I’ve been traveling like crazy and just playing a lot,” he said.
Hall Financial is the title sponsor for a third consecutive year, and the 107th edition of the championship has supporting sponsors in Make The Turn, Turbo Insurance, Harbor Title Agency and Fox Motors. The purse for the 2024 championship will be announced during tournament week.
The Michigan Section annually conducts the state championship, which is being contested for the second consecutive year at Oakland University. The Katke-Cousins course, one of two courses at the facility, is familiar to most of the players as it has served as host of the Michigan PGA Professional Championship from 2012-14 and hosted numerous Golf Association of Michigan tournaments and qualifiers and NCAA events as home of the Oakland University golf teams.
A full field of 156 golfers, including 13 past champions, touring professionals, Michigan Section PGA professionals and top amateur and collegiate players, will play the first two rounds before a 36-hole cut to the low 70 scorers and ties.
“A lot of positive energy has been generated with the move to Oakland University, and enthusiastic continued support from Hall Financial and additional support with other partners will help make it possible to have another great event,” Justin Phillips, the Michigan Section PGA tournament director said.
“We always seem to have a really strong field, a great purse and tremendous support. It should be a great week.”
Last June, Juszczyk shot a closing 2-under 69 and finished two shots clear of the field at 12-under to win. Charles DeLong of DeWitt, the leader by one shot over Juszczyk starting the final round, shot a closing 72 and tied for second at 10-under with mini-tour golfer James Holley of Howell, who shot 67.
Among the 13 past champions in the field are six-time winner Scott Hebert of Traverse City Golf & Country Club, two-time champion Jeff Roth of Boyne Golf Academy, two-time winner Jake Kneen of White Lake, who is now an assistant golf coach at Oakland U., Brad Smithson of Grand Rapids, Eric Lilleboe of Okemos, Matt Thompson, the golf coach at Hillsdale College, Jeff Bronkema of Caledonia, Jeff Cuzzort of Grosse Ile Golf & Country Club, Tom Werkmeister of Hudsonville, Andy Ruthkoski of Muskegon, Steve Brady of Oakland Hills Country Club and Barry Redmond of Chelsea.
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, Horton Smith 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. Current PGA Tour member Ryan Brehm is a three-time winner of the historic James D. Standish Jr. trophy.
ABOUT HALL FINANCIAL: David Hall started in the mortgage business in 1996 and his passion for the business and his clients has never been stronger. After working for others for over 20 years, David started Hall Financial in 2016 with the core mission to be the most client-focused mortgage company in the industry. Media contact for Hall Financial: Mark Gildersleeve, Vice-President-Marketing & Strategy, 248-590-0131, mgildersleeve@hallfg.com. Website: callhallfirst.com
SUPPORTING SPONSORS: Make The Turn, Turbo Insurance Group, Harbor Title Agency and Fox Motors. A benefit for the players in the field is lunch being provided each day courtesy of Patti Finnegan’s Pub & Grille at Oakland University.
ATTACHED: An action photo of Joe Juszczyk from last year’s championship.