Georgia’s Jessica Welch shoots 63 to lead Michigan PGA Women’s Open at Crystal Mountain – The Oakland Press

June 24, 2024

Georgia native Jessica Welch in action during the first round of the 31st Michigan PGA Women’s Open Championship, played at the Mountain Ridge Course at Crystal Mountain on Monday, June 24, 2024. (Photo courtesy of Golf Association of Michigan)

THOMPSONVILLE – Jessica Welch’s favorite week of the year has begun, and she celebrated with a 9-under-par 63 to take the lead after just one round of the 31st Michigan PGA Women’s Open Championship presented by Coca-Cola on Monday at the Mountain Ridge Course at Crystal Mountain.

The 30-year-old Epson Tour player’s round was just one stroke faster than the tournament and women’s course record of 62, set by Kimberly Dinh of Midland in 2014.

“This is my favorite week of the year,” said the Thomasville, Georgia, resident, who sent a shout-out to her annual host family at Crystal Mountain, Pam and Steve Perry.

“There are weeks when you just grit your teeth and bear it, but this week is therapeutic. This is my favorite golf course. This is my favorite tournament. The weather – there is no better day to play golf than this and it always seems to be like this here. I never miss this event. I love this tournament.”

Welch, who finished runner-up at the Michigan PGA Women’s Open the last two years, had a seven-stroke lead over the field with two rounds remaining in the $40,000 championship tournament.

Kate Brody of Grand Blanc, a golfer at the University of Wisconsin, and Taylor Kehoe of Strathroy, Ontario, who announced last week her transfer from the University of Alabama to Michigan State University, both shot 70 and tied for second place after one round.

Six golfers shot a score of 71, including Elayna Bowser of Dearborn, a reinstated amateur and recent GAM Mid-Amateur champion, Elise Fennell of Caledonia and recent runner-up at the Michigan Women’s Amateur Championship, Caroline Powers-Ellis, women’s golf coach at the University of Notre Dame, Sabrina Langerak of Grand Rapids, a golfer at Ball State University, and Jiayi Wang, a golfer at Northwestern University from Shanghai, China.

In the first Senior Women’s Open, which is held parallel to the Women’s Open, Elaine Crosby of Jackson, a longtime LPGA Tour player and two-time winner of the Michigan Women’s Open, started with a score of 1 under par and 71.

Suzy Green-Roebuck of Ann Arbor, another former LPGA Tour player and three-time Michigan Women’s Open winner, shot 72. Gail Graham of Naples, Florida, shot 73. The seniors are playing for $5,000 in prize money and their tournament is presented by the Great Lakes Sports Commission and Crystal Mountain.

In addition, the Michigan Section PGA is hosting the Michigan Women’s PGA Professional Championship for section professionals for the first time in conjunction with the Open. This tournament within the tournament ends on Tuesday after 36 holes. Erica Reed from Scottville played 78 strokes and was in the lead in the first round.

Welch, an Epson Tour player since 2014, said the 63 was the lowest tournament score of her career.

She had a chance to match the record 62 on the par-5 18th hole, but a second shot from the fairway landed in the trees to the right of the green. She hit the ball sideways, then chipped it six feet and saved par.

“I had to go for it,” she said. “The ball was downhill, and it’s kind of a downhill dance where you expect it to bounce left. I didn’t expect it to bounce right. Luckily, someone was there and found it so I could get out.”

Thomas said she played well despite missing the cut at the Epson Tour’s Island Resort Championship in Harris on the Upper Peninsula over the weekend.

“The week before, I had a (tied for eighth) in Columbus, Indiana, and I was playing good golf,” she said. “I feel good about the game and today I felt very good about it.”

She said a par save from the fairway bunker on No. 15 with a 15-foot par putt helped keep the round on track.

“This shot kind of stands out because I had a weird stance and the ball was close to the lip,” she said.