Ferris State golf graduate Eric Lilleboe wins the prestigious Michigan Open Championship for the second time

June 19, 2024

BIG RAPIDS, Michigan —

Eric Lilleboe, a former Ferris State University golfer, won the Michigan Open Championship for the second time in his professional career.

Lilleboe won the 107-year-old state title at Oakland University’s Katke Cousins ​​Golf Course with a total score of six under par, winning one of the state’s most prestigious tournaments by four strokes.

Lilleboe won the 2019 Michigan Open and is playing this year on the PGA Tour Americas, which made its debut following the merger of PGA Tour Canada and PGA Tour Latinoamerica. Lilleboe has been a professional touring golfer for 12 years now.

The Michigan Open, one of the state’s longest-running golf events, began in 1916 and was first won by Leo Diegel, who also competed in the first Ryder Cup matches and the Masters.

Lilleboe, who ended his collegiate playing career in 2010, is one of several prominent alumni of the Ferris State University men’s golf team who have participated in the tournament in recent years.

Historically, some of golf’s most famous names have been featured on the Michigan Open’s James D. Standish, Jr. Trophy.

Walter Hagen, the father of modern professional golf and captain of the first five U.S. Ryder Cup teams, won the event in 1921. Michigan PGA professional and former Ferris State player Scott Hebert is tied with Al Watrous for the all-time Michigan Open titles with six. Legendary Michigan amateur Chuck Kocsis, who played on three Walker Cup teams, won three titles.

Lilleboe had a stellar four-year career at Ferris State, averaging 73.67 strokes per round in 103 rounds. A 2009-10 PING All-America First-Team Division II men’s golf player, the player posted 29 top-10 finishes during his career, including 18 top-5 finishes. He led the 2009-10 Bulldogs team with a 73 strokes per round average in 33 rounds.

Lilleboe was twice selected to the PING All-Midwest Region team and was also named the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Male Athlete of the Year in men’s golf for the 2009-10 season. A three-time All-GLIAC First Team honoree, he also received the 2007-08 GLIAC Male Athlete of the Year award in men’s golf.

Following the completion of his senior season, Lilleboe was named the co-recipient of the 2009-10 Ferris State Athletics Dean Davenport Bulldog of the Year Award. The award is given annually to the most outstanding male and female student-athlete at Ferris State.