After finishing second in 2023, Lake Orion’s Connor Fox wins Michigan Junior State Am – The Oakland Press

July 12, 2024

Champion Connor Fox with the Wright Memorial Trophy after winning the 46th Michigan Junior State Amateur Championship at Ferris State University’s Katke Golf Course on Thursday, July 12, 2024, one year after finishing second in the tournament. (Photo courtesy of Golf Association of Michigan)

BIG RAPIDS – Connor Fox of Lake Orion won the bigger trophy this time.

“It feels really good, especially after I didn’t get it done last year,” he said after winning the 46th Michigan Junior State Amateur Championship at Ferris State University’s Katke Golf Course on Thursday, a year after finishing runner-up.

Fox, who has verbally committed to play college golf at Michigan State University after his senior year at Lake Orion High School, defeated future MSU teammate Julian Menser of South Lyon and Detroit Catholic Central 7 and 6 in the championship game Thursday afternoon.

“Coming into this week I just wanted to win, that’s all I really wanted,” he said after accepting the Wright Memorial Trophy.

“I know this golf course pretty well. Our cottage is only about 20 minutes from here and I played here a few years ago (at the high school state championship). I just felt like I had an edge there and I had a lot of confidence because I was playing well. I came here wanting to win. I felt like I could do it.”

It wasn’t easy. In his morning semifinal match against stroke play medalist Konner Kubica of Northville, he nearly lost a three-up lead and had to hold on and offset a birdie by Kubica on the 18th hole to win by one up.

“The break between rounds helped me,” he said. “The first match was a tough battle. I was able to relax and tell myself, ‘You’ve got to go out and play more good golf. You’ve got to keep doing this.’ And you know what this whole tournament is about? You’ve got to win five matches. You’ve got to play five consistently good rounds of golf if you want to win.”

Menser, who is heading to MSU in the fall, entered the final with a lot of momentum. He had defeated Parker Stalcup of Lake Orion 5 and 3 in the other semifinal and is very familiar with Fox and his golf game, having played against him many times in high school golf competitions.

“I didn’t putt well and I didn’t hit it very straight, so that’s not a really good recipe,” he said. “I mean, everyone is tired after that much golf, but even if I had played a lot better, it would have been tough to win. Connor played better. He deserved it and he went out and won. He’s a really good competitor and playing against better players like him makes me better. I’m excited to be his teammate.”

Fox wasn’t the only champion crowned on Thursday.

Julian Sinishtaj of Macomb won the under-15 championship with an impressive 9 and 8 victory over David Han of Midland in the championship match and a 5 and 3 victory in the morning semifinals over Chris Quayle of Grand Blanc. Han made his way to the finals with a 6 and 5 victory over Austin Helsel of Cedar Springs.

Sinishtaj said his victory was proof that his hard work was paying off.

“I struggled a bit at the beginning of the year but then I started playing better and it feels really good to win here,” he said. “I was 3-up (in the championship match) and then I got going and just kept making birdies. A lot of great players have won this stuff. It feels really good to be one of them.”

As overall winner, Fox secured a spot in the U.S. Junior Amateur Championship, which will be played in two weeks at Oakland Hills Country Club in Michigan. The USGA has also granted exemptions to its national championships to the winners of the Michigan Amateur Championship, the Michigan Women’s Amateur Championship and the Michigan Junior Girls’ State Amateur Championship.

“That was an additional incentive,” said Fox. “Being able to play at the US Juniors in Oakland Hills means a lot to me.”