Maybank, Pinili Share Lead at 114th Michigan Amateur

114TH MICHIGAN AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP: Lorenzo Pinili, PJ Maybank Share Lead at Belvedere Golf Club

CHARLEVOIX – Lorenzo Pinili of Rochester Hills, a Michigan State University golfer, and PJ Maybank of Cheboygan, a University of Oklahoma golfer, were tied for the lead through the first round of the 114th Michigan Amateur Championship presented by Carl’s Golfland Monday.

  Each checked in with a 3-under 67 at Belvedere Golf Club and will be chasing medalist and top seed honors for match play in the second round of stroke play on Tuesday. A cut to the low 64 golfers follows the round to fill out the match play bracket. Match play continues through Saturday afternoon to determine the champion.

  The top of the leaderboard was filled with mostly college golfers on a day that included three hours of weather delays and gusting winds until the final few hours.

  Defending champion McCoy Biagioli of White Lake and Michigan State, and Evan Johnson of Grosse Ile, who just finished his golf eligibility at Bowling Green State University, each shot 68, one off the lead.

  Five golfers were two back at 69, including Murphy Kehoe of Traverse City and Grand Valley State University, Peter Stassinopoulos of Novi and Wayne State University, Robert Burns of Flushing and Oakland University, Connor Fox of Lake Orion and Michigan State and Nicholas Winiarski of Pontiac.

  Just nine of the 156 golfers were under par for the day and five shot even-par. The cutline to 64 after the first round was at 5-over 75.

  Maybank, 20, said the wind was tough for his first 12 holes, and the pin placements were difficult across the board.

  “I got to off to a good start and then made a few bogeys, but I didn’t get discouraged,” he said of his round that included five birdies against two bogeys. “My girlfriend (Jenna Webber of Cheboygan) was on the bag, and she keeps me pretty calm out there. Then we made three birdies coming home. I’ve played quite a few rounds here, so I feel good about being here. It’s a good start.”

   Pinili, who was the low amateur in last week’s Hall Financial Michigan Open, said he has carried his good play from this spring at MSU into the summer.

    “I feel happy about my round,” he said after six birdies and three bogeys. “I didn’t do anything phenomenal today, but I did play a lot of good, steady golf. I came out with a game plan, and I thought I executed it pretty well and just kept the golf course in front of me. You can get in trouble in some spots if you start going after pins. I played smart golf.”

 Both players said they came with the goal of winning the championship.

  “Making match play is the key, but I came with the goal to be top seed and win,” Maybank said. “I haven’t played in the Michigan Amateur the last few years, but now the winner gets the exemption into the U.S. Amateur (Championship), and this is close to home. I was excited to play here.”

  Pinili reached the “Sweet 16” five years ago at age 15 and has eyed winning the championship since then.

  “I like match play, and I want to be in the best position possible, so winning the stroke play would do that,” he said. “I had a couple of good up-and-downs today to keep my round going. I was able to keep the momentum of the game on my side and stay confident. I’m excited to keep playi