Sokolowski Wins Michigan Publinx State Match Play Championship

Mason Sokolowski of Northville Wins Michigan Publinx State Match Play Championship

OAKLAND, Mich. – Mason Sokolowski of Northville said he has been close to finding victory in a lot of tournaments in recent years.

  “It’s great to finally make it into the winner’s circle,” said the University of Detroit Mercy golfer Monday after winning the Michigan Publinx State Match Play Championship at Twin Lakes Golf & Swim Club.

  “This is really the first big tournament I’ve won, the first trophy I’ve won since winning the GAM Junior Kickoff when I was 15. I had to beat some great players, too, and it feels wonderful.”

  Sokolowski beat 2021 champion Anthony Sorentino of Rochester 4 and 2 by winning five consecutive holes to close out the afternoon championship match.

   The 20-year-old All-American Scholar athlete earned his spot in the final match with a 3 and 1 win over Peter Stassinopoulos of Novi and Wayne State University, while Sorentino topped Vibhav Alokam of Ypsilanti and Villanova University 3 and 2 in the other semifinal.

   “This weekend was the most confident I’ve felt about my game in a while,” Sokolowski said. “I stayed patient. When you play seven rounds of golf in four days, you have to stay patient. I just kept trying to hit good golf shots and keep my head in the game. I had a great match against Peter who is a good friend of mine, and I stayed solid through the final match against a guy who has won a lot of things.”

   Sokolowski said a little luck came in handy, too.

  “I keep looking back at hole 12 (in the championship match),” he said. “I was 1-down after he won 11 with a good par. I hit my drive on 12 into the long grass but I had a phenomenal lie in there and was able to hit a wedge to about 30 feet, and then I made that for birdie. It got me on a little bit of a roll there.”

  He said luck helped him get off to a good start in the morning semifinal, too.

  “I nailed a shot over the green into the back bunker on 1 and then holed out the bunker shot for a 3 to go 1-up right away,” he said. “Things went my way. I think it takes some of that to win. I know, it hasn’t always gone my way.”

  The win came with some benefits for Sokolowski. He nets a 25-year exemption into the Michigan PGA’s Tournament of Champions, an exemption into next year’s Michigan Open Championship, Golf Association of Michigan Honor Roll points and Carl’s Golfland gift certificates.

  A Senior Scratch Division champion was also crowned Monday with Razmig Boghikian of Novi winning his second Senior Michigan Publinx State Match Play title.

  Boghikian beat John Leach of Macomb 3 and 2 in the afternoon title match after beating Steve Anderson of Troy 3 and 2 in the morning semifinal. Leach earned his spot in the title match with a 4 and 3 morning win over Frank Comito of Macomb.

 It was Boghikian’s fourth Publinx title to go with the 2014 Michigan Publinx State Match Play title and the 2024 Senior Michigan Publinx Medal Play Championship. He was also the runner-up a year ago in the Senior Scratch to Leo Daigle of Wixom.

   “In the final I started with a birdie, and I was pretty solid all day and never felt super threatened,” Boghikian said. “He’s a really good player, but I was playing well. My (distance control on shots) was really good. Nothing was short or long. It was always right there. I kept him trying to make birdies because I was always in there close for par or birdie.”

  The 57-year-old physical education teacher at the Cranbrook Early Childhood Center said he has kept his game in shape because he gets the opportunity to practice.

  “And I love to practice,” he said. “It’s one of my favorite things to do, and I also get good tips from my golf buddies to work on.”

RESULTS: 2025 MPGA State Match Play Event :: Tournament Results