XXIO GRAND GENEVA
DOUBLE DIP PRO-AM
TITLE SPONSOR
SUPPORTING PARTNERS
The always fun Double Dip Pro-Am kicked off the 2023 four-player pro-am series on Monday. It was a delayed start to the pro-am season after the weather got in the way of the first scheduled event in early May, but the waiting paid off. The field of twenty-eight teams enjoyed a fantastic spring day at Grand Geneva Resort and Spa.
Jumping on board to enhance and title sponsor this year’s Double Dip Pro-Am was XXIO Golf. The Dunlop Sports brand along with Under Armour and the WSGA, helped to provide all the support that was needed to present a great event.
With seven different contests going on, it was another action packed tournament. The event would again feature dual team formats. Each foursome would be participating in a two net best ball event, then the professional on the team would be paired up with each amateur in a one net of two game. There also would be three skin games and low professional/low senior professional contests.
Tackling the Highlands course the best and finding their way to top in the primary four-player contest leaderboard was two groups. The University Ridge GC group of Kyle Nielsen, Matt Smith, Justin Pounders and Tony Thaden would tie the High Cliff GC team of Corey Feller, Ken Lubinski, Corey Haag and Mike Morrissey. With some breezy conditions during the final nine holes of play the two groups would post 15-under-par 127 in the two net better ball contest. Each team would handle the back-nine in an impressive fashion, as they both would avoid playing a hole over par during that stretch. Grabbing the bragging rights and winning the scorecard playoff for the champion trophies was the University Ridge GC team.
With their play both teams earned a spot into the season-ending Oliphant Golf Management Pro-Am Championship. Rounding out the trio of qualifiers was the Noel Zimmerman led group from The Club at Strawberry Creek.
In the two-player one net better ball game, there would be another tie for first place. Carding 8-under-par 63s were the Ryan Helminen/Matt Butch, Michael Crowley/John Glowacki and Zimmerman/Scott Frasch twosomes. In the end the scorecard playoff would deliver Helminen and Butch with the hardware.
Keeping with the theme of ties, the low professional and senior professional stableford contests would provide more of them. Starting in 2023 these contests would now feature stableford points and use the traditional USGA scoring. 0 points for a double bogey, 1 point for a bogey, 2 points for a par, 3 points for an birdie, 4 points for an eagle and 5 points for a double eagle.
Piling up 37 points was a sextet of WPGA professionals. Michael Crowley, Craig Czerniejewski, Ryan Helminen, Joe Leonard, Mark Voeller and Noel Zimmerman would each shoot 1-under-par 70 on their way to tying for first place in the low pro event. For Crowley, Voeller and Zimmerman the score would help them double dip and lead the way in the senior professional contest.
In addition the day also featured some action on the par 3s for the amateur contestants. Knocking it close and taking home a nice XXIO Boston Bag and two tickets to the American Family Insurance Championship were;
#4 – James Matthews
#7 – Travis Pronschinske
#12 – Mark Haushalter
#17 – Aaron Dixon
A big thank you goes out to all of our aforementioned event partners. We greatly appreciate their support, by providing everyone with some great tee gifts and very solid purse to play for.
The WPGA would also like to express our gratitude to everyone at Grand Geneva Resort and Spa. The course was in great shape and the resort staff provided first class service to all the attendees.