A busy stretch of golf continues Sunday for Jack Michael when the Cabell Midland sophomore makes his debut in the West Virginia Amateur Championship for the 104th version of the event, which begins with a round on the Meadows Course at The Greenbrier Resort.
For Michael, the tournament debut comes after his third time qualifying for the event. He was previously unable to play the state amateur as it was held in late July into the first week of August, which conflicted with a family vacation.
With the Old White Course at The Greenbrier — one of two venues where the amateur is contested — hosting a LIV Golf event August 4-6, the amateur was moved up two months.
“With the state my game is in currently, I feel good,” Michael said. “I’ve never played Old White before. That’ll be a learning curve for me. I’m pretty experienced on the Meadows, so that should be my strong point. If I can go out and get hot, it’s going to be a lot of fun.”
The state that Michael references includes several notable showings over the last month. Michael was one of four golfers in a field of 60-plus to advance in U.S. Open local qualifying when he fired a 3-under par 70 at Parkersburg Country Club on April 24.
Michael began to feel his game was headed in the direction he desires earlier that month. As part of the GolfWeek Junior Tour, he played in the Elite Event at Kearney Hill Golf Links in Lexington, Ky. He opened with a 10-over par 82 on a day with less than ideal weather, before bouncing back to fire a 66 on the second and final day of the event. The 4-under par second round score was the best in the 18-player field and allowed Michael to finish fourth.
“That boosted my confidence so much,” Michael said.
Three weeks later at Royal American Links in Galena, Ohio, Michael won the junior tour’s 22-player event by nine strokes after finishing 7-under par with rounds of 69 and 68. The following day was Michael’s first time competing in a U.S. Open qualifier, and his performance at PCC allows him to participate in U.S. Open sectional qualifying June 5.
“Coming into the qualifier, I wasn’t thinking about a cutline or score,” Michael said. “I just wanted to put up a good number and I did.”
Michael will take part in what’s commonly referred to as the longest day in golf as thousands tee it up for 36 holes in an effort to secure a spot in one of the four major championships. He is unsure which of the 10 locations he will be sent to for the qualifier, though Columbus, Ohio or Durham, N.C. seem most likely.
“It’s going to be an absolutely amazing experience no matter how I play,” Michael said. “But I’m there for a mission.”
Much of that mission is centered around continuing to play at the level Michael has over the last two months.
In mid-May, he won three matches in the West Virginia Golf Association’s Junior Match Play Championship at Parkersburg Country Club, which gave Michael a spot in the final, where he was defeated by Argyle Downes 1 up.
Last week, in a West Virginia Amateur qualifier at his home course, Guyan Golf & Country Club, Michael tied for low medalist honors by shooting 72. The 1-over par round was plenty good enough to play in the amateur, which Michael will do starting at 10:24 a.m. Sunday.
“I didn’t start off very well, but it’s my home course and I play there every day. I wasn’t too worried,” Michael said. “Was able to grind out a few birdies in the middle and then I just scrambled to make pars and avoided big mistakes.”
Twenty-seven minutes after Michael debuts at the state amateur Sunday, older brother Andy Michael will begin his round. The 23-year-old is a member of the club golf team at West Virginia University and earned his way into the amateur through a qualifier at The Pines Country Club in Morgantown.
For Jack Michael, who finished third in Class AAA with two rounds of 77 at the WVSSAC Golf State Championship at Oglebay Resort’s Jones Course back in October, college golf is a goal he believes is well within reach.
“I do hope to play high-level Division I somewhere. I think my game has gotten to a point where I definitely could,” he said. “I’m open to many options.”
In the immediate future, Michael’s focus is on a strong showing at the amateur and then maintaining and building off his level of play throughout the summer.
“I’m more a whole golfer and a lot better all around. I’ve changed thought processes and a lot of good stuff has happened,” Michael said. “I’m a lot more confident in myself now.
“I know that I have a certain number of shots I can and can’t hit. I use those knowing that I can rely on them, but I’m also confident in myself when I’m in a bad situation. I know maybe that if I make bogey, I can make it up with a few birdies on the back. I’ve changed a lot of stuff to get into strategic positions and manage the golf course. It kind of started at Oglebay and I’ve changed a lot with the mental side.”