Gieselman Wins GAM Senior Match Play Championship

FINALLY ON TOP: Tom Gieselman Wins GAM Senior Match Play Championship

  FLINT – Tom Gieselman of Commerce Township had plenty of runner-up finishes in Golf Association of Michigan tournaments, especially as a senior in recent years.

  He finally took home the big trophy Thursday by beating David LeVan of Traverse City 3 and 2 in the final match of the 18th GAM Senior Match Play presented by Stifel Investment Services at Flint Golf Club.

  “I love playing Michigan golf and the GAM tournaments are the highlight of our year, obviously, and I think I’ve been in four finals and lost,” he said. “It’s all streaks and all streaks end. This means a lot to me, to my wife who was out there today and my two boys, who are both athletes and know how hard it is to win. It’s cool to win this one.”

  A Super Senior Division (ages 65-plus) champion was also crowned with Mitch Wilson of Portage beat David Schultz of St. Joseph 5 and 4. It was the second consecutive year Wilson won the Super Senior title. He previously won the Senior title in 2015 and 2020.

  In the Senior final, Gieselman won the first two holes of the match and never trailed. He went 3-up on hole 13 and closed out the match at 16.

  “I just kept telling myself, make pars and try to get it as close as I can,” he said of taking an early lead. “My short game had been great all week, and that was that carried me through yesterday and I got up and down about four times today for birdies. Making birdie on right off the bat on one, off the fringe, was huge. Then I got up and down on two and on 13 hit it short of the green, and, and I knew if I could get that up and down, that’d be great. I chipped it and it almost went in, hit the pin.”

  Gieselman said his hands were shaking on his final putt, but not because of nerves.

  “It’s just that it meant a lot,” he said. “Winning in match play and winning a GAM event means a lot to all of us. We have so many friends out there that play, so to finally just get over the hump and win was great. I’ve won a one-day event, but to win a tournament like this finally was great.”

  Gieselman, who plans to celebrate the win with his family, including new grandson Henry, said he has a new teacher, Steve Wakulsky at Moose Ridge Golf Course.

  “That’s the best part about golf, you’re always getting better, and he gave me a putting lesson that helped a lot,” he said.

  Gieselman reached the finals with a Wednesday semifinal win over defending champion Greg Davies of West Bloomfield in 21 holes, while LeVan, who won the Senior Match Play Championship in 2021, reached the finals with a win over David Vaclav of Flat Rock in 20 holes.

   In the Super Senior final, Wilson won three of the first four holes and never trailed. He went 4-up at No. 11 with a birdie and closed out the match by winning the 13th hole with a five.

   Wilson reached the final with a semifinal 2 and 1 win over two-time Senior Match Play Champion Steve Maddalena while Schultz beat Charles Pattan of Grand Blanc 3 and 1.

  Wilson said he has great focus on his targets, especially the last two days of the tournament.

  “I was going through the process, and just target, target, target and it really made a difference,” he said. “I think the first two days I played okay, but I was kind of getting in my own way a little bit. Then I had a talk with myself.”

  He said it was tough to play against a longtime friend in the final.

  “David and I go way back. He’s from St. Joe and I’m from Portage, and he plays in some of our city events. This was a big week for him, so I was thrilled for him to get to the finals. Today wasn’t his best day, but he made me work.”

RESULTS: At GAM.org or on the Golf Genius App

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