HARRIS, Mich. (WZMQ) – This Labor Day weekend brought golfers from across the country to Harris to compete at The Island Resort & Casino.
On Sunday and Monday, Sage Run Golf Club hosted its fifth NCAA Division 1 Island Resort Intercollegiate.
“We have two golf courses up here,” said Island Resort & Casino General Manager Tony Mancilla. “Sweetgrass is ranked #9 in the state; Sage Run is #12. The women of the EPSON Tour play the Sweetgrass course in June every year. Labor Day weekend, this is our showcase for Sage Run.”
A total of 78 athletes representing 12 college teams participated.
“We have a couple very, very big-name schools in golf,” Sage Run and Sweetgrass Golf Director Nathan Rousseau said. “I believe two of the teams out here this week are top 20 golf schools in the country, which is really cool to come up to Harris, Michigan, and play some golf.”
South Dakota State University served as the host team.
“[We] kind of kick off the college golf year,” said South Dakota State Head Men’s Golf Coach Parker Edens. “It’s maybe one of the better fields we’ve ever had. A lot of really good competition, perfect final round weather. Hopefully we’ll see some low scores today.”
Even though winds on Sunday made for a challenging 36 initial holes, the college athletes were up to the task.
“The spectators that come out and watch I think really enjoy it,” Rousseau said. “There are a lot of people that have struggled on this golf course before, and they’re watching these kids play the course under par, which I think is really good for the community, really good for college golf.”
It’s also good for Sage Run, which Mancilla says is one of the most unique courses these golfers will play.
“There’s a lot of things on this course that modern architects really don’t make—blind shots, some uphill shots,” he explained. “It’s just a different layout. You’ve got to play it a few times to really understand it.”
Coach Edens says the Island Resort Intercollegiate and similar college golf events give students opportunities they might not get anywhere else.
“There are kids that have never been to Michigan, let alone the Upper Peninsula,” he said. “There’s tournaments in Hawaii; there’s tournaments all over the place. They definitely get to live the life and have a pretty awesome four years when they’re in school.”
“I want them to leave with a positive image of the U.P.,” said Mancilla. “Everybody that comes up here always has a positive experience. It’s just a fun place to be, and we have nice people up here. You get people coming back and saying, ‘We really played a unique course up there. It was different; it was fun.'”
Click here for scores from the Island Resort Intercollegiate.
