When you are a high school athlete, the dream is to one day compete against the pros.
The FireKeepers Casino Hotel Championship is making that dream come true for one Michigan student this week.
Logan Bentley, who just finished his sophomore year at Brooklyn Columbia Central, will play in this week’s 2023 FireKeepers Casino Hotel Championship on a sponsor’s exemption. The 10th annual FireKeepers tournament is set for Friday-Sunday at Battle Creek Country Club.
MORE: Pro golf returns to Battle Creek with the 10th anniversary of the FireKeepers Championship
Bentley, 15, is hoping to hold her own against some of the top women’s professional golfers on the Epson Tour.
“It’s shocking to me that I am here, playing this week,” said Bentley, as she participated in the event’s pro-am tournament on Wednesday at Battle Creek Country Club. “But I’m enjoying it. I’m not really feeling any nerves. I’m just trying to treat it like another round of golf.”
This year’s event has two sponsor’s exemptions with Erica Shepherd of Indiana also participating as a three-time all-conference player out of Duke University.
Traditionally, sponsor’s exemptions have gone to college players with local ties who have not yet turned professional. For Bentley to get the chance is a unique opportunity for the high schooler who finished second in the state in the Michigan High School Athletic Association Division 4 State Finals in the fall.
“This is just a great experience for me,” Bentley said. “I want to play well this weekend with these great players, but really I just want to enjoy my experience and have fun with it.
“This is another level for me. I am used to playing against 16- to 19-year old girls. So to play against these ladies is a great experience.”
When not competing on her high school team, Bentley plays on the Callaway/Meijer Junior Tour around the state.
She was among several players who reached out to officials with the FireKeepers event, looking for a spot as a sponsor’s exemption.
“This was kinda unique. To get a request from a high schooler who is just 15, that was unique,” said Roxanna Perez, who is this year’s co-tournament director. “We just wanted to give her an opportunity to chase her dreams and this is the perfect place to do that.”
Playing Close To Home
There are two players in the field who have local college connections — Ashley Lau of the University of Michigan and Destiny Lawson of Ferris State University.
Lawson took a unique path on her way to the Epson Tour, enrolling in Ferris State University’s Professional Golf Management program. The school in Big Rapids allows its students to earn PGA of America membership while they also earn their degree from the university. Lawson saw this as a way to continue her playing career after she graduated.
“I wanted to play professional golf and after looking through what the PGA of America could offer in terms of playing opportunities, I saw that I could qualify for LPGA events and even LPGA Majors,” explained Lawson. “I have had the mentality that I wanted to play on the LPGA Tour before starting the program. Once I learned that I could go to school to learn about the golf business and play college golf, I was all in.”
Round One Groupings
Competition in the FireKeepers event will start at 7:30 am Friday, with groups starting on No. 1 and No. 10 at Battle Creek Country Club.
Players of interest include: Ssu-Chia Cheng (2019 FireKeepers champ) will start at 1:35 pm; Fernanda Lira (2021 FireKeepers champ) will start at 1:57 pm; Agathe Laisne (Florida’s Natural Charity Classic winner) at 8:14 am; Miranda Wang (IOA Championship winner) at 8:25 am; Jenny Coleman (IOA Golf Classic winner) at 1:57 pm; Jiwon Jeon (Inova Mission Inn Resort and Club Championship winner) at 8:47 am; Logan Bentley (sponsor exemption) at 9:20 am; Erica Shepherd (sponsor exemption) at 7:52 am
Contact Bill Broderick at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @billbroderick.
This article originally appeared on Battle Creek Enquirer: High schooler makes her pro golf dreams come true at FireKeepers event