Keith Blakely enjoyed his Buick Open Pro-Am Tournament experience so much last year, he’s coming back this year.
Blakely, vice president of Country Folk Art Craft Shows, Inc. in Groveland Township, will be participating once again in this year’s Buick Open Pro-Am Tournament, scheduled for Wednesday, Aug. 2 at Warwick Hills Golf & Country Club, G-9057 S. Saginaw Road, Grand Blanc.
He said the application process for the Pro-Am went much smoother the second time around.
‘This time they contacted me,? Blakely said. ‘They did so in November, about two months after last year’s tournament. They pretty much stay on top of it.?
Blakely said he won’t know which Professional Golfers? Association golfer he will be teamed up with until the pairings are announced at a gathering Monday, July 31. However, he did say two people he knows, Ron Slivka of Slivka Buick and Dave Isbell of Grand Blanc Motors, will be participating in the Pro-Am.
In the meantime, Blakely, who is a member of Atlas Valley Country Club, 8313 Perry Road, Grand Blanc, said he will taking ‘a little more time off? to practice for the Pro-Am. He said his handicap, which was at five last year, is down to three this year.
Last year, Blakely teamed up with Professional Golfers? Association golfer Hank Kuehne and amateurs Richard Sly, Isbell and George Dass at the Pro-Am. They finished 15 under par to take fifth out of 53 teams at the event.
Blakely also had a chance to greet PGA golfer Vijay Singh after he won the Buick Open for the second straight time last year.
‘I’d been standing there for an hour, and he was being interviewed by ESPN after he won,? Blakely said last year. ‘I was standing in the right place and held the door open for him. I said, ‘Congratulations,? and he said thank you.?