Sui Wins 2025 GAM Championship

GAM CHAMPIONSHIP: Lake Orion’s Justin Sui Cruises to Victory

  ANN ARBOR – Justin Sui of Lake Orion finished off a remarkable golf tournament with a final 35-foot exclamation point birdie putt and understandably said he felt amazing.

  “I always wanted a major Michigan title,” he said after collecting just that in winning the 104th GAM Championship presented by Carl’s Golfland at Radrick Farms Golf Club Tuesday.

   The 20-year-old University of Florida student shot a closing even-par 70 for a final 16-under 194 total. He shot a course and tournament record 60 in the first round on Monday morning, added a 64 in the afternoon, and never looked back, winning by 12 shots.

   “I won the GAM Junior Invitational back in 2019 and the Tournament of Champions last year, but I was like, I want to win a major GAM championship,” he said. “I tried at the Michigan Amateur Championship, but I didn’t feel well that week and Belvedere (Golf Club in Charlevoix) beat me up. So, I aimed for this week, felt good about my game, told myself to try my best and see how I can do at the game.”

   Vibhav Alokam of Ypsilanti, a Villanova University golfer, finished second at 4-under 206 with a closing 75.

  Zach Koerner of Laingsburg, most recently a Ferris State University golfer, shot 71 for 209 and third place, and Jack Zubkus of Grand Rapids, an Oakland University golfer, shot a third consecutive even-par 70 for 210 and fourth. He and Sui were the only golfers to not shoot over par 70 in the final round.

  Matt Novak of Mattawan, a University of Denver golfer, shot 71 for 213 to round out the top five, and foursome of golfers were next at 214, including Evan Johnson of Grosse Ile, a Bowling Green State University golfer who shot 71, Peter Stassinopoulos of Novi and Wayne State University, who shot 72, Drew Miller of East Lansing and Michigan State University, who shot 73, and Lorenzo Pinili of Rochester Hills and Michigan State, who shot 76.

   Sui said he didn’t feel much pressure coming into the day and felt fine on the golf course.

  “It was tougher today and I struggled a bit today, but I was able to just play through it and shoot a decent score,” he said. “I was really happy to make that last putt for birdie and not be over-par for any round this week.”

 Sui, who will graduate from the University of Florida with a computer science degree in December, plans to attend graduate school and is in the application process. He said he considered college golf after high school but opted to concentrate on what he cited as the academically strong computer science program at the University of Florida. He said he will complete his studies and will at least consider professional golf.

  “I’ll always play golf, I love the game, I love improving and I really enjoy competing,” he said. “I mean, I played great the last two days, but I always enjoy playing in GAM events, (Michigan) Publinx events, PGA events, all the great tournaments in the state. Winning this one means a lot to me.”

  Sui said his father Shane being his caddie for the tournament was a great help, and he said he has been putting in extra work, especially on his short game this year. He became a member at Twin Lakes Golf & Swim Club and said the unlimited range balls for practice, friendly staff and membership program is amazing.

  “It’s made me better,” he said.

  Alokam said he made some mistakes on the front nine and realized nobody was going to catch Sui.

  “I didn’t really have it today, but overall, I’m pretty happy with how I played,” he said. “I learned a lot this week. It was awesome having my (swing) coach (Michael Dutro of Measured Golf Studio) on my bag. I learned I can win one of these GAM tournaments, but this week it was hats off to Justin. He played amazingly. It was awesome to see a 60 on the board. That doesn’t happen in tournaments in Michigan or anywhere that often. It’s hard to feel bad about finishing second with the way he played.”

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