Chet VandenBerg of Portage held off two past champions to capture the 44th GAM Mid-Amateur Championship at The Highlands at Harbor Springs, finishing the 36-hole event at 3-under 139.
The 37-year-old followed his opening 5-under 67 with an even-par 72 on the Arthur Hills Course to edge Scott Strickland of Bloomfield Hills and Nate Clark of DeWitt by one shot.
VandenBerg played a bogey-free front nine in 2-under to stretch his advantage to three shots before consecutive bogeys at Nos. 10 and 11 tightened the race. A birdie at the 14th restored a two-shot cushion, allowing him to bogey the closing hole and still secure the title…