Like it's title sponsors colorful approach to new gold balls, the Volvik Championship took a different approach to an exemption spot.
Of the Twelve women from Michigan, Michigan State, Detroit Mercy, Wayne State, Eastern Michigan, only one would get an exemption to play in the upcoming tournament next week.
Talk about pressure.
In the end, it was Rachel Rohanna, a Buckeye, that was the last one standing.
"Everybody here seemed grateful for having an opportunity, Volvik, that's just awesome, just letting in some of the local people," Rohanna said.
The idea for the Great Lakes Shootout is a new one, as exemptions like this one are not handed out so easily. But this tournament dares to be different, and it's getting noticed.
"When I first heard about it I was kind of like 'well this is kind of crazy,' but the more I thought about it I thought it was a lot of fun, it's something different, we're so used to playing 18 holes that it presented a different challenge, a different mindset, so I really enjoyed it," former MSU golfer Allyssa Ferrell said.
"There's 34 official LPGA tournaments on the world and one of them is here in Ann Arbor and southeast Michigan and we felt it was very important to embrace our own here," tournament director Keith Karbo added.
"I feel like I had a better opportunity this way in the Monday qualifier, so I'm very grateful for this opportunity," Rohanna said.
The Volvik Championship gets underway next Wednesday and tickets are still available.
