Zeller Wins 2-up at City Golf Championship

By Jeff Steers
JTV Sports

(June 8, 2024 7:15 PM ET) Longtime Jackson golfer Greg Zeller should write this saying on the bathroom wall at every golf course in Jackson County.

“Straighter and in play is better than longer and somewhere.”

The 65-year-old Jackson Hall of Fame golfer won the City Golf Championship with a 2-up win over Nick Reynolds Saturday at the Country Club of Jackson using that theory.

It is his second City championship for Zeller having won 17 years ago.

Zeller said a tip Eric Terrian – superintendent of Sharp Park and PGA professional – helped him stripe the ball down the fairway all week long.

“My feet and shoulders were not lined up the same way,” Zeller said of the tip. “I just had to turn by inside shoulder in.”

Zeller finished the first 18 during the championship match Saturday at 2-up over Reynolds and was one up headed to hole No. 36. His final birdie putt – Zeller’s eighth of the day – fell in to close out the match.

“I just tapped it, and it went in … I didn’t even see it go in,” Zeller said. “I made a lot of birdies today.”

The match was as close as the score as Zeller won nine holes and Reynolds seven – halving 20 holes. Zeller shot two rounds of 71 and Reynolds a 72 and 71.

Zeller said he has learned not to try to hit his drives with some of the longer hitters in the Jackson area. It worked with wins over long-hitting players Brian Coon and Reynolds in the semifinal and final, respectively.

“I used to hit it 50 yards past everyone when I won (in 2007),” Zeller said. “I don’t even try to keep up with most of these golfers.

“I didn’t think about scoring today … it was shot to shot.”

Zeller will play in numerous Golf Association of Michigan events this summer and local tournaments.