By Gregory Johnson

For The Daily News

BOYNE FALLS — A field of 118 champion golfers, including 16 who are already members of the Michigan Golf Hall of Fame, will start play Monday in the 27th Tournament of Champions at Boyne Mountain Resort.

“It’s another strong field with great champions, professional and amateur, college players, mini-tour professionals and several of our top Michigan PGA Section players and Hall of Fame members,” said Justin Phillips, the tournament director for the Michigan PGA Section, which sanctions and administers the unique championship.

“It is the 27th year, but it remains one of the most unique tournaments in the country.”

The Tournament of Champions launched 27 years ago with juniors, seniors, professionals and amateurs of both sexes all playing for one title from different tee positions. All who are invited have won selected significant Michigan golf championships, both amateur and professional.

Michael Nagy, a mini-tour golfer from Manistique, returns to defend his title and heads the list of eight former Tournament of Champions winners in the field.

A year ago the former University of Tennessee golfer finished with a 6-under 66 for a 15-under 201 total and one-shot win. He took home the $8,000 first-place check and annual gifts of the symbolic green jacket and lifetime membership at the Country Club of Boyne in Harbor Springs.

Behnke sinks

hole-in-one

NORWAY — Gordon Behnke recorded a hole-in-one during the Forward Financial Monday Night Golf League at Oak Crest Golf Course.

Behnke used a pitching wedge on the 118-yard seventh hole. Bob White, Doug Richer and Duane Steinbeck witnessed the shot.

Doubles deny

Carney’s Eichhorn

MINOCQUA, Wis. — A trio of double bogey holes disrupted Hunter Eichhorn’s bid to win the 117th Wisconsin State Amateur junior championship.

The Carney native, according to The Daily Press, tied for fourth place after entering the final day with a one-stroke lead. He soared to a 6-over-par 78 on the final day, playing that round with the two golfers who tied for first place and embarked on a lengthy playoff.

Eichhorn, playing out of Milwaukee Brown Deer Golf Club (the first professional tourney site for Tiger Woods), finished at 284. Eichhorn doubled nos. 7, 10 and 15 to fall out of contention in a 38-40 round.

He shot 69-68-69 in his three opening rounds.

Clements leads

scramble team

CHAMPION — The trio of Mark Clements, KC Bjorne and Jared Koski won the championship flight by three strokes in the annual Three-Man Scramble at Wawonowin Country Club.

The threesome combined for rounds of 56 on Saturday and 61 on Sunday for 117.

Cart case

back to judge

FARMINGTON HILLS (AP) — The Michigan Supreme Court is sending a golf cart dispute back to the first tee.

Ken Bertin and Doug Mann were playing at Farmington Hills Golf Club in 2013 when Mann accidentally hit Bertin with a cart. Bertin filed a lawsuit over his injuries.

An Oakland County jury said Mann didn’t commit reckless misconduct. The case has been appealed because Bertin argues that the legal standard applied by the judge was too high.

In a unanimous decision, the state Supreme Court ordered Judge Martha Anderson to take another swing. The court says Bertin deserves a new trial if the judge finds that the risk of being hit by the cart wasn’t reasonably foreseeable.