5 days ago
17-year-old golfer to compete against pros at a course her grandpa wasn't allowed to play
17-year-old golfer to compete against pros at a course her grandpa wasn't allowed to play
BATTLE CREEK, Mich. - Sixty years ago, Barney Gibson was a caddy at the Battle Creek Country Club. Being Black, he wasn't allowed to play.
This weekend, his granddaughter will be on the first tee, competing in a professional golf tournament on that same course.
Battle Creek's Amiyah Gibson was given a sponsor exemption and will be part of the field for the 12th annual FireKeepers Casino Hotel Championship, with the three-day event starting Friday, June 6, at the Battle Creek Country Club.
"It's a full-circle moment for us. Really special. My dad was a caddie 60-some years ago, so for my daughter to be playing and me getting to caddie for her, it's really special," said Aaron Gibson, father of Amiyah. "For her to be able to participate in this tournament is just amazing."
Gibson talked about her connection to her grandfather in her application letter to play in the event.
"Although my grandpa was extremely good at golf, while he was growing up, he was not allowed to play on the golf courses based on the color of his skin. This was so powerful that it motivated me to learn the skill of golf so that I could show others who look like me that they can play golf, too, regardless of skin color," Gibson said.
The 17-year-old Gibson graduated last week from Lakeview High School, where she was a standout varsity golfer for four years and an All-City Tournament champ in the fall. She will go from playing against high school players a few months ago to competing against some of the best women golfers in the world. The FireKeepers event is part of the Epson Tour, the official qualifying tour of the LPGA Tour.
"This is really exciting. It was always my dream to play professional golf," Amiyah Gibson said. "This will be a great experience, to see these professional golfers play. And, to get to play with and against them."
Gibson qualified for the MHSAA state finals all four years while at Lakeview, and will be playing at Wayne State University next year.
She will open play in the first round on Friday with the hope of holding her own against a talented field. As she was getting ready for a practice round on Tuesday, she talked about the upcoming weekend.
"I think I'll be a little nervous at the start. That first tee shot will be tough. But after that, it's just golf," Gibson said. "Just really want to go out and have fun, soak in every last experience I can have out there. And, maybe put up a couple numbers, that would be kinda cool also."
The 2025 FireKeepers Casino Hotel Championship will have a 144-player field competing for a $225,000 purse. Included in the field will be Michigan State golfers Valery Plata and Yurika Tanida as well as Michigan golfer Hailey Borja and former Michigan golfer Monet Chun. The 2023 winner of the FireKeepers event will be back in Siyun Liu. Overall, six different countries will be represented at the tournament.
Admission is free. Donations will be accepted, with all net proceeds from the event benefiting The Haven locally.
"We always enjoy bringing this tournament to Battle Creek. Always brings a lot of international talent to the area and some great golfers," said FireKeepers Casino Hotel CEO Frank Tecumseh. "It's a family-fun event. Getting to see some great athletes play the sport like it's supposed to be played."
Just like all the Epson players who are looking to eventually play in the LPGA, Gibson is hoping this weekend can lead to bigger things.
"If you would have told me 10 years ago, when I first started playing, that 10 years later I would be playing in a professional tournament, I would say you were crazy. Shows how far I've come," Gibson said. "I'm always looking to further my career in golf. I want to become a professional golfer. So events like this, and playing in college next year, will help make that happen."
