BY MIKE ECKERT
meckert@record-eagle.com
December 28, 2008 09:35 am TRAVERSE CITY -- Scott Hebert described 2008 as the best year of his life. It's hard to argue. Hebert -- the head pro at Grand Traverse Resort & Spa -- won two PGA Championships and played for a third. Not to mention, in June he withdrew from the final Michigan Open at GT Resort -- a tournament he had previously won six times -- to be with his wife Laurie for the premature birth of their second child, Susie Kate. "She's doing great," Hebert said of his now 6-month-old daughter. "She's been perfectly healthy. And (4-year-old son J.P.) is doing well with her." Hebert celebrated the birth of his second child 11 days later with the biggest win of his career. He rallied from a three-shot deficit to win the 41st PGA Professional National Championship. "To win that and be the national champion, there's not a whole lot of guys in that club," Hebert said. In the final round, it took a big rally to earn a one-shot victory over Sonny Skinner from Georgia, who was playing in his home state at Reynolds Plantation. Hebert carded birdies on five of the first seven holes of his back nine for the win. "When you see somebody win something, there is always a story behind it," Hebert said. "Lo and behold, I'm just like everyone else. I had no business playing the way I did. It was probably because my mind was on my wife and kids ... maybe there's a secret to it there." The event was televised on the Golf Channel, giving Hebert supporters who didn't make the trip to Georgia. "It's a little bit of a weird feeling to see me and my family on TV," Hebert said. "When it happens, you hear from people you haven't seen in years. It shows golf is a great game and encompasses so many who play it." Later in the summer, Hebert won his third straight Michigan PGA Professional Championship, played in the Buick Open and headed to the Detroit suburbs to play in the PGA Championship at Oakland Hills. Hebert didn't play his best tournament -- he shot 80-76 and missed the cut -- but the experience was memorable. "It's such a neat experience, I wish everyone could go through it," Hebert said. "It's like the Super Bowl, only you're on the field playing with these guys." Hebert will play with the PGA touring pros a number of times in 2009. Part of his earnings for the National Championship included seven sponsor's exemptions. He's already committed to playing in the FBR Open in Arizona, as well as tournaments in Mexico and Puerto Rico before spring hits in northern Michigan. "All of this other stuff is fun, but my loyalties are here at the Grand Traverse Resort," Hebert said. As a key figure at GT Resort, Hebert saw the The Bear and The Wolverine host the Michigan Open for the 28th -- and final time. The tournament will move to the Orchard Lake Country Club in 2009. Hebert said losing sponsorships and decreasing entries led to the move to metro-Detroit. "It wasn't that we didn't want it back, it just didn't really make sense to continue on," Hebert said. "If I had to bet if it will come back, yeah. Probably in the future, just not in the same way it was."
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Photos
Grand Traverse Resort & Spa head professional Scott Hebert holds the trophy for winning the Michigan PGA title. Special to the Record-Eagle
