Negaunee alum Rachel Niskanen returns to Island Resort Championship

HARRIS, Mich. (WLUC) – The Island Resort Championship tees off on June 26, and three faculty golfers have acquired sponsor exemptions to compete on this 12 months’s event.

One of them is returning for the second time, and he or she’s very conversant in Sweetgrass Golf Club.

“I tell people it was the best golf experience of my life probably,” Negaunee alumna Rachel Niskanen mentioned.

Not too way back, Niskanen received back-to-back U.P. state golf titles for the Miners.

When Niskanen returned to play in final 12 months’s Island Resort Championship, she felt the love from her former neighbors.

“The support of the Yoopers there was super fun,” she mentioned. “They knew who I was, and I didn’t know who any of them were, so I feel like that was kind of just fun that they were there supporting me.”

Since graduating from Negaunee in 2023, Niskanen has continued her golf profession at Central Michigan. She mentioned she discovered lots from her I.R.C. expertise a 12 months in the past.

“So fun to be able to watch the pros too and learn from them,” Niskanen mentioned. “Watch how they do things, how they go through things, watch them and their caddy.”

Playing as an novice in 2025, Niskanen shot +12 over two rounds and missed the lower. Though a top-20 end will not be in play, she is aware of what to anticipate this time round.

“I’ve been shaking on that first tee, so might as well do it again,” she mentioned. “Might as well have fun, and yeah, just play my game.”

Recent Michigan State graduate Taylor Kehoe additionally acquired an exemption, and he or she considers the chance a bucket record merchandise.”

“I’ve heard the course is really, really nice,” Kehoe said. “I’m very excited to see it because I’ve heard it’s beautiful.”

Kehoe’s dad will caddy for her at the tournament, and Niskanen will have her high school coach, Dustin Hongisto, on her bag for the second straight year.

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