By Mark Opferman, Mlive Media Group

MUSKEGON, MI - Traverse City’s Andrew Chapman couldn’t have picked a better time to sink his only birdie putt in the match-play finals of the Michigan Amateur.

Chapman rolled in a 20-footer on the 18th hole at Muskegon Country Club to win 1-up against Saline’s Mike Ignasiak in Saturday’s finale that pitted former University of Michigan athletes in the 102nd annual tournament.

“(The greens) were really slick this morning and I left some short this afternoon thinking they would still be as fast. That one I told myself to give it a chance to get there and see what happens and it went right in the middle,” he said.

Chapman, a 33-year-old financial planner who played golf at U-M, had a 2-up lead with three holes to play. But Ignasiak, a major league pitcher in the mid-1990s who also played baseball for the Wolverines, fought back with pars to even the match going into the par-5 finishing hole.

Ignasiak’s second shot rolled over the green while Chapman missed the green on the right side and had to chip over a bunker. His flop shot ended up just outside Ignasiak’s ball.

From nearly the same line, Chapman putted first and made his, while Ignasiak’s bid to force extra holes slid just past the hole.

It was a whirlwind week for Chapman, the No. 32 seed who beat Michigan Open champion and top seed Tom Werkmeister in the second round of match play. Chapman defeated Clinton Township's Brad Bastion 3 and 2 in Saturday’s semifinals.

Ignasiak defeated Tom Gieselman 3 and 2 in the other semifinal.

"Andrew was just a little bit better in the short game than I was. He made some great up and downs," Ignasiak said. "I tried, I didn't give up."

Chapman was greeted coming off the 18th green by his wife, Brooke, and 7-month old twin sons, Lincoln and Graeme.

“It means a lot. This is a huge highlight for me. I’ll have a couple hours in the car to think about it,” he said. “It seems like every match, when it ended, had a surreal feel to it this week. I played very well in spots and very sloppy in other spots, but got away with it. It’s amazing. I’m so happy that Brooke and the boys were here for it.”