Michigan’s Mr. Golf : Lorenzo Pinili

By Tom Lang

Lorenzo Pinili, of Birmingham Brother Rice High and a future MSU Spartan, was chosen as Mr. Golf 2023 by the Michigan Interscholastic Golf Coaches Association.

Pinili won the Division 2 individual state championship after placing runner up the previous two years. He shot 64-70-134 at The Fortress in Frankenmuth, which tied an MHSAA two-round record. The week prior he won medalist at the regional, by winning in a playoff.

He took second in the Catholic League tournament at Oakland University and had two additional invitational runners up to his credit. He finished no worse than 5th in any event all season, with a spring scoring average of 70.1, improving upon his 72.5 scoring avg. the year prior. Pinili was a 3-time All-State Super Team member.

Outside the high school ranks, he and partner Drew Miller of East Lansing were the youngest qualifying team at the USGA national 4-ball tournament in May.

“Here in my last season, winning an individual state title and winning Mr. Golf were the two things left I had to check off to pretty much complete my whole high school experience and the goals I set since freshman year,” Pinili told me. “Doing that, and doing it on my last chance, it’s a great feeling and I knew I had to give it my all and not leave anything out there.

“As a younger kid playing and seeing the kids who have won the title (before me), I looked up to them. I think it shows a high standard of golf for the season and so having that title means a lot to me.”

In June he reached the quarterfinal round of match play for the 112th Michigan Amateur at Oakland Hills against seasoned adults and college players. 

Pinili said that Michigan State recruited him early and proved they really wanted him in East Lansing.

“Visiting there and going through the whole process just felt like a second family there, and I wanted to be part of the community they have built there,” he said. “To everyone who asks, I say (think beyond the school) to think about who the people are you’ll be with pretty much the next six years, when you commit early, and pretty much for life – who do you want that community of people to be? And they are exactly who I wanted to stick myself into that (MSU) community and that environment.”

State Championship Results:

Division 1

Team: Northville

Medalist: Peter Roehl, Rochester Adams

Division 2:

Team: Grand Rapids Christian

Medalist: Lorenzo Pinili, Birmingham Brother Rice

Division 3:

Team: Grand Rapids Catholic Central

Medalist: Matthew Sokorai, GR Catholic Central

Division 4:

Team: Clarkston Everest Collegiate

Medalist: Remy Stalcup, Everest Collegiate