The Mulligan Tour’s Western Division gathered at Beacon Hill Golf Course in Commerce Township on Saturday, June 27th for one of the most meaningful events on the annual calendar — the 10th Annual C. Cool Classic, played in memory of tour veteran Christopher Cooley, who lost his battle with brain cancer and left a mark on this league that no scorecard can fully measure. Before a single tee shot was struck, the field had already accomplished something worth celebrating: $1,325 raised for the Jimmy V Foundation, a tribute as fitting as any trophy. Never give up. Chris Cooley never did, and neither does this tournament in honoring his memory.
On the course, Eric Birkle made sure the 10th edition had a champion worthy of the occasion. Birkle controlled the tournament from the opening holes, building a lead and then defending it every time someone made a run at him. Kevin Gregoire, Rick Floyd, Jeff Feikens, and Mike Geisser all mounted charges at various points in the round, and each time Birkle answered. When the tournament needed to be put away, he did it with authority — birdies on 17 and 18 to close out a seven-birdie round and a final net 67 (-4), the best score of the day by three strokes. Rick Floyd and Kevin Gregoire tied for second at net 70 (-1), splitting $20 apiece. Jeff Feikens and Chuck Withey shared fourth at net 72 (+1), each pocketing $9.50. Mike Geisser and Nancy Wright tied for sixth at net 73 (+2), with $4.50 apiece, followed by Elizabeth Jolliffe and Ned Loving in a tie for eighth at net 74 (+3).
Birkle’s 2026 victory is his second C. Cool Classic title, having also won the inaugural edition of the event in 2017 — a full circle moment at a tournament that has grown into one of the Western Division’s signature events. The challenge holes were busy: Kevin Gregoire claimed the CTP on hole 6 for $20 cash, Tom Litzler collected the closest effort on hole 11, Jeff Cubel stuck it tight on hole 15 for $20 cash, and Stewart Levine grabbed the CTP on hole 17. Helen Puffenberger and Tom Litzler tied for 10th at net 75 (+4), each earning $0.50, while Tyler Floyd — the defending champion who torched Beacon Hill for a net 60 (-11) a year ago — found the course less accommodating this time around, finishing at net 80 (+9). themulligantour
The C. Cool Classic was born from Chris Cooley’s love of golf, built on community, and sustained by Chuck Withey, showing the kind of loyalty that defines the Mulligan Tour at its best. Chris Cooley won this very tournament in 2019 — in a three man playoff that included Chuck Withey— and every June, the field that shows up at Beacon Hill is a reminder that some things matter more than birdies and prize money. The Mulligan Tour now turns its attention to the Red, White, and Blue and the rescheduled Quad-Tour Challenge at Fox Creek on July 5th with the Match Play Championship at Huron Meadows on July 11-12. The season is building toward its final chapter. And somewhere on the leaderboard, Eric Birkle — with one eye on the money race and another on the Match Play bracket — is right back in the conversation.
