She’s a Michigan State University alumna, but Sarah Burnham just recently started calling the state of Michigan home. The Minnesota native moved to Howell in November of last year because of the great connection with her collegiate (and current Spartans women’s golf) coach, Stacy Slobodnik-Stoll.
“It’s great because I can go back and use the facilities at Michigan State,” said Burnham, who is prepping for her third start in the Meijer LPGA Classic for Simply Give. “I have a great coach [in Stacy] who allows me to do that still. I have a lot of Spartan pride and it’s really good to be back home.”
Stacy and her husband Jim Stoll, who serves as Burnham’s caddie, are like a second family to Burnham. It is that relationship which has made the transition to a new city as seamless as possible. Also having her boyfriend Jackson Renicker, who was on the MSU wrestling team, and his family in nearby Brighton made Howell the perfect spot.
Beyond the close personal connections Burnham has in the Great Lakes State and that she now calls it home, Blythefield Country Club is a memorable place in her journey to the LPGA Tour.
“Really close with her family and it all really works out,” said Burnham, a three-time First Team All-Big Ten member. “Blythefield is really special. I got a sponsor exemption [in 2018] when I was in college, so it is a really special event. My dad caddied for me then and it was also my first LPGA Tour event. It brings back really good memoires and I just love the course.”