Ohio Golfers Enjoying Full Tournament Schedule Despite COVID-19
The COVID-19 pandemic of 2020 has made life quite different to the one we had become accustomed. Little things, like going out to dinner, a quick grocery store visit, or getting a haircut require extensive planning, as well as, the ever-present mask.
The golf industry in Ohio and around the country seems to be surviving the pandemic quite well, however.
One driving range owner told me his business has seen a 50% increase compared to the same time period last year. Golf course owners and operators are seeing full tee sheets every day of the week, even with fewer outings. In fact, because outings normally receive a discounted package, most courses are seeing a significant uptick in the bottom line, as they charge full rates for regular play.
In addition, the five USGA Associated Districts, Northern Ohio, Cincinnati, Miami Valley, Toledo and Ohio Golf Association are conducting events and seeing full fields entering competition. The Women’s Ohio State Golf Association also conducts the Junior Girls, Women’s Amateur, Mid-Amateur and Senior Women’s Amateur Championships.
Ohio Amateur Results 
For the four rounds in the 2020 Ohio Amateur, Austin Greaser fired rounds of 65-69-66-70 for an 18-under-par total and bettered runner-up Bryce Haney by eight shots.
Greaser is a 2019 graduate of Vandalia High School and is currently a member of the University of North Carolina Golf Team. He won the Northern Kentucky Amateur in June and continued his strong play in the Ohio Amateur held at Columbus Country Club.
Ohio Women’s Amateur & Mid-Amateur
The 97th Ohio Women’s Amateur and Mid-Amateur were held at Belmont Country Club in Toledo.
Kalya Davis and Alison Schultz fired rounds of one-under-par 72 to earn medalist honors and qualify for the match play portion of the tournament.
In the final Kristin Jamieson had to go 20 holes to defeat Katlyn Shutt for the championship.
In the Ohio Women’s Mid-Amateur, Cari Helter was Stroke Play Medalist and earned the number one seed for the Match Play segment. Janie Klare defeated Oliva Hochschwender in the final match by a commanding 5&3 margin.
The Ohio Senior Women’s Championship will be held September 21-22 at Piqua Country Club. Registration details can be found at: https://www.wosga.org/
Ohio Open
Alan Freeman posted on his website, NEOHGolf.com that Pickerington’s Alex Weiss erased the memory of a runner-up finish one year ago and played steady golf in the final round to win the 99th Pyramid Treating/Minute Men Ohio Open Championship at Weymouth Country Club.
Weiss, 24, outlasted three-time champion Bob Sowards and Kent State assistant coach Ryan Yip to win by one shot after a final-round 69 gave him a 54-hole score of 13-under 203.
The Ohio Open is one of the most prestigious events in the state and has been conducted since 1924. Past winners include familiar names such as; Denny Shute, Byron Nelson, Billy Burke, Herman Keiser, Jack Nicklaus, Frank Stranahan and Tom Weiskopf.
Sowards was seeking to become the first man to win both the Ohio Open and the Ohio Senior Open in the same season and had a two-shot lead with just a few holes to go. Uncharacteristically, he faltered down the stretch with three bogeys over his final four holes.
Ohio Senior Open
Freeman also reported that Sowards did prevail in the Ohio Senior Open that was contested at Firestone Country Club. He became the first repeat winner in 13 years, by carding a final-round two-under par 68.
Howard Clendenin finished four shots back to capture runner-up, while six players, including 2013 champion, Tom Waitrovich, of Westlake, Toledo’s Steve Stone, Mike Kaido, from Zanesville, Canton’s Tony Adcock, and amateurs, Mike Kelley, Westerville, as well as, Tony Hejna, Cleveland, finished tied for third.
Sowards was locked in a one-on-one duel with Clendenin through 12 holes, with both men tied at one-under par on a testy, swirling windy day, before the tournament swung in Sowards’ direction.
Sowards, arguably the hottest player in Ohio and undoubtedly the best senior player in Ohio, dropped in a 25-foot putt for eagle. Clendenin, a resident of Seville and a Firestone member, had made birdie playing one group in front. The lead became three when Clendenin recorded a bogey on the 15th. When Sowards added a birdie on the 506-yard 17th he cruised to the four-shot victory.
Super Senior
In the Super Senior Division, Mike Cassell, an amateur from Hudson, won with a two-day total of 4-under par 135, the lowest score of the tournament regardless of division.
Cassell was the low amateur in 2015 when former Canton Brookside pro Jim Logue won the Super Seniors.
Cassell, 65, defeated Solon’s Monty Guest by four shots to win is first Super Seniors title. Guest was playing with a ton of confidence as he also won the Senior Division of the Northeast Ohio Amateur.
Boy’s Junior Golf Championship
The 2020 Ohio Golf Association’s Junior Championship was held at Windmill Lakes Golf Club in Ravenna. Topher Reed, from Fairview Park, birdied the first playoff hole to defeat Ben Cars, from Wooster. Both Reed and Cars finished the regulation 36-hole event tied at four-under-par.
Nicholas Piesen finished solo third two strokes behind the leaders and Solomon Petrie and Justin Atkinson rounded out the top five tied for fourth place.
44th Ohio Junior Girls Championship at Marion Country Club
Lelia Raines from Galena shot 70-70 to win the Ohio Junior Girls at four under par two shots better than Warren’s Gianna Clemente, who captured runner-up honors.
New Albany’s Anna Ritter posted a two-round total of 143 to win the 16-19 age division. Cara Heisterkamp, of Westlake, won the 14 & 15 age division and Angelina Gong, from Dublin, won the 13 & younger age group.
Ohio Women’s Open
The Ohio Women’s Open was scheduled to be contested in June, but organizers voted to cancel this year’s tournament. It was a difficult decision, but the safety of the players and volunteers was the overriding factor for these challenging times.
As you can see Ohio golf is alive and well. Courses are open and more people are taking the opportunity to visit a golf course. Congratulations to all the winners this year.
If you haven’t been out to a golf course for a while, give it a try. You may just find that it is a lot of fun and great exercise to boot.
We’ll look for you on the Back 9.
