COUNTY DIVISION (Aurora Golf Club)
In the largest division, the County Division, Cody Nickson worked his way to the very top of the leaderboard to earn the championship trophy.
Nickson, who returns as a sophomore to the Wright State University Men’s Varsity Golf Team this fall, fired a 75, the low score of the day in all divisions at Aurora, to capture the lead by one stroke over Rob Schustrich of Windham.
Nickson of Kent and Schustrich battled throughout the day without knowing how the other one was doing since they were in consecutive foursomes. Nickson’s 77 from the first day at Windmill had landed him in the second pairing but he never waivered from his goal of winning the Portage County Amateur.
Nevada Lemon of Rootstown, headed to Malone University to play for the men’s team this Fall, jumped ahead of several competitors to take third place while a trio of Aurora residents found Aurora Golf Club’s tract to their liking as Bud Radis, Evan Lerner and Andrew Hinton finished fourth, fifth and sixth.
OPEN DIVISION (Aurora Golf Club)
Brian Smith of Oberlin and Mike Pope of Akron were tied with identical 72’s as they left Windmill Golf Club on Saturday.
Pope, a graduate of St. Thomas Aquinas and member of their high school team, was solid with his putter throughout the day to finish with a two stroke over Smith.
The 2011 defending Champion, Stephen Spalding of Stow was in fifth place going into the final day of competition but a solid 75, tying for low round of the day, pushed him into third place.
Corey Leventhal of Akron provided excitement in his group when he fired an ace on the 17th hole “¦. the first that anyone could remember at an Amateur and a first for Leventhal.
SENIOR WOMEN (Aurora Golf Club)
Missy Gedeon of Hudson successfully defended her 2011 title but not without an additional hole.
At the end of the 36 hole tournament, Gedeon and former amateur champion Laura Erwin of Kent were deadlocked with a pair of 174s.
It took a one-hole sudden-death play-off for Gedeon to earn the championship, carding a par on the first hole at Aurora to Erwin’s bogey.
Claire Labaj of Berea took home third place with a 185.
WOMEN’S DIVISION (at Aurora Golf Club)
Newcomer to the Amateur, Brooke Stevens of Akron won the championship with a cushion of 22 strokes.
Stevens, a member of the Santa Clara University varsity women’s golf team in Santa Clara, Calif. carded a 79 on the tough fairways of Aurora to earn the championship.
Courtney O’Donnell of Ravenna took home the runner-up after carding a total score of 188.
SENIOR MEN (at Windmill Lakes Golf Club)
Larry Lahnan found himself in unfamiliar territory at the Amateur, in second place following the first day of competition.
Lahnan of Aurora, the two-time defending champion, fired a 77 the first day to Mark Borlin of solon’s 75 at Aurora Golf Club.
Lahnan, hurrying through his round to get to the club championship at Walden Golf and Country Club in Aurora, Lahnan also improved his score to an outstanding 72 for a 149 total, topping Borlin by five strokes.
Brian Kerns of Ravenna was third with a 155 and former champions Lou boarman of Mogadore and Butch Morette of Kent finished fifth and sixth.
SENIOR GOLD (at Windmill Lakes)
Tom Flanigan of Cleveland remained at the top of the division after putting together two solid days with scores of 74 and 76 for a 150. Ted Reminder of Streetsboro pushed into second place with a 76 while Ernest Johnson of Akron had back-to-back 77s to finish in third place.
SENIOR PLATINUM (at Windmill Lakes)
Bob Harwell of Stuart, Fla. defended his title and picked up his third amateur championship trophy firing rounds of 81-86 for a 167 to top Terry Bonar of Aurora by three strokes. Harwell previously won the Amateur in 1990 and has won baci-to-back championships in the Senior Platinum division.
NEXT YEAR
The 83rd Record-Courier Portage County Amateur will again be held on the final full weekend in July, with golf courses announced in January and registration forms available in April. The Amateur and Senior Amateur will continue to compete on the same weekend but on opposite courses in appreciation for the growth of the event.
FINAL RESULTS:
82nd Portage County Amateur and Senior Amateur Golf Championships
Saturday and Sunday, July 28 – 29, 2012
Windmill Lakes Golf Course, Ravenna
Aurora Country Club, Aurora
COUNTY
Cody Nickson, Kent 77-75 152
Rob Schustrich, Garfield 74-79 153
Nevada Lemon, Rootstown 79-77 156
Bud Radis, Aurora 80-77 157
Evan Lerner, Aurora 80-77 157
Andrew Hinton, Aurora 75 -83 158
Ed Marsinek, Streetsboro 79 -80 159
Kevin Zmozynsky, Aurora 81-78 159
Allen Thigpen, Ravenna 75-86 161
Ryan Brawley, Ravenna 76 85 161
Mike Keiper, Kent 79-82 161
Scott Schroeder, Aurora 84-77 161
Dave Fall, Windham 80-82 162
Frank Livak, Ravenna 84-80 164
Chris Plute, Streetsboro 82-83 165
Cole Smith, Kent 84 -83 167
Shawn Maulis, Ravenna 80-87 167
Mark Mitchell, Ravenna 80-88 168
Shawn Ohl, Garrettsville 82-86 168
Joseph Knight, Kent 81-87 168
Kegan Wise, Kent 86 -83 169
Brian Keyser, Ravenna 86-84 170
Mark Rado, Garrettsville 78-92 170
Mark Parsons, Kent 82-90 172
David Hinton, Aurora 77-95 172
Nick Polichena, Ravenna 78-95 173
Jeff Eckenwiler, Ravenna 89-84 173
Zack Smith, Mantua 79-95 174
Anthony Marozzi, Ravenna 86-88 174
Nate Wachtel, Streetsboro 85-90 175
Matthew Carter, Kent 84-92 176
Cameron Pozsgai, Windham 84-92 176
Adam Stinogle, Kent 87 -92 179
Sid Mandava, Aurora 89-90 179
Jeff Kiel, Ravenna 92-89 181
Kali Miller, Mantua 93-88 181
Mike Boland, Rootstown 81 -103 184
Mike Schustrich, Windham 94-92 186
Toren Roubic, Windham 88-98 186
Trent White, Ravenna 90-99 189
Jerry Tennant, Brimfield 91-98 189
Chad Luckie, Rootstown 97-95 192
Cory Fosnight, Ravenna 99-103 202
Tim Coyne, Ravenna 105-105 210
Chris Miner, Ravenna 114-97 211
Paul Dionne, Kent 110 -111 221
OPEN
Mike Pope, Akron 72-77 149
Brian Smith, Oberlin 72 -79 151
Stephen Spalding 78-75 153
Corey Leventhal, Akron 78-77 155
Charlly Pak, Akron 78 -78 156
Corey Hines, Leavittsburg, 77-80 157
Bill Bergold, Westlake 77 -80 157
Brett Beatty, Stow 80 -80 160
Jeff Dolphin, New Middleton 82-84 166
Sean Murphy, Hudson 79 -88 167
Tom Hinkle, Akron 82-86 168
Abhijit Shetti, Solon 78-90 168
Mike Galati,Tallmadge 81-89 170
Carlo Berlingieri, Munroe Falls 90-89 179
Cory Ryam, Akron 89-91 180
Don Fall, Newton Falls 95-85 180
Will Ellison, Akron 89-92 181
Lee Hatch, Akron 86-96 182
Nathan Krol, Leavittsburg 86-100 186
Matt Hilton, Akron 93-96 189
WOMEN
Brooke Stevens, Akron 82-79 161
Amanda Watts, Stow 95-98 183
Courtney O’Donnell, Ravenna 95-93 188
Kendra Frazier, Stow 103-101 204
SENIOR WOMEN
Laura Erwin, Kent 87-87 174
Missy Gedeon, Hudson 88-86 174
Claire Labaj, Berea 90 -95 185
Susan Zurc, Kent 111-97 208
Wendy Brugman, Mantua 100-112 212
Tracy Moore, Hudson 109 -109 218
SENIOR MEN (50-59)
Larry Lahnan, Aurora 77-72 149
Mark Borlin, Solon 75-79 154
Brian Kerns, Ravenna 80-75 155
Lou Boarman, Mogadore 83-75 158
Butch Morette, Kent 81-79 160
John Niedzialek, Concord 82-79 161
Michael Doherty, Suffield 83-78 161
Daniel Kinney, Youngstown 8478 161
Mike LaCivita, Ravenna 85-78 163
John Hlinski, Auburn 80-84 164
Randy Wilburn, Suffield 83-85 168
Randy Steele, Hudson 85-83 168
Ron Rousseau, Kent 82-87 169
Walter Lawrence, Tallmadge 91-83 174
Tim Crowley, Mentor 85-91 176
Richard Foote, Aurora 90-87 177
George Randall, Hiram 93-86 179
Matt Habbyshaw, Aurora 87-93 180
Johnny Millich, Deerfield 98-85 183
Jim Franks, Ravenna 99-88 187
Ron Benco, Strongsville 93-95 188
Mike Lerner, Aurora 92-97 189
Brad Cale, Windham 101-94 195
Jeff Phillips, Ravenna 108-99 207
SENIOR GOLD (60-69)
Tom Flanigan, Cleveland 74-76 150
Ted Reminder, Streetsboro 78-76-154
Ernest Johnson, Akron 77-77 154
Don Labaj, Berea 76-80 156
Bill Fillner, Ravenna 77-82 159
Brad Patterson, Kent 80-79 159
Tom Reminder, Parma 79-82 161
Gerald Musiel, Chagrin Falls 79-82 161
Gerald Isobe, Cleveland 80-81 161
John Rees, Kent 81-82 163
Jim Cofojohn, Mantua 82-82 164
Ronald Rhome, Kent 83-81 164
Walter Birel, Richfield 84-82 166
Robert Stevens Sr., Rootstown 89-81 170
Bob Ghoulish, Tallmadge 91-80 171
Thomas Ludlam, Atwater 87-85 172
Mike Theodore, Kent 85-88 173
Bruce Riddle, Kent 89-95 184
Neil Callen, Kent 95-95 190
SENIOR PLATINUM (70+)
Bob Harwell, Stuart, Fla. 81-86 167
Terry Bonar, Aurora 83-87 170
John Tuel, Ravenna 95-85 180
Robert Mishler, Garrettsville 87-98 185
Jim Wise Sr., Ravenna 92-95 187
Eli Maravich, Mogadore 92-96 188
