Moss, Mike Stone, Gary Trivisonno, Greg Smith Qualify for Nationals
Happiness is winning a professional golf tournament.
Ultra-happiness is getting it done in time in order to help your son move into his dormitory as a college freshman.
Take a bow, Rob Moss.
Take a bow, not only for winning the NOPGA’s Senior Professional Championship at Westbrook Country Club on Friday, but for being able to make the two-hour drive to Athens in time to help son, Ben, move into his dorm room at Ohio University.
A man is entitled to duo-priorities.
“This was a good one to win,” said Moss, who put together consecutive rounds of 2-under 70 for a 36-hole total of 4-under 140 and went on to win the title – one of the few Moss had not won during his sparkling career – by defeating Belmont Country Club pro Mike Stone in a one-hole playoff. “This event is one of our marquee events. It’s one that you put on your calendar. Our Section is very strong and our Senior Section is very strong. In order to win you have to play well.”
Play well he did.
Moss, Stone, third-place winner and four-time champion Gary Trivisonno (72-70) and fourth-place finisher and host professional Greg Smith (74-69 with six birdies), will represent the NOPGA at the PGA Senior National Professional Championship in New Mexico in October.
Jon Jones (Youngstown Country Club), defending champion Gary Rusnak (1899 Golf-Cleveland East), Tony Adcock (Seven Hills Country Club) and Tom Waitrovich (PGA Lifetime Member) will serve as alternates.
“What time is it?” was the first thing Moss said just before turning in his scorecard at the end of regulation play, in which he made several clutch shots to keep himself in contention.
When told he had shot himself into a playoff Moss, ever the gentleman, asked politely, “Can we do it quickly? I can still make it to Athens in time.”
Runnerup in this event last year, Moss made about a 4-foot putt for par to Stone’s bogey to win.
Stone had an onerous, downhill shot from a few feet behind the treacherous 18th green in which he debated between using a wedge or a hybrid. He chose wedge but his shot came up short.
“Tough choice,” Stone said of his decision to use the wedge. “I was afraid I wouldn’t be able to get the hybrid through that stuff. It was kind of sticky. I’m not complaining though. I’m going to the Nationals and that’s important.”
Moss, 53, was hole-high, left of the back pin in the playoff and faced a delicate left-to-right downhiller of about 30 feet.
“I just told myself that I had to find a way to make four,” he said when reached via cell phone when he was on his way home from Athens.
His first putt stopped about four feet away, still following a left-to-right path.
“That green is so treacherous,” he said. “If you hit it past the hole you are liable to end up down at the bottom of the green. The last putt felt solid. Went right in the center.”
The victory enabled Moss to climb into second place on the Senior Points List, which will help determine the Player-of-the-Year and the seniors who will help the NOPGA try to reclaim the Ohio Cup Championship against the Southern Ohio PGA.
Rusnak still leads with 372.33 points while Moss is second at 314 points. Mitch Camp (Club Walden) is third at 306.50 and Trivisonno is fourth at 291.50, thanks to his third-place finish yesterday.
“I got to Athens in time,” said Moss. “We were able to get Ben all squared away in his dorm. We gave him a hug and wished him luck.”
This is not the first time Rob and his wife, Darci, sent a sibling off to college. Nor will it be the last. Older son, Tyler, is a sophomore at Cincinnati, and the youngest son, Will, attends North Royalton High.
But it’s a safe bet to say it’s the first time Moss made the drive with a championship trophy along for the ride.
FINAL RESULTS: Northern Ohio PGA
2022 NOPGA Senior Professional Championship
Westbrook Country Club, Mansfield
Thu – Fri, August 18-19, 2022
QUALIFIERS
1 Rob Moss Pepper Pike Club 70-70–140 -4 $1,200.00
2 Mike Stone Belmont Country Club 71-69–140 -4 $950.00
3 Gary Trivisonno PGA Of America Life Member 72-70–142 -2 $800.00
4 Greg Smith Westbrook Country Club 74-69–143 -1 $700.00
ALTERNATES
5 Jon Jones Youngstown Country Club 75-69–144 E $600.00
T6 Gary Rusnak 1899 Golf – Cle East 72-73–145 +1 $525.00
T6 Tony Adcock Seven Hills Country Club 73-72–145 +1 $525.00
T8 Tom Waitrovich PGA Of America Life Member 75-71–146 +2 $400.00
DID NOT QUALIFY
T8 Sean Kenily Union Country Club 72-74–146 +2 $400.00
T8 Mitch Camp Club Walden 70-76–146 +2 $400.00
T11 Nick Szymanski South Toledo Golf Club 74-73–147 +3 $75.00
T11 Joseph Borawski Brookside Country Club 73-74–147 +3 $75.00
T11 Steve Mulcahy Shawnee Country Club 73-74–147 +3 $75.00
T11 Tom Atchison PGA Of America Life Member 72-75–147 +3 $75.00
T15 Mike Rankin Westbrook Country Club 73-75–148 +4
T15 Steve Stone The Golf Pit @ McDivots Driving Range 69-79–148 +4
17 Scott Pollack 1899 Golf – Cle East 75-74–149 +5
18 Trevor Thomas Delphos Country Club 74-77–151 +7
19 Daniel Terry Chippewa Golf Club 76-76–152 +8
20 Kevin Sullivan GolfTEC – Brecksville 75-78–153 +9
T21 David Dinan Windmill Golf Center 78-79–157 +13
T21 Tony Milam North Coast Junior Tour 76-81–157 +13
T23 Steve Parker Portage Country Club 80-78–158 +14
T23 Ned Weaver Windmill Golf Center 80-78–158 +14
T25 Dan Sutton Heather Downs Country Club 79-80–159 +15
T25 Eric Morgan Plum Brook Country Club 79-80–159 +15
27 Andy Santor Trumbull Country Club 84-80–164 +20
28 Robert Atkinson Cutting Edge Golf 86-83–169 +25
