The national Championship, presented by Mercedes-Benz, will make its first visit to Bayonet Black Horse in Seaside, California.
Milam turned in a winning total of 146 two over par (+2) to capture the Northern Ohio Senior PGA Professional Championship.
Mitch Camp and Gary Trivisonno, both of Aurora, Ohio finished one stroke back at 147, followed by Andy Santor of Boardman, Ohio and Gary Robison of Canton, Ohio.
The Senior PGA Professional National Championship brings together a field of 264 contestants representing The PGA of America’s 41 nationwide Sections, and features a total purse of $285,000. The first two rounds will be conducted on the Bayonet and Black Horse Courses. The Bayonet Course will host the Championship’s final 36 holes. Mercedes-Benz USA is returning as a presenting sponsor.
Named in honor of two U.S. Army divisions, Bayonet and Black Horse occupy property that was once part of the former Fort Ord military base near Seaside, California. Bayonet was designed by Gen. Robert B. McClure in 1954, redesigned by Gene Bates and opened in 2007. The par-72, 7,104-yard design, with its narrow corridors and steep bunkering, is considered one of the most difficult tests of golf on the Monterey Peninsula.
Black Horse Golf Course, a 1964 joint original design by Gen. McClure and Gen. Edwin Carnes, was named in honor of the 11th Cavalry Regiment (Black Horse), which was stationed at the Presidio of Monterey (1919-1940). Today, Black Horse is a 7,024-yard, par-72 layout that was renovated in 1998 by Chris Gray and redesigned by Bates in 2008. It features sweeping vistas of the Pacific Ocean and highlighted by fescue-framed fairways, bunker with distinctive, serrated edges and slick contoured greens.
Begun in 1989, the Senior PGA Professional National Championship is modeled after the PGA Professional National Championship, with a field of 50-and-older senior PGA Professionals who advanced through 41 Section Championships conducted from July through September this year.
The top 35 finishers in the National Championship earn a berth in the 77th Senior PGA Championship presented by KitchenAid, which will be conducted May 26-29, 2016, at Harbor Shores in Benton Harbor, Michigan.
The top five finishers there earn an exemption into the final stage of the 2016 Champions TOUR National Finals. Since its debut, many participants in the Senior PGA Professional National Championship have used their success in the event as a springboard to a Champions TOUR career.
FINAL RESULTS:
2015 Northern Ohio Sr PGA Professional Championship
Lake Forest Country Club, Hudson, Ohio
Thursday-Friday, August 20-21, 2015 | Par: 72
Qualifiers for Senior PGA Professional National Championship
1. Tony Milam*, North Coast Jr Tour, $1,200.00, *71-75-146 +2
2. Gary Trivisonno, Windmill Golf Center, $825.00, *75-72-147 +3
2. Mitchell Camp*, Club Walden, $825.00, *73-74-147 +3
4. Gary Robison*, Brookside, $525.00, *74-75-149 +5
4. Andy Santor*, Mill Creek Park G C, $525.00, *75-74-149 +5
Did Not Qualify
6. Jim Karr, Weymouth Club, $350.00, *71-79-150 +6
7. John Goodson, Lake Forest, $116.67, *74-77-151 +7
7. Brad Apple, Belmont CC, $116.67, *74-77-151 +7
7. Mark Weitendorf, Firestone CC, $116.67, *71-80-151 +7
10. Craig Goldsberry, Bent Tree GC, *75-77-152 +8
11. Tom Atchison, Salem GC, *77-76-153 +9
12. Jim Logue, Brookside, *81-73-154 +10
12. Timothy Monroe, Bunker Hill, *76-78-154 +10
14. Terry Shell, PGA Of America Life Membe, *80-78-158 +14
14. Dave Moskal, Westwood, *80-78-158 +14
16. William Germana, Punderson, *79-82-161 +17
17. Buddy Goodwin, Fox Creek Golf & Racquet , *82-80-162 +18
17. Buzz DiSalvo, Golf Galaxy – North Olmstad, *84-78-162 +18
19. Charlie Wood, Mayfield, *85-78-163 +19
20. Bob Barto, West Pines Golf Range, *78-88-166 +22
21. Mike Bittner, Lake Forest, *81-86-167 +23
22. Craig Lydic, Bristolwood GC, *84-86-170 +26
23. Cary Bonham, Windmill Golf Center, *84-87-171 +27
24. Michael Martin, Sand Ridge, *86-90-176 +32
