SOWARDS WINS 4TH STRAIGHT OHIO SENIOR OPEN BY MAKING A BIRDIE ON THE FIRST PLAYOFF HOLE
Dublin’s Bob Sowards, PGA became the first man to win four consecutive Ohio Senior Open championships on Thursday when he rolled in an 8-foot putt on the first playoff hole at Firestone Country Club to defeat Cincinnati’s Sam Arnold, PGA.
Sowards and Arnold, both members of the Southern Ohio Section of the PGA of America, finished regulation play tied at 5-under 135, necessitating the event’s first playoff since 2018.
Arnold, the General Manager at The Vineyard Golf Course in Cincinnati, got into the playoff with a terrific final nine holes in which he shot 4-under 31 for an 18-hole total of 5-under 65, to go along with an opening even-par 70.
Sowards, who turns 54 on June 9, posted a final-round 2-under 68, which included a birdie on the 17th hole to pull even with Arnold, whose 65 was the lowest of the tournament.
Mitch Camp, PGA Director of Golf at Club Walden in Aurora, also had a stirring final nine holes when he eagled the 478-yard 13th to go with three birdies to finish at 3-under 67 and a two-day total of 4-under 136, one stroke shy of the playoff.
Arnold, who defeated Sowards in a SOPGA event earlier this season, got in trouble in the playoff when his drive on the 506-yard 17th missed the fairway on the right and almost reached the parallel 18th fairway, making it difficult to get home.
Sowards, who joins NOPGA Hall-of-Famer Gary Robison, PGA as the only four-time winners, hit a perfect drive and reached the front edge of the green on his second. He chipped it to a dangerous pin location and made his putt after Arnold had left his third and fourth shots short.
Ed Steiber, an amateur from Cincinnati, won the Senior Plus Division by five shots with a two-day total of 68-70—138 (-2). Perrysburg amateur Terry Tyson was second at 73-70—143 (+3). Finishing third overall, Scott Spence of Sunbury was the low pro in that division, at 73-71–144 (+4).
READ ADDITIONAL EDITORIAL ON THE NOPGA WEBSITE >
FINAL RESULTS: Northern Ohio PGA
37th Michelob Ultra Ohio Senior Open
Firestone Country Club Fazio Course, Akron – Par 70
Wednesday & Thursday, June 1-2, 2022
Senior Professional Results
1 Bob Sowards Dublin, OH 67-68–135 -5 $2,500.00 (playoff)
2 Sam Arnold Cincinnati, OH 70-65–135 -5 $1,800.00
3 Mitchell Camp Aurora, OH 69-67–136 -4 $1,400.00
4 Mike Stone Perrysburg, OH 70-70–140 E $1,100.00
T5 Mike Thomas Loveland, OH 70-71–141 +1 $750.00
T5 Rob Moss Broadview Heights, OH 69-72–141 +1 $750.00
T5 Scott Pollack Chagrin Falls, OH 69-72–141 +1 $750.00
T8 Chris Black Lancaster, OH 71-71–142 +2 $241.67
T8 Darrin Vaughan Bolivar, OH 75-67–142 +2 $241.67
T8 Gary Rusnak Painesville, OH 71-71–142 +2 $241.67
T8 Dennis Miller Youngstown, OH 69-73–142 +2 $241.67
T8 Tom Atchison Silver Lake, OH 74-68–142 +2 $241.67
T8 Harold Wallace McDermott, OH 69-73–142 +2 $241.67
T14 Bob Stephens Springboro, OH 74-69–143 +3
T14 Tony Adcock Canton, OH 69-74–143 +3
T16 Daniel Terry Wadsworth, OH 69-75–144 +4
T16 Gary Trivisonno Aurora, OH 72-72–144 +4
T18 Steve Parker Akron, OH 75-71–146 +6
T18 John Connelly Perrysburg, OH 73-73–146 +6
20 Jon Jones Warren, OH 77-70–147 +7
T21 Lloyd Faulkner Cincinnati, OH 77-71–148 +8
T21 Craig Goldsberry Lewis Center, OH 74-74–148 +8
23 Robert Koch Medina, OH 74-75–149 +9
T24 Eric Morgan Sandusky, OH 77-75–152 +12
T24 Kevin Sullivan Painesville, OH 72-80–152 +12
T24 David Dinan Akron, OH 75-77–152 +12
T27 Tom Waitrovich Westlake, Ohio 72-81–153 +13
T27 Rick Towle Columbus, OH 73-80–153 +13
T29 Larry King Cincinnati, OH 76-78–154 +14
T29 Mike Kaido Zanesville, OH 72-82–154 +14
T29 Andy Santor Youngstown, Ohio 74-80–154 +14
T32 Justin Long Ravenna, OH 82-74–156 +16
T32 Dan Sutton Toledo, OH 79-77–156 +16
34 Jack Pawelkoski Dayton, OH 84-74–158 +18
35 Matt Grobe Proctorville, OH 76-83–159 +19
36 Russell Papa Aurora, OH 77-86–163 +23
37 Ross Keen Auburn Twp, OH 89-88–177 +37
WD Paul Hollenbaugh New Albany, OH WD
Senior Amateur Results
1 Michael Kelley (a) Westerville, OH 70-67–137 -3 $700.00
2 Howard Clendenin (a) Fairlawn, OH 69-69–138 -2 $500.00
3 Garrett Frank (a) Youngstown, OH 71-71–142 +2 $450.00
T4 Monty Guest (a) Solon, OH 71-72–143 +3 $300.00
T4 Chad Scott (a) Mansfield, OH 71-72–143 +3 $300.00
T6 Stephen Mayes (a) Westerville, OH 71-73–144 +4 $187.50
T6 Michael Riley (a) Akron, OH 72-72–144 +4 $187.50
8 Ken Kinkopf (a) Dublin, OH 71-74–145 +5 $150.00
T9 Joe Podolski (a) Worthington, OH 73-73–146 +6 $125.00
T9 Mike Bauman (a) Galena, OH 73-73–146 +6 $125.00
11 Robert Spino (a) New Franklin, OH 74-73–147 +7
12 Mike Haynes (a) Gallipolis, OH 74-75–149 +9
T13 Mark Kontak (a) Toledo, OH 78-72–150 +10
T13 Dan Belden (a) Massillon, OH 72-78–150 +10
T13 Jeff Thrams (a) North Canton, OH 76-74–150 +10
T16 Jeff Kovalchik (a) Columbus, OH 75-76–151 +11
T16 Kurt Peterson (a) Massillon, OH 74-77–151 +11
T16 Jay Davis (a) St Clairsville, OH 74-77–151 +11
T16 Thomas Skidmore (a) Akron, OH 74-77–151 +11
20 Aaron Crewse (a) Akron, OH 78-74–152 +12
T21 Brian Vincelette (a) Wadsworth, OH 78-75–153 +13
T21 Brian Beebe (a) Uniontown, OH 77-76–153 +13
T21 Jeff Semple (a) Canton, OH 77-76–153 +13
T21 Michael McCarthy (a) Toledo, OH 76-77–153 +13
T25 Mark Telerico (a) Aurora, OH 78-76–154 +14
T25 Michael Thomas (a) Wintersville, OH 74-80–154 +14
T27 Gregory Bishop (a) New Franklin, OH 79-76–155 +15
T27 Chris Sabo (a) Akron, OH 78-77–155 +15
T27 Troy Boswell (a) Reynoldsburg, OH 78-77–155 +15
T27 Jeff Harper (a) Coolville, OH 74-81–155 +15
31 Dave Antill (a) Dublin, OH 80-76–156 +16
T32 Roy Fankhauser (a) Avon, OH 80-77–157 +17
T32 Derek Kesig (a) Delaware, OH 77-80–157 +17
34 Martin Howarth (a) Steubenville, OH 80-78–158 +18
35 Ryan Bowen (a) Cedarville, OH 81-78–159 +19
36 Robert Schustrich (a) Windham, OH 82-78–160 +20
T37 Roger Tolley (a) Willard, OH 84-77–161 +21
T37 Daniel Schlimm (a) Seville, OH 79-82–161 +21
T39 John Toth (a) Akron, OH 84-81–165 +25
T39 Peter Butler (a) Medina, OH 79-86–165 +25
41 Daniel Vosel (a) Cincinnati, OH 80-87–167 +27
42 Ronald Salerno (a) Broadview Hts, OH 84-85–169 +29
43 Brad Stewart (a) Doylestown, OH 81-92–173 +33
44 Chris Helaney (a) Lakewood, OH 92-89–181 +41
WD Mark Warden (a) Vincent, OH WD
DQ Leo Szczepanski (a) Seven Hills, OH DQ
Senior Plus Division Professional Results
1 Scott Spence Sunbury, OH 73-71–144 +4 $800.00
2 Brad Zeitner Lewis Center, OH 71-77–148 +8 $600.00
3 Theo Grubb Milford, OH 80-74–154 +14 $400.00
4 Blake Smith Canfield, OH 80-77–157 +17
5 Steven Shaw Seven Hills, OH 82-77–159 +19
6 Jeff Myers Poland, Ohio 88-88–176 +36
WD Walt Robertson Cleveland, OH WD
Senior Plus Division Amateur Results
1 Edward Steiber (a) Cincinnati, OH 68-70–138 -2 $600.00
2 Terry Tyson (a) Perrysburg, OH 73-70–143 +3 $450.00
T3 Philip Russo (a) Cincinnati, OH 73-71–144 +4 $312.50
T3 Mike Cassell (a) Hudson, OH 73-71–144 +4 $312.50
T5 Mark Borlin (a) Stow, OH 72-74–146 +6 $225.00
T5 Scott Perry (a) Lowell, OH 71-75–146 +6 $225.00
T7 Michael Hochschwender (a) Akron, OH 74-74–148 +8 $175.00
T7 Nick Lambos (a) Canton, OH 74-74–148 +8 $175.00
9 Randy Reifers (a) Milford, OH 77-72–149 +9 $150.00
T10 Randy Crider (a) Brunswick, OH 77-73–150 +10
T10 Raul Mendoza (a) North Lawrence, OH 74-76–150 +10
T10 Larry Lahnan (a) Aurora, OH 74-76–150 +10
T13 John Rodney (a) Kettering, OH 77-74–151 +11
T13 Jeff Sparks (a) Cincinnati, OH 75-76–151 +11
T13 G.M. Bingman (a) Medina, OH 74-77–151 +11
16 John Jewell (a) Centerville, OH 77-76–153 +13
T17 Robert McMurry (a) Dayton, OH 80-74–154 +14
T17 Mark Boothby (a) Cincinnati, OH 78-76–154 +14
T17 Mark Ciccarello (a) South euclid, OH 76-78–154 +14
20 Ray McNiece (a) Cleveland, OH 78-77–155 +15
21 William Downing (a) Akron, OH 78-78–156 +16
22 Mark Thomas (a) Jackson Twp, OH 80-78–158 +18
23 Tim Heavner (a) Alliance, OH 81-79–160 +20
24 Jim Groh (a) Hinckley, OH 80-83–163 +23
25 Raymond Najda (a) Olmsted Township, OH 84-82–166 +26
26 David Clarke (a) Saint Clairsville, OH 82-85–167 +27
27 Ron Rositani (a) Willowick, OH 84-87–171 +31
WD Michael Ross (a) Hinckley, OH WD
