FINAL RESULTS: 2023 NOPGA Denny Shute Match Play

Canterbury assistant Anthony Panepento wins at Portage

Canterbury Golf Club assistant Anthony Panepento earned his first professional victory on Thursday when he defeated Jim Troy, 6-and-5, to win the 49th Denny Shute Match Play Championship at Portage Country Club.

The victory capped a masterful week for Panepento, as the 24-year-old defeated four of the Northern Ohio PGA’s top players while playing his way to Thursday’s 36-hole finals.

Panepento, a native of Wooster, took control early of his match against Troy, a four-time NOPGA Player-of-the-Year. He was 2-up after the front nine of the first 18 holes and never relinquished the lead for the rest of the day.

A birdie on the final hole of the morning round put Panepento 3-up and he increased his margin to 4-up with a birdie on the 525-yard second hole, thanks to a marvelous approach to two feet to start the final 18 holes. He maintained that 4-hole lead through the turn and birdie putts of 66-feet on the 4897-yard 11th and 22-feet on the 366-yard 13th to close out the match.

In order to reach the finals, Panepento defeated Pepper Pike assistant Sean McGuire, 5-and-4 in the semifinals and defending Shute champion Mark Scott Jr., 3-and-2, handing the Westwood Country Club head professional his first loss at Portage since 2021 in the quarterfinals. Prior to that, he eliminated NOPGA veteran Tom Waitrovich, 2-and-1 and Windmill Golf Center teaching pro Trent Maxwell, 3-and-2, in his first match.

With the victory Panepento, a graduate of Methodist University, earned $1,400.

PHOTO GALLERY: 2023 Denny Shute Match Play FINALS | QUARTERS/SEMIS | RD 32 & 16

FINAL RESULTS: Northern Ohio PGA
2023 Denny Shute Match Play Championship
Portage Country Club, Akron, Ohio
Monday – Thursday, October 16-19, 2023
BlueGolf Match Play Bracket >

Round Of 32

Mark Scott Jr. – Bye
Nick Paez – Bye
Randy Dietz – Bye
Jaysen Hansen – Bye
David Morgan – Bye
Nick Gustin vs. Mark Evans – Evans Wins 2&1
Anthony Panepento vs. Trent Maxwell – Panepento Wins 3&2
Tom Waitrovich vs. Mike Pickett – Waitrovich Wins 3&2
Sean McGuire vs. Cory Kumpf – McQuire Wins 20 Holes
Tyler Peterson vs. Tony Adcock – Peterson Wins 19 Holes
Rob Moss vs. Sam Wilding – Moss Wins 4&2
Jordan Paolini vs. David Pfeiffer – Paolini Wins 2&1
Adam Lewicki vs. Josh Diemer – Lewicki Wins 4&3
Jim Troy vs. Brad Ruminski – Troy Wins 2&1
William McKinley vs. Matthew Creech – McKinley Wins 2 Up
Daniel Terry vs. Trevor Thomas – Terry Wins 19 Holes

Round Of 16

Mark Scott Jr. vs. Mark Evans ($150) – Scott Jr. Wins 1 Up
Anthony Panepento vs. Tom Waitrovich ($150) – Panepento Wins 2&1
Nick Paez ($150) vs. Sean McQuire – Sean McQuire Wins 6&4
Randy Dietz vs. Tyler Peterson ($150) – Dietz Wins 1 Up
Jason Hansen vs. Rob Moss ($150) – Hansen Wins 19 Holes
Jordan Paolini ($150) vs. Adam Lewicki – Lewicki Wins 4&3
David Morgan ($150) vs. Jim Troy – Troy Wins 4&3
William McKinley ($150) vs. Dan Terry – Terry Wins 1 Up

Round Of 8

Mark Scott Jr. ($450) vs. Anthony Panepento – Panepento Wins 3&2
Sean McQuire vs. Randy Dietz ($450) – McQuire Wins 3&1
Jason Hansen vs. Adam Lewicki ($450) – Hansen Wins 4&3
Jim Troy vs. Dan Terry ($450) – Troy Wins 5&3