NOPGA SUFFERS THIRD STRAIGHT OHIO CUP LOSS
The uphill battle facing the team from the Northern Ohio PGA after the first day of the 27th Ohio Cup grew steeper on the second day and eventually resulted in a third consecutive loss to its Southern Ohio PGA counterparts.
After compiling a 6-point lead during Tuesday’s first two rounds, the SOPGA won the first four singles matches on Wednesday and cruised to a 20.5 to 11.5 victory at Worthington Hills Country Club.
The third straight win gave the SOPGA its longest winning streak in the Ryder Cup-like event and reduced the NOPGA’s lead to 16-11 in the series.
The event will return to Northern Ohio in 2024.
The SOPGA won the Fourball (better ball) 5.5 to 2.5 and the Foursomes (alternate shot) by the same score on Tuesday. Then they won nine of the 16 singles matches – with three ties – on Tuesday.
Windmill Golf Center instructor Randy Dietz and Brookside Country Club Director of Golf Cory Kumpf were the biggest winners for the NOPGA, with 2.5 points each. Erie Shores head professional Nick Gustin was next with two points.
Dietz defeated former Ohio Open champ Chase Wilson, 6-and-5, while Kumpf beat Rick Denny, 2-and-1 and Gustin defeated Mike Auterson, 3-and-1.
The SOPGA had three players win all three of their matches in Bob Sowards (Kinsale Golf and Fitness Club), Sam Arnold (Vineyard Golf Course) and Mike Thomas (Sharon Woods Golf Course).
2023 OHIO CUP PHOTO GALLERY: DAY 1 > | DAY 2 >
FINAL RESULTS:
2023 Ohio Cup Matches
Northern Ohio PGA vs Southern Ohio PGA
Worthington Hills Country Club, Columbus
Tues, Oct 3 – Weds, Oct 4, 2023
DAY 1 Fourball Results
Auterson/Wade (S) Wins 4&3 Scott Jr./Sierak (N)
Sowards/Gage (S) Wins 4&3 Rusnak/Adcock (N)
Dietz/Kumpf (N) Wins 2&1 Muse/Moore (S)
Atchison/Trivisonno (N) Wins 2 up Krapfel/Bahr (S)
Booher/Denny (S) Wins 3&2 Hansen/Lewicki (N)
Arnold/Thomas (S) Wins 4&3 Moss/Parker (N)
Troy/Gustin (N) Tie Wilson/Olson (S)
Kern/Montgomery (S) Wins 4&3 Carbone/Paez (N)
DAY 1 Foursomes Results
Sowards/Gage (S) Wins 2&1 Rusnak/Adcock (N)
Sierak/Troy (N) Wins 2&1 Auterson/Wade (S)
Olson/Wilson (S) Wins 3&2 Dietz/Kumpf (N)
Scott Jr./Gustin (N) Tie Kern/Montgomery (S)
Moss/Parker (N) Wins 3&1 Bahr/Krapfel (S)
Arnold/Thomas (S) Wins 3&2 Atchison/Trivisonno (N)
Booher/Denny (S) Wins 2&1 Hansen/Lewicki (N)
Muse/Moore (S) Wins 4&2 Carbone/Paez (N)
DAY TWO SINGLES MATCHES RESULTS
Ben Kern (S) def. Jim Troy (N), 2 up
Bob Sowards (S) def. Rob Moss (N), 5&4
Jeff Olson (S) def. Jaysen Hansen (N), 4&3
Sam Arnold (S) def. Steve Parker (N), 2&1
Randy Dietz (N) def. Chase Wilson (S), 6&5
Tom Atchison (N) def. Tim Krapfel (S), 3&2
Mark Sierak (N) Tie Andy Montgomery (S)
Dave Bahr (S) def. Gary Rusnak, 5&4
Jason Carbone (N) Tie Chris Muse (S)
Mike Thomas (S) def. Gary Trivisonno, 3&2
Cory Kumpf (N) def. Richard Denny (S), 2&1
Dan Gage (S) def. Tony Adcock (N), 2&1
Nick Paez (N) Tie Kyler Booher (S)
Nick Gustin (N) def. Michael Auterson (S), 3&1
Adam Lewicki (N) def. Doug Wade (S), 2&1
Joe Morrow (S) def. Mark Scott Jr. (N), 1 up
FINAL RESULTS
Southern Ohio PGA wins 20.5 to 11.5
MORE TO THE STORY
Sometimes numbers lie.
The final tally of the 27th Ohio Cup tournament at Worthington Hills Country Club, which concluded Wednesday with an unprecedented third straight loss to the Southern Ohio PGA, was not one of those times.
It was: SOPGA 20.5, NOPGA 11.5.
It’s not that the NOPGA guys waved a white flag, even after falling behind, 11-5, after Tuesday’s Four-Ball (aka Best-Ball) and Foursomes (aka Alternate Shot) matches.
Anyone watching could tell the effort, desire and competitive spirit was there. It was the desired result that was missing.
“I can’t fault the effort,” said captain Gary Robison. “I thought we were competitive ‘til the end but we let some matches slip away. I was proud of the tail-end guys (those in playing spots 8 through 16). They really hung in there and played well.”
The bottom line was tell-tale:
– In the 32 matches (16 involving 2-man teams and 16 individual matches) the NOPGA had 9 wins, 18 losses and 5 ties.
– The first eight players sent out in Wednesday’s singles – those who finished highest in the season-long points system and regarded as the team’s strongest players – went 4-10-2.
– Birdies win matches. The top 10 SOPGA players made 80 birdies over the two days, 35 in singles play. The NOPGA’s top 10 players made 41 birdies, eight during the singles.
“In match play you can’t win with pars and bogeys and expect to win,” said assistant captain Tom Waitrovich. “You have to make birdies.”
Robison pointed to the SOPGA’s younger (Regular Division) players and the fact that the NOPGA’s Senior Division players are getting older.
“They are so strong at the top and, let’s face it, we are getting older,” he said. “I am told that we have some good apprentices that we hope will be able to help.”
Players such as Brookside Country Club Director of Golf Cory Kumpf, Erie Shores Golf Course Head Professional Nick Gustin, The Golf Dome Teaching Professional Jim Troy, Windmill Lakes Golf Center Teaching Professional Randy Dietz will be counted on to carry the bulk of the load going forward. Those four combined for 7.5 of the Section’s 11.5 points.
PGA Life Member Tom Atchison, who entered the week with a lifetime Ohio Cup record of 37-15-8 was the team’s leading point-getter with two points in the Senior Division by going 2-1-0.
Players such as GolfTEC owner and Teaching Professional Nick Paez, Westwood Country Club Head Professional Mark Scott Jr., Portage Country Club Head Professional Adam Lewicki also figure to be in the picture.
