This story first appeared in the Fall 2024 edition of Northern Ohio Golfer Magazine, the official print publication of the Northern Ohio Golf Association. NOGA members who provide a mailing address in GHIN receive a copy mailed to their home twice per year. Not yet a NOGA member? Join for 2025 now!
In early 2023, the executive committee members of the Women’s Ohio State Golf Association knew they needed some tournament operations help. Their event schedule, which first started in 1920 with the Women’s Ohio State Amateur Championship, had some strong pieces. Still, the full schedule had room to improve, and the team running the events needed a boost.
So they started conversations with some potential partners from across the state of Ohio, including Robb Schulze, the CEO of the Northern Ohio Golf Association.
After a couple of months, the list of potential partners whittled its way down to just one, NOGA. But closing the deal was not easy, nor automatic.
It took some time and a good bit of candid conversation about both sides’ operational specifics and comfort levels. But just as the calendar closed on the year, the two associations reached an agreement: NOGA would conduct and administer all of the annual WOSGA tournaments starting in 2024.
KICKOFF WITH THE COSMOPOLITAN
The inaugural event for the new arrangement began on July 1, with WOSGA’s two-day, 36-hole Cosmopolitan Stroke Play Four-Ball at Alliance Country Club. Started in 2019, it is the youngest tournament in the WOSGA lineup. It is also considered the most fun because of the two-player team better-ball format, as all of the association’s other championships are individual stroke play.
After the first round, Fiona Connor of University Heights + Missy Gideon of Hudson shared the lead with Cari Hetler of Green + Diane Rubin-Schuld of Canton, as both teams posted a 2-over par 74. Natalie Weinsz + Carol Bonavida, both from North Canton, emerged as the Net leaders after a sizzling 61.
But the following day, Hetler and Rubin-Schuld took it one shot lower than their first-round score, shooting 73 to the Connor + Gideon score of 76 to earn a three-stroke victory.
Weinsz + Bonavida backed up their hot start with a net 65 on day two to win going away, earning a five-shot victory.
OHIO JUNIOR GIRLS
Two weeks later, WOSGA conducted the 48th Ohio Junior Girls Championship at Marion Country Club, playing 36 holes on July 15-16. Seventy girls ages 11 through 18 would compete for the title.
Alexa Prettyman of Plain City and Cammy Reed from Fairview Park shared the lead after the first round, each posting a 2-under par 70. Gracyn Vidovic of Aurora, Jodie Han of Lewis Center, and Eva Lim of Columbus all posted a 1-under par 71 to sit one shot back.
But in round two, Vidovic made it clear the tournament was hers. Flying out of the gate, Gracyn made four front-nine birdies against a lone bogey, then went birdie-eagle on 10 and 11 before closing with seven straight pars for a 6-under par 66 and a 7-under par total. Vidovic won by five shots over Han, who finished with a second consecutive 71.
The 14-year-old Han won the 14-15 Age Division, while Kaylee Gong of Dublin won the 13-U title.
OHIO WOMEN’S AMATEUR & MID-AM
Next, the 101st playing of the Women’s Ohio State Amateur Championship and the eighth playing of the Women’s Ohio State Mid-Amateur Championship would be conducted simultaneously at Belmont Hills Country Club in St. Clairsville from July 22-25.
In 2024, the Mid-Am was contested as a 54-hole stroke play affair. Allison Gonring of Cincinnati won it in a rout, as she shot 75-80-79=234.
The Amateur is much different and much more grueling: it is a match play championship with an 18-hole stroke play qualifier, contested in three flights.
Defending champion Gabby Woods of Sabina shared the qualifying co-medalist honors with Sabrina Coffman of Lakewood and Cara Heisterkamp from Westlake, all shooting even par 72. That put Woods into the first seed, Coffman in the second, and Heisterkamp in the third.
Coffman was upset in her second-round match by Kylee Heidemann of Mason, 2&1.
Woods cruised to relatively easy victories in all of her matches as she made her way through the bracket, the closest being 2&1. Heisterkamp kept winning close matches that went down to the wire, including a 1-up win over the upset-minded Heidemann.
The defending champ Woods and Heisterkamp met in the final match, but it was all Woods as she cruised to a 5&4 victory.
Isabella Goyette of Medina won the Second Bracket title over Maddi Shoults of Circleville by a score of 6&5, while Emily Holzopfel of Rayland bested Alexis Gray from Aurora by a 7&5 total for the Third Bracket win.
OHIO WOMEN’S SENIOR AM
The 2024 WOSGA season concluded with the 26th playing of the Women’s Ohio State Senior Championship at Piqua Country Club on September 15-17.
Michele Thompson of Columbus claimed a wire-to-wire victory in the 36-hole tournament with 72-74=146, good for a 10-shot win.
Tricia Honeycutt of Hilliard won the First Flight, while Cindi Comchoc from Englewood topped the Super Senior Division, each winning by two strokes.
A GREAT START TO THE PARTNERSHIP
Now that the Northern Ohio Golf Association and the Women’s Ohio State Golf Association have had a year to work with each other producing the tournaments on the WOSGA calendar, the arrangement appears to be a good fit.
“The overwhelming consensus among WOSGA Board Members is that working with NOGA this year was very positive,” said Deb McNichols, the Interim Chairman of WOSGA. “Every tournament was run efficiently, including the initial preparation, the on-site tournament experience, and the willingness of staff to accommodate suggestions.”
“WOSGA tournaments provide the primary competition for women and girls in the State of Ohio,” continued McNichols. “With help from NOGA, WOSGA is looking for ways to grow the number of contestants in the Mid-Amateur and Senior Championships while maintaining the level of participation in the Ohio Amateur and Junior Amateur. So we look forward to continuing the relationship with NOGA.”
“The NOGA staff had a phenomenal time conducting the WOSGA State Championships for the first time in 2024,” said Sean Croell, Tournament Director for the Northern Ohio Golf Association. “It was a pleasure working with the women on the WOSGA Board of Directors at each tournament and getting to know all the players, from the Girls Junior to the State Senior tournament. We look forward to the 2025 season.”
ROLLING INTO 2025
A brand new version of the WOSGA website has been developed by NOGA and posted to WOSGA.org, and with it tournament registration information for all of the 2025 WOSGA state championship events.
New for 2025, the Ohio Junior Girls Championship has been extended into a three day event that starts on Sunday! Check the WOSGA site for details…
