The Northern Ohio Section of the Professional Golfers Association of America will conclude its competitive schedule next week with the playing of the Denny Shute Memorial Match Play Championship at Portage Country Club in Akron.
Competition in three divisions (Regular, Senior, Associate) begins Monday, October 17th and concludes Thursday, October 20th.
The event is held in honor of native Clevelander and former Portage head professional Densmore (Denny) Shute, who was a match-play wizard who counted three major championships among his 17 professional victories.
Shute, who attended Western Reserve University and was the head professional at Portage from 1945 to 1972, won the Open Championship in 1933 and the PGA Championship in 1936 and 1937.
He was inducted into the NOPGA Hall of Fame in 1987 and into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2008.
The list of former champions includes a cavalcade of Section members, including more than one dozen NOPGA Hall-of-Famers.
WHAT: The Denny Shute Memorial Match Play Championship conducted by the Northern Ohio Chapter of the Professional Golfers Association of America.
WHEN: October 17-20, 2022.
WHERE: Portage Country Club, Akron
WHO: NOPGA members in three divisions: Regular Division; Senior Division (players 50-and-over) & Associate Division.
FORMAT: Match play
TITLE SPONSOR: Yuengling – House of LaRose
PRESENTING SPONSOR: Mizuno
ABOUT PORTAGE: Par 35-35-70; 6,315 yards.
2021 IN REVIEW: Drew Pierson, then PGA Director of Golf at Shaker Heights Country Club captured his first major win of the season when he took control on the final nine holes (of a scheduled 36) to defeat Adam Lewicki, then the PGA Assistant Golf Professional at Portage, 5-and-3, in the Regular Division . . . In the Senior Division, Pepper Pike PGA Head Golf Professional Rob Moss edged then Salem PGA Head Golf Professional Tom Atchison (now PGA Life Member), 1-up in a match between two former Shute champions. It was Moss’s second Shute title . . . Mark Scott Jr., a PGA Assistant Golf Professional at Brookside Country Club, defeated Tyler McHugh, 4-and-3, to win the Associate Division.
PAST DENNY SHUTE MATCH PLAY CHAMPIONS
CHAMPIONSHIP DIVISION
1975 – Gene Ferrell, Orchard Hills C.C.
1976 – Bryan Abbott, Fairlawn C.C.
1977 – Martin Roesink, Skyland Pines G.C.
1978 – Martin Roesink, Skyland Pines G.C.
1979 – Bryan Abbott, Thunder Hill C.C.
1980 – James B. Masserio, Canterbury G.C.
1981 – Frank Wharton, Fairlawn C.C.
1982 – Jim Logue, Brookside C.C.
1983 – Craig Immel, Quail Hollow Inn
1984 – Craig Murray, Canterbury G.C.
1985 – Craig Immel, Quail Hollow Inn
1986 – Dan Simmons, Portage C.C.
1987 – Mitch Camp, Fairlawn C.C.
1988 – Mike Bittner, Brookside C.C.
1989 – Gary Robison, Firestone C.C.
1990 – Jay Spitale, Skyland Pines G.C.
1991 – Ron Contini, Jr., Juli-Fe’ View C.C.
1992 – Jimmie Brothers, Portage C.C.
1993 – Bryan Abbott, Spring Hill G.C.
1994 – Mike Bittner, Highlander Golf
1995 – Gary Robison, Firestone C.C.
1996 – Gary Trivisonno, Aurora C.C.
1997 – Eric Morgan, Lakewood C.C.
1998 – Gary Trivisonno, Aurora C.C.
1999 – Larry Manski, Youngstown C.C.
2000 – Dennis Miller, Mill Creek G.C.
2001 – Mitch Camp, Walden G. T. C.
2002 – Tom Atchison, Silver Lake C.C.
2003 – Tony Adcock, Lakeview G.C.
2004 – Gary Trivisonno, Aurora C.C.
2005 – Gary Robison, Firestone C.C.
2006 – Jon Jones, Youngstown C.C.
2007 – Jon Jones, Youngstown C.C.
2008 – Todd Lancaster, Westwood C.C.
2009 – Jaysen Hansen, Inverness Club
2010 – Jaysen Hansen, Inverness Club
2011 – Mitch Flemming, Golf Tec
2012 – Dennis Miller, Mill Creek G.C.
2013 – Mark Evans, Beechmont C.C.
2014 – Rob Moss, Pepper Pike Club
2015 – Casey Schrader, Pepper Pike Club
2016 – Mark Evans, Mayfield C.C.
2017 – Mark Evans, Mayfield C.C.
2018 – Jim Troy, Mt. Vernon C.C.
2019 – Randy Dietz, Windmill Golf Center
2020 – Randy Dietz, Windmill Golf Center
2021 – Drew Pierson, Shaker Heights CC
SENIOR DIVISION
2004 – Tom Herzan
2005 – Tom Herzan
2006 – Jay Spitale
2007 – Gary Robison
2008 – Jay Spitale
2009 – Tom Waitrovich
2010 – Tom Atchison
2011 – Tom Atchison
2012 – Mitch Camp
2013 – Mitch Camp
2014 – Gary Robison
2015 – Mitch Camp
2016 – Tom Atchison
2017 – Steve Parker
2018 – Jon Jones
2019 – Rob Moss
2020 – Gary Robison
2021 – Rob Moss
ASSOCIATE DIVISION
2004 – Larry Manski
2005 – David Kass
2006 – Jaysen Hansen
2007 – Paul Wackerly
2008 – Mike Rutgers
2009 – Mark Bixler
2010 – Mark Evans
2011 – Mike Emery
2012 – Mark Evans
2013 – Randy Dietz
2014 – Glenn Cunningham
2015 – Randy Dietz
2016 – Mike Stone
2017 – Nick Latimer-Zabor
2018 – Sam Wilding
2019 – Jordan Paolini
2020 – John Powers
2021 – Mark Scott Jr.
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
Mon. Oct. 17: 9 a.m.: Round of 32 (Regular & Associate Divisions)
Mon. Oct. 17: 11 a.m.: Round of 16 (Regular & Associate Divisions)
Tue. Oct. 18: 8 a.m.: Round of 32 (Senior Division)
Tue. Oct. 18: 8 a.m.: Round of 8 (Regular and Associate Divisions)
Tue. Oct. 18: 11 a.m.: Semifinals (Regular & Associate Divisions)
Tue. Oct 18: 11 a.m.: Round of 16 (Senior Division)
Wed. Oct 19: 8 a.m.: Finals (Regular & Associate Divisions)
Wed. Oct 19: 8 a.m.: Round of 8 (Senior Division)
Wed. Oct 19 11 a.m.: Semifinals (Senior Division)
Thu. Oct. 20 TBA: Finals (Senior Division)
