102nd OHIO OPEN FAST FACTS
WHEN: June 26, 27, 28
WHERE: Westfield Country Club, North and South Courses, 6500 Greenwich Rd., Westfield Center, Ohio.
WHO: A record total of 288 professionals and amateurs from throughout Ohio have entered.
CONDUCTED BY: The Northern Ohio Section of the Professional Golfers Association of America (NOPGA).
TITLE SPONSOR: Pyramid Treating
PRESENTING SPONSOR: DEX Imaging.
FORMAT: 54 holes, stroke play. Cut to the low 60 scores plus ties after the second round.
ABOUT WESTFIELD: It opened as a 9-hole course in 1937. The South Course is the older of the two and will play to 6,774 yards. The North Course opened in 1975 and will play to 6,733 yards. Both have a par-70.
102ND OHIO OPEN DRAWS RECORD FIELD OF 288
The allure of winning one of the most prestigious golf tournaments in the state has attracted a record field of 288 for the 102nd playing of the Ohio Open.
“The popularity of the tournament obviously continues to grow,” said David Griffith, Executive Director of the Northern Ohio Section of the Professional Golfers Association of America. “I think the opportunity to win an event that has been won by the likes of Jack Nicklaus and Byron Nelson, on a facility as diverse and challenging as Westfield’s two 18-hole courses, are the main reasons we have attracted such a large field.”
The previous record was 276 entries, set last year when the Open returned to Westfield for the second consecutive year.
The tournament has attracted players from more than 100 cities and 44 of Ohio’s 88 counties, is open to professional and amateurs with a Handicap Index of less than 4.0.
The field consists of 116 professionals and 172 amateurs.
JORDAN GILKISON RETURNS; ONE OF 10 RETURNING CHAMPS
Jordan Gilkison, a freshman (now a sophomore) at Kent State University, became the first amateur in 44 years to win the Ohio Open in 2022 when he shot a 54-hole score of 10-under 200 to win by one shot over Denmark native and Wright State junior Mikkel Mathieson. Gilkison used a sizzling 7- uder 63 (32-31) on the South Course in the second round to climb to within one stroke of the lead and closed with a final-round, five-under 65 to edge Mathieson (69-65-67=201). Gilkison’s rounds were 72 on the North, 63 on the South and 65 on the North. The last amateur to win the Ohio Open was Ohio Golf Hall-of-Farner Bobby Lewis in 1978 at Millcreek Country Club.
THE TOP 10 FINISHERS IN 2022
1. Jordan Gilkison-a (Springboro) 72-63-65 = 200 (-10)
2. Mikkel Mathieson-a (Beavercreek) 69-65-67 = 201 (-9)
3. Avery Schneider (New Albany) 70-67-65 = 202 (-8)
T4. Jake McBride (Hartville) 67-70-66 = 203 (-7)
T4. Bob Sowards (Dublin) 68-66-69 = 203 (-7)
T4. Josh Gilkison-a (Springboro) 69-65-69 = 203 (-7)
T7. Jaysen Hansen (Twinsburg) 69-68-67 – 204 (-6)
T7. Blake Sattler (Dover) 70-65-69 = 204 (-6)
9. Clay Amlung (Louisville, Ky.) 71-70-64 = 205 (-5)
Tl0. Palmer Yenrick-a (Oregon) 70-66-70 = 206 (-4)
TIO. Mason Lenhart-a (Prospect, Ky.) 67-67-72 = 206 (-4)
10 FORMER CHAMPS IN THE FIELD, 3 WITH MULTIPLE WINS
Ten former Ohio Open champions are in the field for 2023. Three of them have multiple wins: Mitch Camp, Stephen Gangluff and Rob Moss.
THE RETURNING TEN: Former winners in the 2023 field
1. Jordan Gilkison (a) (Springboro) 2022 at Westfield
2. Jake McBride (Hartville) 2021 at Westfield
3. Stephen Gangluff (Marysville) 2018 at Weymouth/Fox Meadow
3. Stephen Gangluff (Marysville) 2019 at Weymouth/Fox Meadow
4. Chase Wilson (Newark) 2017 at Weymouth/Fox Meadow
5. TT Crouch (Fredericktown) 2016 at Westfield
6. Tim Ailes (Delaware) 2014 at Westfield
7. Colin Biles (Columbus) 2013 at Westfield
8. Rob Moss (Broadview Heights) 2005 at Barrington/Club Walden
8. Rob Moss (Broadview Heights) 2001 at Tam O’Shanter
8. Rob Moss (Broadview Heights) 1999 at Tam O’Shanter
9. Chris Black (Lancaster) 1998 at Tam O’Shanter
10. Mitch Camp (Aurora) 1993 at Tam O’Shanter
10. Mitch Camp (Aurora) 1985 at Quail Hollow
The two former champions from the last 10 not entered are Alex Weiss (2020, now on the Kam Ferry Tour) and Justin Lower (2015, now on the PGA Tour).
NOTES ON THE RETURNING TEN:
◦ Gangluff is a teaching professional at The Club of Tartan Fields
◦ Moss is the head professional at The Pepper Pike Club
◦ Camp is the Director of Golf at Club Walden, Aurora
◦ Black is the head professional at Valley View Golf Club, Lancaster
◦ Wilson is the Director of Instruction at Columbus Country Club
◦ Crouch is a teaching professional at Chapel Hill Golf Course, Mount Vernon
◦ Ailes plays in selected Senior/ Champion Tour events in Ohio. Has not played full-time since 2016.
◦ Biles is a teaching professional in Columbus.
◦ McBride plays on several mini-tours.
◦ Gilkison recently completed his sophomore year at Kent State University.
OHIO OPEN MULTIPLE CHAMPIONS
FOUR TITLES
Denny Shute (1929, 1930, 1931,1950)
Billy Burke (1938, 1939, 1945, 1955)
THREE TITLES
Bob Sowards (2002, 2004, 2010)
Rob Moss (1999, 2001, 2005)
Bob Wynn (1970, 1971, 1972)
Bob Shave Jr. (1958, 1962, 1963)
Frank Stranahan (1948, 1960, 1961)
Byron Nelson (1940, 1941, 1942)
Al Espinosa (1932, 1933, 1936)
TWO TITLES
Justin Lower (2012, 2015)
Chris Smith (1992, 1994)
Mitch Camp (1985, 1993)
Frank Boynton Jr. (1966, 1967)
Herman Keiser (1949, 1951)
Stephen Gangluff (2018, 2019)
Emmett French (1922, 1924)
Al Espinosa (1932, 1933)
WESTFIELD HOSTS OHIO OPEN FOR THIRD STRAIGHT YEAR
For the third consecutive year and for the seventh time since 2013, Westfield Country Club will play host to the Ohio Open Championship.
Westfield is an ideal site for a major tournament. The Open began a four-year run at Westfield in 2013 and NOPGA officials were thrilled to return when the renovations to both courses were completed in 2019. Weymouth and Fox Meadow country clubs were more than suitable hosts beginning in 2017.
WHEN THE OHIO OPEN HAS BEEN HELD AT WESTFIELD COUNTRY CLUB
Year Winner/Score | Runnerup/Scores
2013 Colin Biles (Columbus) 68-65-65-198 | John Hahn (Hudson)/Tim Ailes (Lewis Cntr) 200
2014 Tim Ailes (Lewis Center) 69-66-66-201 | Kevin Hall (Cincinnati) 201 (PO)
2015 Justin Lower (Canal Fulton) 68-65-66-199 | Nick Palladino (High Hts), Alec Tahy (Dayton), Jake Scott (Strongsville) 201
2016 TTCrouch (Mt. Vernon) 63-70-67-200 | Ryan Gutowski (Akron), Ian Holt (Stow) 201
2021 Jake McBride (Hartville) 62-67-129 (playoff) | Justin Lower (Canal Fulton) 65-64-129
2022 Jordan Gilkison (Springboro) 72-63-65-200 | Mikkkel Mathieson (Beavercreek) 69-65-67 – 201.
ABOUT WESTFIELD’S NORTH AND SOUTH COURSES:
The club was originally built in 1937 and opened with nine holes. A second nine was added in 1968. The North Course was added in 1975. The club initiated a massive renovation plan in 2017 and was completed in 2020. The club has a two-acre practice tee, chipping green, almost 30,000 square feet of practice putting greens and two practice holes. Both courses will play to a par of 70 for the Ohio Open.
THE SOUTH COURSE is the oldest of the two and will play to 6,774 yards. It is more of a traditional American course with a parkland-style layout featuring tree-lined fairways, water on several holes and a number of doglegs. Originally designed by Geoffrey S. Cornish, it was redesigned by Hurdzan Golf Design and reopened in 2019.
THE NORTH COURSE will play to 6,733 yards and is a links-style course featuring an open terrain with a firm playing surface, links-style bunkering and fescue in the secondary rough. It also was renovated by Hurdzan Golf Design and reopened in 2020.
GOING BACK-TO-BACK IS NOT AN EASY DEAL AT THE OPEN
In the 101 years of the Ohio Open – no tournament in 1943 because of WW II — there have only been 11 repeat winners, only one since 1970 and none at Westfield Country Club. The last repeat winner was Marysville’s Stephen Gangluff, who went back-to-back in 2018 and 2019 at Weymouth Country Club and Fox Meadow Country Club. Gangluff, who played at Ohio State and competed on the PGA, Canadian, Nationwide and Korn Ferry tours, shot 64-66- 73-203 (-17) to win in 2018 and 69-64-67 – 200 (-16) but needed to beat Pickerington’s Alex Weiss and Barberton’s Chase Johnson in a playoff to win in 2019.
THE 11 BACK-TO-BACK WINNERS OF THE OHIO OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP
Stephen Gangluff (2018-19), at Fox Meadow-Weymouth
Bob Wynn (1970-71-72) at Candywood GC
Frank Boynton Jr. (1966 at Sunningdale CC; 1967 at Mayfield CC)
Bob Shave Jr. (1962 at Firestone CC; 1963 at Walnut Hill CC)
Frank Stranahan (1960 at Snyder Park GC; 1961 at Firestone CC)
Dick Shoemaker (1953 at Lake Forest CC; 1954 at Walnut Grove CC)
Byron Nelson (1940 at Sylvania CC; 1941 at Cincinnati Losantiville CC; 1942 at Mayfield CC)
Billy Burke (1938 at Youngstown CC; 1939 at Miami Valley CC)
Denny Shute (1929 at Tippecanoe CC; 1930 at Elks CC; 1931 at Shawnee CC)
Al Espinosa (1932 at Springfield CC; 1933 at Portage CC)
Albert Alcroft (1926 at Portage CC; 1927 at Toledo CC)
GOING LOW CREATES HIGH FINISH AT WESTFIELD
Jake McBride used a near-record round to win the Ohio Open in 2021. The (Uniontown) Lake High School and North Carolina State grad opened the with an 8-under 62 on the North Course. He shot 67 in the final round on the South Course and eventually prevailed in a one-hole playoff with Justin Lower. McBride’s 62 stands as the second-lowest single round shot in the Ohio Open when played at Westfield. Akron’s Ryan Gutowski owns the record of 61, shot in the third round of the 2016 Open.
THE LOWEST SINGLE-ROUND SCORES IN THE OHIO OPEN AT WESTFIELD
61: Ryan Gutowski (Akron) 3d round South 2016 (30-31)
62: *Jake McBride (Uniontown), 1st round North, 2021 (31-31)
63: * Tim Crouch (Mt. Vernon) 1st round South 2016 (32-31), Ben Smith (Carrollton) 1st round South 2015 (32-31), Parker Hewit (Westfield Center) 3d round North 2015 (28-35), *Jordan Gilkison, 2d round, South, 2022 (32-31)
64: Ian Holt (Stow) 3d round South 2016 (31-33), Andrew Dorn (West Chester) 1st round North 2016 (31-33), Danny Lewis (Morrow) 3d round South 2016 (33-31), Patrick Luth (Medina) 2d round South 2016 (32-32), Logan Lagodich (Canton) 3d round South 2016 (33-31), Taylor Zoller (Kent) 2d round North 2015 (31-33), Tim Ailes (Lewis Center) 1st round North 2015 (31-33), Austin Sipe (Dayton) 1st round South 2015 (32-32), Andrew Bailey (Rocky River) 1st round South 2014 (32-32), John Hahn (Hudson) 1st round South 2013 (34-30), Tim Ailes (Lewis Center) 1st round South 2013 (31-32), Boo Timko (Girard) 2d round South 2013 (31-33), Justin Lower (Canal Fulton) 2d round North, 2021 (31-33) Cade Breitenstine (Akron) 2d round North 2021 (32-32).
* Indicates player went on to win the tournament.
WHEN THE TOURNAMENT WAS PLAYED AT WESTFIELD
LOWEST WINNING SCORE, 54 holes: 198 (-14) Colin Biles, 2013
HIGHEST WINNING SCORE, 54 holes: 201 (-11) Tim Ailes and Kevin Hall, 2014. Note: Ailes won in a two-hole playoff.
LOWEST FRONT NINE: 28 Parker Hewit, 3d round North, 2015
LOWEST BACK NINE: 30 John Hahn, 1st round South, 2013
Note: Par was changed to 70 on both courses in 2014
AMATEUR WINNERS ARE A CHOSEN FEW IN THE OHIO OPEN
Only five non-professionals have been able to win the event since it began in 1924. However, some of the amateur winners became prominent in golf in Ohio and world-wide. A total of 175 amateurs have entered the Open this year as part of the record field of 288.
The only men to win the Ohio Open as amateurs are: Maurice McCarthy, 1944 at Columbus Country Club; Frank Stranahan, 1948 at Seneca Country Club, Toledo; Jack Nicklaus, 1956 at Marietta Country Club; Bob Shave Jr., 1958 at Madden Park Golf Club, Dayton; Bobby Lewis, 1978 at Mill Creek Golf Course, Boardman.
THE OHIO OPEN: HISTORICAL STAIRWAY TO STARDOM
How significant is winning the Ohio Open? Past winners have gone on to illustrious careers. Three former champions – Jack Nicklaus (1956), Byron Nelson (1940-41-42) and Denny Shute (1929-30-31-1950) – are in the World Golf Hall of Fame. Billy Burke (1938-39-45-55) is in the PGA Hall of Fame.
Those four and 11 others have been inducted into the Ohio Golf Hall of Fame. Included in that group are Bob Sowards (2002, 2004, 2010), Rob Moss (1999, 2001, 2005), Don Padgett II (1988), Gary Robison (1986), Jim Logue (1980), Gary Trivisonno (1979), Bobby Lewis (1978), Tom Weiskopf (1965), Herman Keiser (1949, 1951), Frank Stranahan (1948, 1960-1961) and Al Espinosa (1932-33).
THEY HAD MAJOR ISSUES
Winners of the Ohio Open have won 29 of golf’s majors. Obviously, Jack Nicklaus leads with 18. Byron Nelson won five and Denny Shute won three. Herman Keiser, Billy Burke and Tom Weiskopf have one each.
PAST OHIO OPEN CHAMPIONS HAVE GONE ON TO WIN:
• 29 major championships
• 9 Masters
• 6 United States Opens
• 5 British Opens
• 9 PGA Championships
• 198 PGA victories
PAST CHAMPIONS
Year-Champion, Venue, Age
2022 Jordan Gilkison , Westfield CC , 19
2021 Jake McBride , Westfield CC , 26
2020 Alex Weiss , Fox Meadow CC-Weymouth CC , 25
2019 Stephen Gangluff , Fox Meadow CC-Weymouth CC , 44
20I8 Stephen Gangluff , Fox Meadow CC-Weymouth CC , 43
2017 Chase Wilson , Fox Meadow CC-Weymouth CC , 27
2016 Tim Crouch , Westfield CC , 26
2015 Justin Lower , Westfield CC , 26
2014 Tim Ailes , Westfield CC , 41
2013 Colin Biles , Westfield CC , 29
2012 Justin Lower , Fox Meadow CC-Weymouth CC , 23
201 I Mike Emery , Fox Meadow CC-Weymouth CC , 41
20 I O Bob Sowards , Quail Hollow CC , 42
2009 Vaughn Snyder , Quail Hollow CC , 22
2008 Tyler Riley , Quail Hollow CC , 23
2007 Eric Frishette , Acacia CC-Little Mountain CC , 35
2006 Danny Sahl , Acacia CC-Little Mountain CC , 27
2005 Rob Moss , Barrington GC-Walden G&CC , 37
2004 Bob Sowards , Barrington GC-Walden G&CC , 36
2003 Ryan Dennis , Tam O’ Shanter GC ,
2002 Bob Sowards , Tam O’ Shanter GC , 34
200 I Rob Moss , Tam O’ Shanter GC , 33
2000 Ken Tanigawa , Tam O’ Shanter GC , 33
1999 Rob Moss , Tam O’ Shanter GC , 31
1998 Chris Black , Tam O’ Shanter GC , 37
1997 Nevin Sutcliffe , Tam O’ Shanter GC , 30
1996 Dennis Miller , Tam O’ Shanter GC , 26
1995 Ivan Smith , Tam O’ Shanter GC , 39
1994 Chris Smith , Tam O’ Shanter GC , 25
1993 Mitch Camp , Tam O’ Shanter GC , 36
1992 Chris Smith , Tam O’ Shanter GC , 23
1991Jack Ferenz , Tam O’ Shanter GC , 36
1990 Bruce Soulsby , Tam O’ Shanter GC , 28
1989 Tony Mollica , Tam O’ Shanter GC , 24
I988 Don Padgett , Quail Hollow CC , 39
1987 Joe Kruczek , Geneva-on-the-Lake GC ,
1986 Gary Robison , Ohio Prestwick CC , 32
1985 Mitch Camp , Quail Hollow CC , 28
1984 Roy Hobson , Riverby Hills GC , 29
1983 Gene Boni , Riverby Hills GC , 39
I982 Walter Cerrato , Mason GC – Grizzly , 24
1981 Kim Boehlke , Tanglewood CC , 29
1980 Jim Logue , Portage CC , 40
1979 Gary Trivisonno , Reid Park GC , 22
1978 Robert Lewis , Millcreek CC , 34
1977 Gene Ferrell , Reid Park GC , 35
1976 Martin Roesink , TRW – (Fowlers Mill GC) , 37
1975 Todd Crandall , Weatherwax GC ,
1974 Deon Good , Hueston Woods CC , 26
1973 Dick Plummer , Candywood GC , 40
1972 Bob Wynn , Candywood GC , 32
1971 Bob Wynn , Candywood GC , 31
1970 Bob Wynn , Candywood GC , 30
1969 Cliff Cook, Sr. , Byrnwick GC , 31
1968 Frank Wharton , Greene CC , 33
1967 Frank Boynton, Jr. , Mayfield CC , 31
1966 Frank Boynton, Jr. , Sunningdale CC , 30
1965 Tom Weiskopf , Walnut Hill CC , 23
1964 Don Stickney , Walnut Hill CC , 24
1963 Bob Shave, Jr. , Walnut Hill CC , 27
1962 Bob Shave, Jr. , Firestone CC , 26
1961 Frank Stranahan , Firestone CC , 39
1960 Frank Stranahan , Snyder Park GC , 38
1959 Lee Raymond , Toledo CC ,
1958 Bob Shave, Jr. , Madden Park GC , 22
1957 Edward Griffiths , Westbrook CC ,
1956 Jack Nicklaus , Marietta CC , 16
1955 Billy Burke , Pine Ridge CC , 52
1954 Dick Shoemaker , Walnut Grove CC ,
1953 Dick Shoemaker , Lake Forest CC ,
1952 Frank Gelhot , Miami Valley CC , 44
1951 Hennan Keiser , Lost Creek , 49
1950 Denny Shute , Columbus Brookside CC , 46
1949 Herman Keiser , Shady Hollow CC , 35
1948 Frank Stranahan , Seneca CC (Toledo) , 26
1947 Al Marchi , Miami Valley CC , 21
1946 John Krisko , Elks CC (Portsmouth) ,
1945 Billy Burke , Findlay CC , 43
1944 Maurice McCarthy, Jr. , Columbus CC ,
1943 No Tournament , ,
1942 Byron Nelson , Mayfield CC , 30
1941 Byron Nelson , Cincinnati Losantiville CC , 29
1940 Byron Nelson , Sylvania CC , 28
1939 Billy Burke , Miami Valley CC , 37
1938 Billy Burke , Youngstown CC , 36
1937 Phil Perkins , Acacia CC , 33
1936 Al Espinosa , Maketewah GC , 45
1935 Ted Luther , Inverness Club ,
1934 Lloyd Gullickson , Northmoor CC , 35
1933 Al Espinosa , Portage CC , 42
1932 Al Espinosa , Springfield CC , 41
1931 Denny Shute , Shawnee CC , 27
1930 Denny Shute , Elks CC , 26
1929 Denny Shute , Tippecanoe CC , 25
1928 Jack Thompson, Jr. , Miami Valley CC ,
1927 Albert Alcroft , Toledo CC ,
1926 Albert Alcroft , Portage CC ,
1925 Larry Nabholtz , Shaker Heights CC , 24
1924 Emmett French , Toledo Country Club , 38
1923 Stephen Zappe , Cincinnati Losantiville CC ,
1922 Emmett French , Youngstown CC , 36
1921 Grange Alves , Toledo Country Club , 38
