Seven former champions have entered the 40th NOPGA Senior Professional Championship to be held Monday and Tuesday, August 19-20, at Westbrook Country Club in Mansfield.
Conducted by the Northern Ohio Section of the Professional Golfers Association, the 36-hole event will qualify four players to the 36th PGA National Professional Championship next month in Sunriver, Oregon. Four others will earn alternate spots.
The field of approximately 30 players aged 50-and-over includes reigning champion Mike Stone, four-time champion Gary Trivisonno and two-time champion Tony Milam.
Trivisonno, a PGA Life Member, ran off four consecutive victories from 2008 through 2011. His four wins stand third on the all-time list behind NOPGA Hall-of-Famers Gary Robison (six titles) and Jim Logue (five titles).
Milam, Chairman of the North Coast Junior Golf Tour, won his titles in 2015 and 2017.
Besides Mike Stone, Trivisonno and Milam, other former champions in the field are Pepper Pike Club Head Professional Rob Moss (2022), 1899 Golf-East Instructor Gary Rusnak (2021), X-Golf Instructor Steve Stone (2019) and PGA Life Member Mitch Camp (2014). Steve Stone and Mike Stone are brothers.
2023 REVISITED:
Mike Stone, Director of Instruction at Belmont Country Club, won last year at 5-under with rounds of 71-68=139. Portage Country Club Instructor Steve Parker (72-70) and Trivisonno (73-69) tied for second at 142. PGA Life Member Tom Atchison was the fourth qualifier at 147 while Rusnak, Dan Sutton (Dan Sutton School of Golf), University of Findlay Assistant Coach Steve Mulcahy and Steve Stone were the alternates.
FOR THE HALL OF IT:
Four of the seven former champions are members of the NOPGA Hall of Fame. In alphabetical order they are Mitch Camp, Tony Milam, Gary Trivisonno and Tom Waitrovich.
CAVALCADE OF FORMER CHAMPIONS:
2023 Mike Stone; 2022 Rob Moss; 2021 Gary Rusnak; 2020 Gary Robison; 2019 Steve Stone; 2018 Gary Robison; 2017 Tony Milam; 2016 Gary Robison; 2015 Tony Milam’ 2014 Mitch Camp; 2013 Gary Robison; 2012 Gary Robison; 2011 Gary Trivisonno; 2010 Gary Trivisonno; 2009 Gary Trivisonno; 2008 Gary Trivisonno; 2007 Tom Herzan; 2006 Tom Herzan; 2005 Gary Robison; 2004 Charlie Wood; 2003 Tom Herzan; 2002 Gary Wilkins; 2001 Tom Fussaro; 2000 Fred Schneller; 1999 Deon Good; 1998 Bryan Abbott; 1997 Jim Logue; 1996 Martin Roesink; 1995 Jim Logue; 1994 Jim Logue; 1993 Jim Logue; 1992 Jim Logue; 1991 George Bellino; 1990 Dick Schwartz; 1989 Jim Richardson; 1988 Dick Schwartz; 1987 George Bellino; 1986 Don Olney; 1985 George Bellino.
