The Northern Ohio PGA Begins its 79th Season on Monday with More than 100 Events on the 2025 Calendar
The Northern Ohio Section of the Professional Golfers Association will conduct more than 100 tournaments and events during its 79th season, which begins with the first tournament of 2025 this coming Monday, April 14.
Under the direction of Executive Director David Griffith and his dedicated team, the NOPGA continues to be the area’s leading force in promoting the game of golf on several levels, not only in Northern Ohio, but throughout the state.
The NOPGA, one of 41 sections across the country, not only conducts nearly 40 tournaments for its approximately 500 members, it also stages over 30 events for junior players and four tournaments for collegiate players, as well as events that are open to qualified amateurs and professionals from all parts of Ohio.
The NOPGA Foundation, the organization’s charitable branch, also is involved in the community as it is a part of 60 growth of the game initiatives including 29 PGA HOPE (Helping Our Patriots Everywhere) sessions for Veterans, 11 Play Days for Veterans to continue their therapeutic journey through golf, a PGA HOPE Cup, and 20 Clubs Fore Kids instructional days.
Legendary Firestone Country Club will be the site of six NOPGA events in 2025, beginning Monday with the 36-hole, two-day Pro-Pro Premier — a 2-person team event — (April 14-15) on the North and South Courses that kicks off the 2025 schedule.
For the first time in 63 years the prestigious Ohio Open returns to Firestone Country Club for the 104th playing after a four-year run at Westfield Country Club, which is undergoing a major clubhouse renovation.
The Ohio Open, one of the longest-running tournaments in Ohio, is the state’s premier event open to professionals and qualified amateurs. Regarded as the state championship, it will be contested June 30-July 2 with all three of Firestone’s diverse courses being used.
The Ohio Open is one of the Section’s 13 ‘major’ events, starting with the 40th Ohio Senior Open May 28-29, also at Firestone.
Other significant tournaments such as The Professional Championships, the Ohio Cup Matches, the Mitchell-Haskell Tour Championship and the Denny Shute Match Play Championship continue to provide high-caliber competitive golf.
The Section’s 13 ‘major’ events are:
– 40th Ohio Senior Open, Supported by Michelob Ultra and ForeverLawn, May 28-29, Fazio Course, Firestone Country Club. 2024 champion: Bobby Spino
– 49th Junior Section Championship, June 23-24, Medina Country Club. 2024 champions: Julian Dugan (boys); Cara Heisterkamp (girls)
– 104th Pyramid Treating Ohio Open Championship, June 30-July 2, Fazio, North & South Courses, Firestone Country Club. 2024 champion: Drew Salyers
– 42nd Kenny Novak/NOPGA Junior Tour Championship, July 28-29, Barrington Country Club, Aurora. 2024 champions: Caden Boyd (Boys 16-19); Mason Beatty (Boys 11-13); Dexter James (Boys 14-15); Sarah Vojtko (Girls 11-15); Gracyn Vidovic (Girls 16-19).
– 5th Women’s Section Championship, August 11-12, Tippecanoe Country Club, Canfield. 2024 champion: Mary Suitca.
– 75th NOPGA Professional Championship, August 11-13, Tippecanoe Country Club, Canfield. 2024 champion: Jim Troy.
– 41st NOPGA Senior Professional Championship, August 25-26, Chagrin Valley Country Club, Chagrin Falls. 2024 champion: Steve Parker
– 56th Assistants Championship, September 2, Oberlin Golf Club. 2024 champion: Michael Balcar.
– 95th Habitec Toledo Open, September 8-9, Stone Oak Country Club, Holland. 2024 champion: Grant Haefner.
– 24th Mitchell-Haskell Tour Championship, September 29-30, The Country Club, Pepper Pike. 2024 champions: Blake Sattler (Regular Division); Gary Rusnak (Senior Division).
– 29th Ohio Cup Matches, October. 6-8, Site TBA, Hosted by Southern Ohio PGA. 2024 champion: Northern Ohio PGA.
– 51st Denny Shute Match Play Championship, October 13-15, Portage Country Club, Akron. 2024 champions: Adam Lewicki (Member Division); Tom Atchison (Senior Division); Sean McGuire (Associate Division).
– 3rd Junior Ohio Cup Matches, October 18-19, Brookside Country Club, Canton. 2024 champion: Northern Ohio PGA.
OTHER NOPGA SCHEDULE NOTES
The NOPGA Foundation also will conduct the Kenny Novak Scholarship Day on June 2nd at Club Walden, 104th Ohio Open Pro-Am on June 29th at Firestone’s North Course, the 3rd PGA HOPE Cup at Avon Oaks on August 6th, and the 6th Birdies & Charity event on September 15th at Medina Country Club.
