The Northern Ohio Section of the Professional Golfers Association turns its attention to the organization’s standouts of the future when it stages the 55th Assistants Championship at Shady Hollow Country Club.
The one-day, 36-hole event takes place on Tuesday, September 3, and the 44 contestants will be playing for four significant prizes:
1. The prestige of winning. It has been won by such Section stalwarts as Charlie Wood (1974), Martin Roesink (1975), Mitch Camp (1988), Gary Trivisonno (1990), Steve Parker (1996), and Randy Dietz (2003).
2. Going national. The top two eligible finishers gain automatic entry into the 48th National Car Rental Assistants Championship, to be held November 14-17 at the PGA Golf Club in Port St. Lucie, Fla. Three alternates will be determined.
3. Tour time. The top six finishers on the NOPGA Associates Points List gain entry into the prestigious Mitchell-Haskell Tour Championship, to be held September 23-24 at The Country Club.
4. Player-of-the-Year Possibility: The Points List will determine the NOPGA Associate Player of the Year.
DETAILS:
WHAT: 55TH NOPGA National Car Rental Assistants Championship
WHERE: Shady Hollow Country Club, 4865 Wales Ave., Massillon.
WHEN: Tuesday, September 3, 2024
FORMAT: 36 holes stroke play; one day
TITLE SPONSOR: National Car Rental.
SUPPORTING SPONSORS: National Car Rental, Srixon/Cleveland/Asics, Golf Channel, PGA Tour
DEFENDING CHAMPION: Sean McGuire (Pepper Pike Club), 66-70=136 (8-under) at Avon Oaks Country Club.
A LIST OF PAST ASSISTANTS CHAMPIONS:
2023 Sean McGuire; 2022 Michael Balcar; 2021 Michael Balcar; 2020 Tyler McHugh; 2019 Jim Troy; 2018 Jim Troy; 2017 Nick Latimer-Zabor; 2016 Jaysen Hansen; 2015 Casey Schrader; 2014 Mike Stone; 2013 Mark Evans; 2012 Mike Emery; 2011 Brian Varsey; 2010 Jaysen Hansen; 2009 Todd Lancaster; 2008 Ryan Culbertson; 2007 Todd Lancaster; 2006 Dwayne Randall; 2005 Tim Raleigh; 2004 Todd Lancaster; 2003 Randy Dietz; 2002 John Connelly; 2001 Todd Lancaster; 2000 Larry Manski; 1999 Hugh O’Neil; 1998 Larry Manski; 1997 David Engram; 1996 Steve Parker; 1995 Mark Cero; 1994 David Plumb; 1993 John Lucansky; 1992 Jimmie Brothers; 1991 John D. Lee; 1990 Gary Trivisonno; 1989 Chip Sullivan; 1988 Mitch Camp; 1987 Terry Valentine; 1986 Bill Reilly; 1985 John Jasinski; 1984 David Graf; 1983 Lee Chill; 1982 Tim Starrett; 1981 Gus Mehallis; 1980 Jay Spitale; 1979 Danny Simmons; 1978 Roc Irey; 1977 Ted Ossoff; 1976 Ray Sovik; 1975 Martin Roesink; 1974 Charlie Wood; 1973 Gene Boni; 1972 Ken Corliss; 1971 Eddie Thomas; 1970 Bob Wallace.
2023 REVISITED:
Pepper Pike Club’s Sean McGuire (66-70) birdied the first playoff hole to turn back Brandywine Country Club’s two-time champion Michael Balcar (71-65) after both finished regulation play at eight-under 136. DJ Holub, also of the Pepper Pike Club, finished third at six-under 138 (68-70) and Shaker Heights Country Club’s Jordan Paolini was fourth at three-under 141 (72-69). Canterbury Golf Club’s Andy Silverman rounded out the top five at two-under 142 (75-67).
THE REPEATERS:
Westwood Country Club’s Todd Lancaster owns the distinction of winning the Assistants Championship a record four times (2001, 2004, 2007, 2009). Other multiple winners include Jaysen Hansen (2010, 2016), Jim Troy (2018, 2019) and Michael Balcar (2021, 2022).
GETTING THE POINTS:
Here are the current standings on the NOPGA Associate Player of the Year Points List:
PLAYER POINTS EVENTS PLAYED
Blake Sattler (Willie’s Custom Golf) 953.38 7
Michael Balcar (Brandywine Country Club) 863.16 7
DJ Holub (Pepper Pike Club) 813.68 8
Sean McGuire (Pepper Pike Club) 660.50 8
Joe Puch (Fox Meadow Country Club) 573.26 8
Antonio Bodziony (Chagrin Valley Country Club) 318.21 8
John Powers (Bowling Green State University) 310.37 7
GIMME FIVE:
Several NOPGA associates have made the most of their appearances in the Assistants Championship over the last five years. Here is an alphabetical look at who they are and how they fared:
PLAYER 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019
Michael Balcar (Brandywine) T1 1st 1st T2 X
DJ Holub (Pepper Pike) 3rd 3rd X X X
Sean McGuire (Pepper Pike) T1* 4th 5 X X
John Powers (BGSU) X X 3rd 4th 5th
Collin Slattery (Country) X X 4th X 3rd
Jim Troy (Golf Dome) X 5th X X 1st
X = Not in top 5 | * = Won in playoff
OTHERS
Zack Ford (Tippecanoe) T5 in 2022; Cory Kumpf (Brookside) T5 in 2019; Adam Lewicki (Portage) 4th in 2019; Tyler McHugh (Fox Den) 1st in 2020; Jordan Paolini (Shaker) 4th in 2023; Jake Scott (Elyria) T2 in 2020; Andy Silverman (Canterbury) T5 in 2023; Mike Stone (Belmont) 2d in 2019; Alex Treuel (Oberlin) T5 in 2023.
Round 1 Groupings & Starting Times
NOPGA National Car Rental Assistants Championship
Shady Hollow Country Club, Massillon
Tuesday, September 3,2024
# Time Name
1 8:30 Joshua Diemer, Chagrin Valley Country Club
Jeff Van Putten, Northern Ohio PGA
10 8:30 Evan Gray, Pine Hills Golf Club
Palmer Yenrick, Stone Oak Country Club
Austin Rohrer, Alliance Country Club
1 8:40 Anthony Julius, The Mayfield Sand Ridge Club – Mayfield
Noah Hicks, Eagle Creek Golf Club
David Reiter, Weymouth Club
10 8:40 Alec Adcock, Club Walden
Drew Shell, Pepper Pike Club
Will Tucker, The Lake Club
1 8:50 Nick Esposito, Barrington Golf Club
Alex Treuel, Oberlin Golf Club
Michael Balcar, Brandywine Country Club
10 8:50 Ben Olewiler, Westbrook Country Club
Peter Campbell, Findlay Country Club
Sam Wilding, The Mayfield Sand Ridge Club – Mayfield
1 9:00 Thomas Lydic, Pepper Pike Club
Joe Puch, Fox Meadow Country Club
Jon Jones, Youngstown Country Club
10 9:00 Blake Sattler, Willie’s Custom Golf Center
Anthony Panepento, Canterbury Golf Club
Dan Wasinski, Signature of Solon Country Club
1 9:10 Derek Smith, Red Tail Golf Club
Sean McGuire, Pepper Pike Club
Dustin Roth, Eagle Creek Golf Club
10 9:10 Dalton Florence, Stone Oak Country Club
Zachary Miner, The Toledo Country Club
James Lewandoski, Westwood Country Club
1 9:20 Scott Siler, Red Tail Golf Club
Joshua Greene, Fairlawn Country Club
Anthony Laney, Northstar Golf Club
10 9:20 Joshua Widner, Chippewa Golf Club – Doylestown
Luke Tanner, Barrington Golf Club
Anthony Cosentino, Westwood Country Club
1 9:30 Matthew Nimsuwan, Portage Country Club
Antonio Bodziony, Chagrin Valley Country Club
Jordan Paolini, Shaker Heights Country Club
10 9:30 Ryan Cook, Westfield Group Country Club
Augustin Lanshe, Westfield Group Country Club
Nick Tremayne, Club Walden
1 9:40 Riley Wilcoxon, Liberty Hills Golf Club
DJ Holub, Pepper Pike Club
Ian Haidle, Shady Hollow Country Club
