Canfield, Ohio — Two-time champions Jim Troy and Mary Suitca took control on Tuesday during the simultaneously-run Professional Championships at Tippecanoe Country Club.
As a result, Suitca, the head professional at Tannenhauf Golf Club, is a three-time champion, and Troy, a teaching professional at The Golf Dome, is in a fantastic position to become a three-time champion as well.
Troy, winner of this event in 2022 at Westfield Country Club and in 2021 at Beechmont Country Club, was one of the last players off the course during Tuesday’s second round but stood first with a stunning, bogey-free, 7-under 65 that gave him an eye-opening 8-stroke lead heading into Wednesday’s final round.
Suitca set the pace for Troy when she shot a final-round 2-over 74 for a 36-hole total of 154 and a three-shot victory over defending champion Emily Heikkila, assistant professional at Trumbull Country Club. Oddly, the 154 score was Heikkila’s winning score last year.
Suitca, who began the day one shot behind Heikkila (79-78=157), has now won three of the four Women’s Professional Championships, and she has won them on three courses. She won the 2021 title at Lakewood Country Club and the 2022 title at Westfield Country Club.
Suitca birdied two of the first three holes, but the tournament took a major swing on the fifth, sixth, and seventh holes. She made a five-shot swing with two pars and an eagle on the 462-yard seventh.
Troy, runnerup last year to Canterbury Golf Club head professional Jason Carbone, is seeking to join three others as a three-time winner of this event.
He made a strong case with four birdies on the front nine – including a chip-in from 15 feet on the par-3 ninth – and three more on the back. After an opening 71, he is the only player in the 58-player field with two rounds under par.
Windmill Golf Center professional Randy Dietz posted a second straight par-72 and stands alone in second place at 144 while four others – Toledo Country Club head pro and 2020 champ Jaysen Hansen (74-71), Kirtland head pro Mark Bixler (72-73), 2020 champion and PGA Life Member Tom Waitrovich (73-72) and Portage Country Club pro Steve Parker (71-74) share third place at one-over 145.
Wednesday’s final round begins at 8:30 a.m.
PHOTO GALLERY: 2024 NOPGA Professional Championship RD2 >
FINAL RESULTS: Northern Ohio PGA
2024 NOPGA Women’s Professional Championship
Tippecanoe Country Club, Canfield
Tuesday, August 13, 2024
Blue Golf Hole-by-Hole Results >
1 Mary Suitca Tannenhauf Golf Club 80-74–154 +10
2 Emily Heikkila Trumbull Country Club 79-78–157 +13
3 Danielle Roshong Tannenhauf Golf Club 80-81–161 +17
4 Averi Hanna The Country Club 80-82–162 +18
5 Haleigh Gray Northern Ohio PGA 90-88–178 +34
6 Elise Illius Avon Oaks Country Club 98-106–204 +60
ROUND 2 RESULTS: Northern Ohio PGA
2024 NOPGA Professional Championship
Tippecanoe Country Club, Canfield
Tuesday, August 13, 2024
Blue Golf Hole-by-Hole Results >
1 Jim Troy The Golf Dome 71-65–136 -8
2 Randy Dietz Windmill Golf Center 72-72–144 E
T3 Mark Bixler Kirtland Country Club 72-73–145 +1
T3 Jaysen Hansen The Toledo Country Club 74-71–145 +1
T3 Steve Parker Portage Country Club 71-74–145 +1
T3 Tom Waitrovich PGA Of America Life Member 73-72–145 +1
T7 Jon Jones Youngstown Country Club 72-74–146 +2
T7 Mike Stone Belmont Country Club 70-76–146 +2
T9 Drew Pierson The Clubhouse 74-73–147 +3
T9 Mark Sierak Optimus Golf 73-74–147 +3
T11 Tom Atchison PGA Of America Life Member 76-72–148 +4
T11 Kevin Sullivan Quail Hollow Country Club 73-75–148 +4
T13 Adam Lewicki Portage Country Club 75-74–149 +5
T13 William McKinley Sharon Golf Club 74-75–149 +5
T15 Mitch Camp Windmill Golf Center 78-72–150 +6
T15 Sean Kenily Union Country Club 74-76–150 +6
T17 Greg Andrego Ellsworth Meadows Golf Course 77-74–151 +7
T17 Rob Moss Pepper Pike Club 76-75–151 +7
T17 Nick Paez GolfTEC – Cleveland West 73-78–151 +7
T20 Nick Gustin Erie Shores Golf Course 76-76–152 +8
T20 Dennis Miller PGA Of America Life Member 74-78–152 +8
T20 Anthony Panepento Canterbury Golf Club 80-72–152 +8
T20 Gary Rusnak 1899 Indoor Golf – Twinsburg 76-76–152 +8
T20 Jared Toom GolfTEC-Stonebrook 78-74–152 +8
T20 Gary Trivisonno PGA Of America Life Member 74-78–152 +8
T26 Steve Bordner The Country Club 75-78–153 +9
T26 Milton Carswell Stone Oak Country Club 75-78–153 +9
T26 Tony Milam North Coast Junior Tour 78-75–153 +9
T29 Tony Adcock 1899 Indoor Golf – Canton 76-78–154 +10
T29 Cory Kumpf Brookside Country Club 79-75–154 +10
T29 Scott Pollack 1899 Indoor Golf – Twinsburg 81-73–154 +10
T29 Mary Suitca Tannenhauf Golf Club 80-74–154 +10
CUT
MC Jordan Schroeder Findlay Country Club 76-79–155 +11
MC Matthew Creech The Golf Dome 78-77–155 +11
MC Sean Patrick Tippecanoe Country Club 79-76–155 +11
MC David Morgan Westfield Group Country Club 76-79–155 +11
MC Mark Scott Jr. Westwood Country Club 82-74–156 +12
MC Bryan Zurawski Bryan Z Golf 79-77–156 +12
MC Daniel Terry Chippewa Golf Club – Doylestown 76-80–156 +12
MC Josh Coad Mount Vernon Country Club 78-78–156 +12
MC Shawn Tompkins Chagrin Valley Country Club 77-80–157 +13
MC Tim Perin Lakewood Country Club 80-78–158 +14
MC Mark Evans The Mayfield Sand Ridge Club – Mayfield 81-78–159 +15
MC Averi Hanna The Country Club 80-82–162 +18
MC Jake Kruegel The Bunker – Southern Park 83-79–162 +18
MC Douglas Brown Alliance Country Club 85-77–162 +18
MC Andy Santor Salem Golf Club 80-83–163 +19
MC Nate Curtis Northstar Golf Club 80-83–163 +19
MC Chris Casto Northstar Golf Club 88-76–164 +20
MC Jordan Paolini Shaker Heights Country Club 82-82–164 +20
MC Tyler Peterson Portage Country Club 78-86–164 +20
MC Mike Rankin Westbrook Country Club 82-83–165 +21
MC Joe Meglen StoneWater Golf Club 84-81–165 +21
MC Joshua Diemer Chagrin Valley Country Club 78-88–166 +22
MC Tom Chagnot Salem Golf Club 84-82–166 +22
MC Collin McEndree Club Walden 80-86–166 +22
MC Kevin Quinn The Country Club 82-85–167 +23
MC Jason Hastings Shaker Heights Country Club 85-83–168 +24
MC Tyler Beveridge Eagle Creek Golf Club 82-86–168 +24
MC Trent Maxwell Windmill Golf Center 82-87–169 +25
MC Trevor Thomas The Delphos Country Club 89-82–171 +27
MC Matt Rura Tamer Win Golf & Country Club 89-82–171 +27
WD Griffin Fitzpatrick Inverness Club
WD Scott Karabin Old Avalon Golf Course
