Par For The Course: Portage County amateur golf news and notes
Are you still playing golf?
It has been a bonus fall for avid golfers. Many days have temperatures hovering in the 50s and 60s with golfers taking advantage of the sport they love continuing deep into the fall and winter months.
Call ahead to your favorite golf course as many remain open weather permitting throughout the year.
Local golfers recognized
The Northern Ohio PGA recognized players from throughout northeast Ohio at the organization’s annual award meeting.
Junior golfers of the year, earning the award with tournament accomplishments throughout the summer and fall.
Maddie Kost, a sophomore competing for the Kent Roosevelt Rough Riders during the high school golf season, was awarded the plaque for her championship efforts in the girls' 16-19 age division. Kost accumulated 3,657 points on her way to the top spot. She won four tournaments and finished in the top 10 in 23 competitions.
Continuing a Portage County sweep in the girls' divisions, Gracyn Vidovic, a freshman member of the Aurora Greenmen during the high school golf season, earned the top spot in the girls' 11-15 age division.
Competing in 20 events, Vidovic finished in the top 10 of every event she competed and won five tournaments.
At the same awards meeting, local golf professionals were recognized.
Mark Sierak, head golf professional at Aurora’s Barrington Golf Club, was named the Golf Professional of the Year, one of the highest honors the NOPGA presents.
The award recognizes the contributions to the game of golf that best exemplify the complete PGA Professional including leadership abilities, strong moral character and outstanding service to the association and the game of golf.
Among Sierak’s accomplishments are his successful leadership in raising funds for the Folds of Honor with Barrington Golf Club hosting one of the top fundraising events in the United States to aid families of fallen and disabled service members and first responders.
Randolph Men's League champions
The Randolph Men’s League completed its 43rd season with Rick Morello and Bruce Kuzma earning the 2022 championship.
The league competed on Wednesday nights at Paradise Lake Country Club in Suffield.
Kuzma and Morello have earned 14 titles between them. Morello has won eight times and Kuzma six. The pair won the title in 2005 as partners.
The champions earned the victory, beating Dan Yoho and Jim Matti in an 18-hole playoff.
Junior Rider tournament
Raccoon Hill was the site of the annual Junior Rider tournament, inviting middle school youth golfers from northeast Ohio to compete.
Ashley Shaheen, tournament director, announced the winners and presented plaques to the best golfers.
Champions of the tournament included:
Girls 18 holes: Ellie Gonzalez-Ribble, Brunswick 84; Elena Varga, Hudson 83; Samantha Morgan, Southeast 94.
Boys 18 holes: Trent Riedel, Medina 76; Jerry Du, Hudson 82; Declan West, Medina 83.
Nine holes: Luke Beatty, Kent 69; Colbie Kruger, Kent 69; Maggie Koch, Highland 69.
National tournaments return to Canterbury
Canterbury Golf Club in Beachwood has hosted many USGA national championships with the last one being the 1996 Senior Open when Dave Stockton held off a hard-charging Hale Irwin to capture the title.
Canterbury is one of only a handful of clubs to have hosted the rotating major championships of the U.S. Open and the Senior Open, as well as the PGA Championship and the Senior PGA Championship.
Canterbury celebrated the club’s centennial in 2021 as members set ambitious goals for their second 100 years, including hosting USGA championships again.
Three championships have already been announced to be hosted by Canterbury: the 2027 Girls' Junior, the 2033 Senior Amateur and the 2039 Women’s Amateur.
Canterbury has also been selected to host the Ohio Amateur in 2023.