By Susan Jenior

Staff Writer

The Northern Ohio PGA teed off the 2025 golfing season with its annual spring Pro-Pro Premier tournament hosted by Firestone Country Club.

Randy Dietz (left) and Cory Kumpf captured the title at the NOPGA’s Pro-Pro Premier Tournament.

The popular event welcomed 30 two-professional teams, battling in 36 holes over two days in the one best ball of two format.

Monday was relatively calm on the North Course, with the results including three teams tied at the top of the leaderboard at 5-under-par. The teams included Randy Dietz of Windmill Golf Center, a Kent Roosevelt and Kent State University alumnus paired with Cory Kumpf of Brookside Country Club, Canton.

They tied with the team of Tom Waitrovich, PGA Life Member and defending champion with partner Jaysen Hansen of Toledo Country Club and Brookside Country Club golf professionals Joseph Borawski and Blake Sattler.

Tuesday presented a different course and different weather conditions on the renowned South Course of Firestone.

High winds and a mixture of rain, hail and cold temperatures saw golfers competing not only against each other, but also against the elements.

When the final hole had been played on the second-day 18-hole round, Dietz and Kumpf turned in an outstanding round of 3-under-par 67 to forge ahead of teams and earn the championship at 8-under-par.

Waitrovich and Hansen as well as Borawski and Sattler each posted rounds of 71.

Jim Troy of The Golf Dome and Marak Scott of Westwood Country Club pushed into second place, carding two rounds of 68-69 to earned the runner-up spot by three strokes at 5-under-par.

The NOPGA continues their season on Monday at Shady Hollow Country Club in Massillon for the Pro-Pro Scramble.

NORTHERN OHIO PRO-PRO PREMIER

(At Firestone Country Club, Akron)

36-holes, Best Ball of Two format

Dietz/Kumpf -8

Troy/Scott -5

Borawski/Sattler -4

Waitrovich/Hansen -4

Stone/Stone -2

Weaver/Hanzel-2

Beveridge/Lieber -1

Holum/McGuire +1

Jones/Spino +1

Paolini/Brawley +2

Bixler/Pierson +3

Lewicki/Rankin +3

Shulas/Terry +3

Luch/Reiter +6

Stroud/Masturzo +7

Adcock/Adcock +8

Kiehle/Sico +8

Matthus/Willis +8

Meglen/Barto +8

Davis/Grochala +9

Davis rochala +9

Haidle/Widner +9

Lydic/McQuown +9

Knevel/Croteau +10

Morgan/Roth +10

Stinogle/Busken +13

Armbrecht/Diehm +17

Lewandowski/Cosentino +19

Greene/Parks +21