By Susan Jenior

Staff Writer

The 54th Portage County Senior Amateur did not disappoint on the final day of competition at Windmill Lakes Golf Club. Scorecard playoffs were involved in two of the divisions before trophies could be awarded and new champions were also crowned in two divisions.

On a hot, muggy day at Windmill Lakes, golfers played their best and many moved up the leaderboard.

AGE 50-59

Bobby Wadsworth of Uniontown has been playing in many tournaments throughout Northeast Ohio. In 2023, he played in over 40 tournaments.

This season, his tournament action was cut back to only four tournaments to this point in the season because of an injury.

And, he had not won a tournament since he golfed for Tiffin University.

That changed on Sunday when Wadsworth added a 76 at Windmill to the 72 he fired at Raccoon Hill the first day to total 149 and top Chris Minear of Akron by one stroke for the championship.

To say everyone was happy for him is an understatement.

Minear fired 73-77 and grabbed second place, defending the same runner-up position he earned in 2023.

The 2023 champion, Dove Fall of Windham, earned third place in a scorecard playoff with Rob Button of Westlake. Both golfers finished with 153, Fall a 77-76 and Button a 76-77.

50-59 DIVISION
From left to right, Chris Minear, champion Bobby Wadsworth and Dove Fall.

GOLD (60-69)

As golfers came into the clubhouse and turned in their scores, it looked like there was going to be a three-way, sudden-death playoff for first place.

Lee Hood of Alliance, who shot a 77 at Raccoon, fired 2-over-par at Windmill for a 149 matching the total scores or Robert Gintert of Newton Falls and Dave Peck, 2023 champion, of Macedonia.

But Rob Barkett of Mansfield had other ideas.

At the top of the leaderboard after firing a 73 at Raccoon Hill, Barkett distanced himself from the field, carding an outstanding 3-under-par 67 to grab a nine-stroke lead for the championship.

Hood and Gintert won a scorecard playoff for second and third place.

GOLD DIVISION
From left to right: Lee Hood, champion Rob Barkett and Robert Gintert.

PLATINUM (70-Plus)

Steve Bedell of Champion found himself in a familiar spot after the first day at Raccoon Hill.

Firing a 72, Bedell grabbed the lead in the Platinum Division. Bedell was the defending champion and can now boast he has won the event three times. Bedell added a 75 the second day for a 147 total that topped John Sloe of Aurora by seven strokes.

Sloe fired rounds of 82-73 for a 155 and the runner-up spot. He admittedly played better at Windmill Lakes with his son Chris Sloe, a former Junior Portage County Amateur champion in 2016 and runner-up in the Portage County Amateur in 2020, on the bag for his dad.

First-time amateur competitor, Dan Ledenican of Aurora, fired rounds of 80-77 for a 157 to take home third place.

SENIOR DIVISION
From left: Dan Ledenican, champion Steve Bedell, John Sloe.

SCOREBOARD

FINAL ROUND

AT WINDMILL LAKES GOLF CLUB, RAVENNA

SENIOR DIVISION (Age 50-59)

Bobby Wadsworth, Uniontown 72-76 149

Chris Minear, Akron 73-77 150

Dove Fall, Windham 77-76 153

Rob Button, Westlake 76-77 153

Christian Richardson, Brecksville 83-83 166

Brian Kukoleck, Cuyahoga Falls 86-80 166

Ed Marsinek, Shalersville 87-80 167

Mark Wilbur, Stow 90-79 169

Andrew Coddington, Independence 92-84 176

Eric Ernsberger, Ravenna 97-97 194

GOLD (Age 60-69)

Rob Barkett, Mansfield 73-67 140

Lee Hood, Alliance 77-72 149

Robert Gintert, Newton Falls 75-74 149

Dave Peck, Macedonia 75-74 149

Gary Congin, Chesterland 74-76 150

Randy Crider, Brunswick 80-71 151

Jeff Luken, Middleburg Hts 80-72 152

Steve DeBolt, Newton Falls 75-79 154

Jim Herchek, Bainbridge 76-78 154

Paul Malkus, Twinsburg 79-750 154

Jack Pico, Niles 74-81 155

Ron Rositani, Willowick 77-78 155

Randy Wilburn, Deerfield 83-74 157

Ray McNiece, Cleveland 85-74 159

Raymond Najda, Olmsted Twp. 83-79 162

Steve Tischler, Westlake 86-76 162

Troy Luckenbaugh, Uniontown 81-82 163

Kirk Seabloom, Rocky River 82-84 166

Matt Manno, Garrettsville 87-79 166

Bruce Saxe, Ravenna 90-80 170

John Sales, Kent 88-86 174

Frank Livak, Brimfield 91-92 183

PLATINUM (Age 70+)

Steve Bedell, Champion 72-75 147

John Sloe, Aurora 82-73 155

Dan Ledenican, Aurora 80-77 157

Matt Habbyshaw, Aurora 91-82 173

Bradley Champagne, Streetsboro 91-93 184