By Susan Jenior

Staff Writer

With the 10th Kids Am, 18th Junior Am and 94th Amateur in the record books, one amateur tournament remains, the Seniors.

The 54th Senior Amateur tees off at Raccoon Hill Golf Course in Kent on Aug. 24 and concludes at Windmill Lakes Golf Course on Aug. 25.

Register today at the host courses or long onto pcagolf.net for online registration.

Look forward to seeing thesenior golfers on the fairways. It’s always a great tournament. For additional information email golffam2@gmail.com or call 330-206-9083.

Evan Ferrara (far left) was the champion of the Open Division of the 94th Portage County Amateur golf tournament, with runners-up Randy Wilburn (center) and Dove Fall.

AMATEUR CHAMPIONS

It was notable this season that Evan Ferrara (150) of Kent posted the lowest score and earned the Portage County Amateur Championship.

Ferrara is a three-time champion and also won the Matt Mishler Junior Portage County Amateur when he was in high school.

He bested two golfers who will play in the Senior Amateur, Randy Willburn (153) of Deerfield and Dove Fall (157) of Windham as all three golfers were within seven strokes of each other.

A close fourth was Lucas Harrington of Aurora with a two-day total of 159.

As Wilburn and Fall return to the Senior Amateur, Fall will defend his championship from 2023.

For the women, the champions were originally from Green High School, Kent and Streetsboro.

The Women’s Division champion of the 94th Portage County Amateur tournament was Rachel DiDonato (center), with runners-up Morgan Bauza (left) and Sam Miller (right).

All three are collegiate players now competing for Northern Kentucky (Rachel DiDonato- champion), Muskingum (Samantha Miller, runner-up) and Niagara (Morgan Bauza, third place).

The talent in the Amateurs always amazes me with several collegiate players from Youngstown State and a former Ashland University golfer making the top three.

Ryan Sam and Michael Porter, both players at Youngstown State University, finished first and third and each had an under-par round during the tournament, the only two under-par rounds of the event.

Dylan Dunn of Stow, also a former champion of the Junior Portage County Amateur and former Ashland University golfer, earned second place.

Their three-day total scores: 142, 143 and 144.

Doesn’t get much closer than that.

THE BEST PART OF RUNNING THE AMATEURS

As mentioned, former champions of Junior Amateur and competitors in the Kids Am are now playing in the adult Amateur.

It is one of the best parts of journalism, having the opportunity to watch the golfers grow from some of their very first shots to seasoned golfers playing in tournaments, some playing collegiate golf and some just continuing to play the game they love.

Sam Miller (right) stands with her caddy Devon Carpenter on the first day of the 94th Portage County Amateur golf tournament.

Lucas Harrington played for the successful Aurora Greenmen in high school and still returns when he can to play in the Amateur. Samantha Miller brought Devon Carpenter as her caddy the first day. Carpenter played for the Field Falcons and earned her own successes on the fairways.

Just having the opportunity to watch many of these golfers grow into their game and continue to love golf, just as I do, is certainly worth all the work in planning the events.

As I cover high school golf this season, I look forward to following the players as they continue to college and hopefully return to compete in their local amateurs.

TOURNAMENT SCHEDULES

PORTAGE COUNTY AMATEURS

Register at host golf courses, online at pcagolf.net or via mail. For info call/text 330-206-9083, email golffam2@gmail.com, or log onto the Portage County Amateurs Facebook page.

AUG. 24-25: 54^th Portage County Senior Amateur, Windmill Lakes Golf Course, Ravenna and Raccoon Hill Golf Club, Kent.

OUTINGS, TOURNAMENTS AND EVENTS

TODAY: Rootstown Rover Sports Booster Outing, Sunny Hill Golf Course, Brimfield. (8:30 a.m. shotgun start).

SATURDAY: Southeast Athletic Boosters, Olde Dutch Mill Golf Course, Lake Milton. (Four-person scramble, $100 per person includes golf, beverages, breakfast, lunch and dinner.) Call Bruce Leifeit 330-885-1327, Brenda Thomas 330-310-1515.

SATURDAY: Camp Quality Charity Golf Outing, Paradise Lake Golf Course, Suffield. (Four-person scramble, $400 by July 4, $460 after July 4, Information at 330-968-8924 or ohio@campqualityusa.org.)

AUG. 14 – Kent State University Rango Invitational, Windmill Lakes Golf Club, Ravenna.

AUG. 17: Browns Backers 17^th Golf Outing, Olde Dutch Mill Golf Course, Lake Milton. (Four-person scramble, 8:30 a.m. shotgun start, $90 per person.) Registration deadline Aug. 10. Call Gary 330-207-5939 or Rodney 330-718-8176 for info. Registration form available on Lake Milton Browns Backers Facebook page.