By Susan Jenior

Staff Writer

Steve Parker, former head professional and now teaching professional at Portage Country Club and Kent State University alumnus, won the NOPGA Senior Professional Championship at Westbrook Country Club in Mansfield, firing rounds of 69 and 70, 5-under-par.

STEVE PARKER

The outstanding 36-hole score earned Parker a three-shot victory over Scott Pollack and 2023 champion Mike Stone. The two golfers tied for second place.

Rob Moss, also a Kent State alumnus and head professional at Pepper Pike Club, finished fourth at 1-under-par.

Pollack, general manager of 1899 Indoor Golf of Twinsburg and Stone, Director of Instruction at Belmont Country Club in Maumee fired rounds of 71-71 and Moss shot 72-72.

All four qualified to play in the 36th National Professional Championship Sept. 26-29 in Sunriver, Ore.

BIRDIES FOR CHARITY

On Sept. 16, staff and professionals of The Northern Ohio PGA will participate in the fifth annual Smucker’s Birdies and Charity event at Portage Country Club in Akron.

Each of the team members will play 18 holes, striving to make as many birdies as possible to raise funds for the Northern Ohio PGA Section Foundation and other local golf charities.

Last year, the NOPGA Section Foundation raised over 180,000. This year, the section is aiming for a new goal of $200,000.

This year, the NOPGA Section Foundation has awarded over $30,000 in scholarships to high school seniors, recognizing their academic achievements, community involvement and financial needs.

Additionally, through Clubs Fore Kids program, clubs and instruction have been provided to over 110 juniors in financial need and girls high school golf teams.

The foundation also administers 17 PGA HOPE programs impacting more than 350 veterans, using golf as a means of therapy.

Log onto nopgabirdiesandcharities.com and choose NOPGA and a per birdie donation or a flat fee donation to help raise money for the Foundation.

IT REALLY HAPPENED

The golf manager was just trying to be nice.

At one area golf course in the area, the manager decided that visiting and home high-school golfers could take a cart for the matches since it was over 90 degrees outside, saving the golfers from carrying clubs and possible heat stroke.

All went well until a visiting golfer, not even trying to drive fast, lost control of the cart and drove into the water.

Yep … cart was standing up in the shallow water off the cart path.

The cart was rescued and the golfers continued their round.

Reminded me of the time we were playing in South Carolina and an alligator seemed to come out of nowhere. The group in front of us just simply pushed the pedal all the way to the medal to get out of the alligator’s way and — watching the gator behind them instead of what was in front of them — drove right into the pond.

It was a little more traumatizing for the adults because they didn’t know if they should get out of the cart or hope the gator didn’t follow them.

The golfers in South Carolina walked out of the cart and ran.

The high school golfers were forgiven obviously.

Thankfully both incidents ended well, but if you were a spectator, since no one was hurt, it was funny to watch.

UPCOMING TOURNAMENTS

SEPT. 7: Randolph Fire Department Golf Outing, Paradise Lake Country Club, Suffield. ($100 per golfer, 18 holes, lunch dinner, beverages, skins, mulligans, 50-50 and raffle) Call 330-931-2961 to register.

SEPT. 14: Night Golf 4, Fairways at Twin Lakes. Nine holes. Call 330-673-7888.