By Susan Jenior

Staff Writer

It’s the one that started it all.

The Portage County Amateur has been a part of the golf landscape since 1930.

The Amateur was the original tournament, but now has expanded to include stand-alone tournaments for seniors, juniors and kids and includes divisions for women as well, reflecting the growth of golf.

This season’s 94th Portage County Amateur competes on July 27 and Windmill Lakes golf Course in Ravenna and July 28 at Raccoon Hill Golf Club in Kent as golfers play a total of 36 holes to determine the champions in County, Open and Women’s Divisions.

The Amateur was originally only open to golfers from Portage County, but added the Open Division to welcome golfers from throughout the state of Ohio and beyond while staying true to the Portage County roots at its beginning.

Golfers in the Open and County Divisions both tee off at the back tees for a true test of all competitors.

In 2023, Evan Ferrara of Kent won the County Division for the second time, earning his first victory in 2020. The top-three finishers included Lucas Harrington of Aurora and Jeremy Knight of Streetsboro.

Evan Ferrara was the winner of the Portage County Amateur golf tournament’s County Division. It was his second title, winning his first in 2020.
Susan Jenior/Portage Sports

Jake Sylak of Mineral Ridge earned the championship for the Open Division joined by Andrew Bolinger of Sheffield Lake and Cole Christman of Canfield rounding out the top three.

Allyson Stewart of Sagamore Hills topped Morgan Bauza of Kent for the women’s championship with Sydnie Leavery of Kent moving into third place.

For information or to register, log onto www.pcagolf.net, stop by host golf courses or call/text 330-206-9083 or email golffam2@gmail.com.

Thanks to the Portage County Amateur sponsors: Portage Sports, Birdie Shack and the Fairways at Twin Lakes as well as the host courses for making the four Amateur tournaments a success.

NORTHERN OHIO PGA PREMIER

The NOPGA hosted the annual Pro-Pro Premier at Firestone Country Club in Akron to start their busy schedule of events for professionals, adults and juniors.

Tom Waitrovich, a PGA Lifetime member, teamed up with Jaysen Hansen of Toledo Country Club to win the one best ball of two 36-hole tournament by four strokes over Mark Scott of Westwood Country Club, Rocky River, and Jim Troy of the Golf Dome, Chagrin Falls.

Randy Dietz of Windmill Golf Center in Macedonia, former Kent Roosevelt and Kent State University golfer, teamed up with Cody Kumpf of Canton Brookside Country Club to finish in sixth place.

OLDE DUTCH MILL SPRING SCRAMBLE

This Saturday, Olde Dutch Mill in Lake Milton, home of the Southeast Pirates High School Golf Teams, welcomes two-person teams to the annual Spring Scramble.

The shotgun start at 9 a.m. begins the 18-hole fun competition that includes a cart, lunch, dinner and two drink tickets for $70 per person.

Cash prizes are awarded for the winners and an optional skins game is available.

Call 330-654-4100 for additional information.

FAIRWAYS AT TWIN LAKES TWO-PLAYER SCRAMBLE

May 5 will find golfers competing in the two-player scramble at the Fairways at Twin Lakes in Kent.

The competition begins at 10 a.m. and includes an optional skins game.

Entry fee is $100 per player and includes golf, cart and tournament prizes.

There are optional skins and double-skins games.

Cash prizes include $500 to the winning team.

To register, call the Fairways at Twin Lakes, 330-673-7888.

BRING YOUR MOM TO GOLF NIGHT

The Ohio Girls Golf Foundation is hosting a unique event for junior girls golfers and their moms.

Bring Your Mom To Golf Night is set for May 10 at 5:30 p.m.

Hosted by the Ohio Girls Golf Foundation, the event takes place at Fox Den Golf Course in Stow.

Girls from ages 8 to 18 and their moms or another female member will have a chance to play in some friendly competitions while getting instruction from PGA and LPGA professionals.

The event is free for all participants and includes dinner after the clinic.

Register by May 3 at www.oggf.org.

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.

JULY 21—10^th Portage County Kids Amateur, Sunny Hill Golf Course, Brimfield.

JULY 22-23—18^th Matt Mishler Portage County Junior Amateur, Sunny Hill Golf Course, Brimfield and Windmill Lakes Golf Course, Ravenna.

JULY 27-28—94^th Portage County Amateur, Windmill Lakes Golf Course, Ravenna and Raccoon Hill Golf Club, Kent.

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

TOURNAMENTS AND EVENTS

(To add an event to the calendar, text or call 330-206-9083 or email golffam2@gmail.com.)

JUNIOR EVENTS

(Register for NOPGA Junior Events at northernohiopga.com)

MAY 5—NOPGA Junior Series, Trumbull Country Club, Warren.

MAY 28—NOPGA Junior Series at Lake Forest Country Club, Hudson.

JULY 15-16—48^th Ohio Junior Girls Championship, Marion Country Club, Marion. (WOSGA.org)

JULY 22—Ohio Girls Golf Foundation High School Showcase, Avon Oaks Country Club, Avon. (Sponsored by NOPGA)

JULY 15-16—NOPGA 36 Hole Jr. Series, Windmill Lakes, Ravenna.

JULY 30-31—41^st NOPGA Jr. Tour Championship, Club Walden, Aurora.

OUTINGS AND TOURNAMENTS

APRIL 27—Spring Scramble, Olde Dutch Mill Golf Course, Lake Milton (330-654-4100)

MAY 5—Twin Lakes Spring Two-Player Scramble, Fairways at Twin Lakes, Kent. (330-673-7888)

MAY 11—2^nd Annual Chubbs Peterson Memorial Golf Classic Scramble, Olde Dutch Mill, Lake Milton. (330-654-4100)

MAY 26—Waterloo Boosters Golf Outing, Paradise Lake Golf Course, Suffield. (Todd Wise 330-842-9279).

JUNE 1—The Golden Flash Bash, Fairways at Twin Lakes, Kent. (KentStateSports.com/FlashBash).

JUNE 8 -10—Northeast Ohio Amateur Championship, Windmill Lakes Golf Club, Ravenna. (Register at Northeast Ohio Golf Association at www.noga.org)

AUG. 4—Nancy Cannon Memorial Golf Outing, Paradise Lake Golf Course, Suffield.

WOMEN

JUNE 6-8—Ohio Women’s Open, Heatherwoode Golf Club, Springboro. (ohiowomensopen.com)

JUNE 8-10—Northeast Ohio Amateur Championship, Windmill Lakes Golf Club, Ravenna. (Register at www.noga.org)

JULY 22-25—101^st Women’s Ohio State Amateur Championship, Belmont Hills Country Club, Clairsville (WOSGA.org)

JULY 22-25—8^th Women’s Mid-Amateur, Belmont Hills Country Club, St. Clairsville. (WOSGA.org)