Central and Southern Ohio delivered an exceptional year of competitive golf in 2025, with quality events hosted in the Cincinnati, Dayton, and Columbus regions. The Greater Cincinnati Golf Association (GCGA), Columbus District Golf Association (CDGA), Miami Valley Golf Association (MVG), Ohio Golf Association (OGA), and Southern Ohio PGA Section (SOPGA) presented a full calendar of competitive tournaments featuring stroke play, match play, team formats, seniors, and professionals on premier courses. The season included dramatic playoffs, record performances, and fierce rivalries. Additionally, several key USGA qualifying rounds were hosted in the region, offering pathways to national championships.
The following is a full recap of the major tournaments from these organizations played in 2025, plus the USGA qualifiers conducted across the region.
Ohio Golf Association
Ohio Amateur Championship: Joe Wilson IV of West Chester closed with a 68, making four birdies in his final six holes, to win by one shot at 15-under par at Zanesville Country Club.
Ohio Mid-Amateur Championship: Jeg Coughlin III rallied for a thrilling one-shot victory over two-time champion Scott Anderson at Brookside Golf & Country Club in Columbus.
Ohio Public/Municipal Championship: Peter Betzold of West Chester backed up an opening 68 with a 70 to win by three shots at Raymond Memorial in Columbus.
Two-Man Best Ball Championship: Jon Kaplan + Kasey Nafzger won the title at Worthington Hills by one shot after three closing birdies. Peter Betzold + David Clancy claimed the Senior title, while Jeffrey Knox + Marc Fried won the Super Senior division.
Columbus District Golf Association
Spring Old Pal Scramble: Jeffrey Lacy + Steve Snyder won the Columbus District Golf Association event at NorthStar Golf Club, edging Noah Fernandez + Damon Birkhead.
Mid-Am & Senior Stroke Play: Mike Stackus (Mid-Am) and Ken Weixel (Super Senior) won in a playoff, while Cal Wood (Senior) cruised by three at Worthington Hills.
Women’s Trifecta 6-6-6: Missy Gedeon + Fiona Connor and Jane Harlamert + Wendy Klausing shared the top spot in the jumble event at OSU Golf Club’s Grey Course.
Pilkington Cup Series: Brookside Golf & Country Club secured the overall series championship across the multi-event team competition. Kinsale topped the teams in the 2-Player Scramble #1 at Tartan Fields. Kinsale and Brookside tied in Stableford #2 at Cumberland Trail. The Medallion Club of Westerville won the Two-Best-Ball-of-Four #3, while Brookside finished second to secure the Pilkington Cup title.
Amateur & Senior Championships: Jack Marsh defeated Tyler Brockwell 2-up for the Amateur match play title; Joe Podolski birdied the last to beat Chris Brooks 1-up for the Senior win.
Am/Am Scratch + Handicap Championship: Jake Gilkison + Kyle Rosch from Brookside G&CC shot 8-under par 63 — including a back-nine 30 — to win the Am/Am Scratch at York Golf Club.
Women’s Chapman: Lori Bubenchik and Lexi Hartford claimed victory at Rattlesnake Ridge Golf Club.
Women’s Old Pal Four-Ball: Jennifer Korn + Ellen Whittle shot a four-ball 68 to win Gross by two shots; Jane Harlamert + Richele O’Connor finished second and won Net.
Mid-Am + Senior Four-Ball: With a birdie on the first playoff hole, Andrew Miller + Randy Wachtel won the four ball over Michael Cress + Ken Weixel at The Country Club at Muirfield Village.
Women’s Two Player Net Stableford: Pamela Vickers + Betsy Sherman, Elizabeth Shultis + Shirley Scott, and Chris Saas + Karen Ouderkirk won their flights at NorthStar Golf Club.
Tournament of Champions: Nick Reardon (Championship Division), Joe Podolski (Senior), and Dave McKee (Super Senior) took their respective titles at Columbus Country Club.
Miami Valley Golf Association
Spring Better Ball: A full field of competitors took on NCR’s two courses in four division, with Brandon J. Johnson + Bryce Haney earning the gross team title.
Masters #1: Ryan Groff was a bright spot on an overcast day, leading the way with a 67 at Troy Country Club.
DDWGA Shamble: A field of 96 players teed off at Sycamore Creek CC, with three flight winners in Gross and Net Divisions led by Burton + Everman + Horstman + Pazitney winning Gross Flight #1.
Masters #2: 71 players competed at Urbana Country Club in gross and net divisions, with Scott Wilke shooting 70 to win the Gross 56-60 Flight.
DDWGA Twin Best Ball: Walnut Grove hosted a field of 100 competitors, with Tee Pazitney + Molly Horstman + Laura Deters + Lori Schroeder winning Gross Flight 1.
Metropolitan Championship: Ben Cors carded a final round 66 and won the 103rd edition with a record-breaking score of 23-under par at Windy Knoll Golf Club.
Masters #3: Bill Courant led the way in winning the Gross Blue Tees Flight, shooting 3-under par 69 at the Country Club of the North.
DDWGA Fall Classic: The team of Ann Kneisly + Annette Clampitt + Carolyn Mindel + Jeanne Johnson won the 1 Gross/1 Net Better Ball with a 4-under par 138.
Mid-Am + Senior Championships: Josh Elliott won the Mid-Am by one shot over Paul Day; John Fryman beat Peter Samborsky II for the Senior title; Michael Greenwood and Skip Snow won their age groups.
Miami Valley Golf Team Invitational: NCR Country Club’s team captured the Snow Cup by three shots at Springfield Country Club.
Ohio Intrastate Team Championship: Miami Valley Golf combined their five best scores of six to win the ‘battle of the Ohio associations’ at Worthington Hills in Columbus.
Greater Cincinnati Golf Association
Metropolitan Four-Ball Championship: Nicolas Paxson + Domenic Maricocchi, Rick Harmon + Derek Gustafson (Seniors), and UnAe Mueller + Denise Wareham (Women) won their divisions at Four Bridges.
Metropolitan Women’s Amateur Championship: Clare Yeazell outdueled Eleanor Hudepohl to win the Women’s Am by two shots at Clovernook Country Club in a finish that went down to the wire.
Metropolitan Senior Women’s Amateur: In a playoff, Lynn Thompson topped Laura Deters and Carolyn Mindel to take the 110th Senior Women’s title at Clovernook.
Tony Blom Metropolitan Amateur Championship: Charlie Mullin (The Camargo Club) won the flagship match play event, defeating Brock Rumpke (Maketewah Country Club) 3 & 2 in the final at Coldstream Country Club.
Metropolitan Senior Championship: Jim Muething (Maketewah Country Club) dominated with 67-71=138 for a three-shot victory at Walden Ponds Golf Club, while Dan DeVore (Hamilton Elks Golf Club) claimed the Super Senior division by one stroke.
Metropolitan Mid-Amateur Championship: Kyle Hodges (Hamilton Elks Golf Club) won in sudden-death playoff fashion over Mark Daniel (Vineyard Golf Course) after both posted 1-under-par 139 over 36 holes at O’Bannon Creek Golf Club.
Southern Ohio PGA Section
Ohio Women’s Open: Sabina’s Gabby Woods backed up her first round 67 with a Saturday 69 to win the OWO by six shots over Molly Skapik of Miamisburg.
Legacy Championship: Andrew Martin won with an eagle in a playoff over Bob Sowards at Medallion Club.
Springfield Classic: Ben Kern earned victory with 67, while Paul Hobart led Seniors with 69 at Springfield Country Club.
Queen City Classic: Jon McDonald shot 68 for the open title, with Joe Moore topping Seniors at TPC River’s Bend.
Summer Pro-Pro: Andy Montgomery and Ben Kern combined for a 58 to win by four at Country Club of the North.
Section Classic: Jared Jones fired 65 to win open by one, with Sam Arnold taking Senior at 67 at Clovernook.
Stableford Championship: Bob Sowards accumulated 12 points with 65 at Dayton Country Club.
Professional Championship: Scioto CC’s Jared Jones shot 71-69-69 at Miami Valley Golf Club to claim his first section major with a key up-and-down on the final hole.
Pro-Scratch: Ben Kern and amateur Mitch McFarland posted 11-under 61 to win by three at Columbus Country Club.
New Albany Classic: Bob Sowards shot bogey-free 66 to edge Michael Auterson by one at New Albany Country Club.
Senior Professional Championship: Steve Klick won with excellent birdie and putting play at Beavercreek.
Ohio Cup Matches: Southern Ohio PGA defeated Northern Ohio PGA 17.5–14.5 in the Ryder Cup-style matches at Wedgewood Golf & Country Club.
SOPGA Tour Championship: Bob Sowards and Sam Arnold battled in a thrilling playoff at Scioto Country Club.
USGA Qualifying Events in Central and Southern Ohio
U.S. Women’s Open Qualifying – Columbus: Kary Hollenbaugh earned medalist honors at her home New Albany Country Club, while Anna Huang of Canada and Elina Sinz of Katy, TX also advanced.
U.S. Senior Open Qualifying – Columbus: Augusta, KY pro Marcus Meloan shot 2-under par 69 to lead 15 players out of U.S. Senior Open Local Qualifying at Worthington Hills in Columbus.
U.S. Open Local Qualifying – Cincinnati: Held at Maketewah Country Club, Braxton Kuntz and Jackson Chandler shared medalist honors with rounds of 67.
U.S. Open Local Qualifying – Columbus: Justin Horn was medalist at Pinnacle GC with 68; Carson Bellish, Erik Edwards, TT Crouch, Asaeli Batibasaga, and Elliott Grayson advanced.
U.S. Amateur Local Qualifying – Cincinnati: At Kenwood Country Club, Cole Imig, Jacob Cook, and Ethan Whitaker tied for medalist at 4-under 68 in a rain-delayed event.
U.S. Senior Open Final Qualifying – Dayton: Three of the four qualifiers advancing from Piqua Country Club to the U.S. Senior Open at The Broadmoor were amateurs, led by Canadian am Dave Bunker with a 5-under par 67.
U.S. Open Final Qualifying – Columbus: At Kinsale Golf & Fitness Club, international standout Erik Van Rooyen dominated with 13-under-par to take medalist, while Ohio native Justin Lower advanced.
U.S. Open Final Qualifying – Dayton: At Springfield Country Club, Grant Haefner led the qualifiers advancing to the national championship. Uniontown’s Maxwell Moldovan moved on with a T2 finish.
U.S. Amateur Local Qualifying – Dayton: Gowtham Nalluri from Novi, MI earned medalist honors with a 3-under par 68 at Moraine CC, as 15 players advanced on to Final Qualifying.
U.S. Amateur Final Qualifying: At Ohio State University Scarlet Course (Columbus), Baron Szeto and Daniel Stringfellow earned medalist honors, with several Ohioans including Luke Metzger and Victor Caliguri advancing.
U.S. Senior Women’s Open Qualifying – Columbus: Tiffin’s Cheryl Fox advanced, as am Judith Kyrinis of Canada and pro Audra Burks of Springfield, IL shared medalist honors at Wedgewood G&CC.
2025 U.S. Women’s Amateur Qualifier – Dayton: Ellie Yeazell and Eileen Park tied for medalist honors at Walnut Grove, while Emily Holzopfel and Mia Rallo advanced from a playoff.
U.S. Senior Amateur Qualifier – Cincinnati: Greg Keyes of Cincinnati and Steven Mann from Franklin, TN shot 70 at Miami View GC to advanced to Oak Hills CC in San Antonio.
U.S. Amateur Final Qualifying – Columbus: Baron Szeto of Moraga, CA and Daniel Stringfellow of Roselle, IL led 11 qualifiers advancing from OSU Scarlet to The Olympic Club.
2025 U.S. Mid-Amateur Qualifying – Columbus: Andrew Rhodes of Westfield, IN was medalist with 66 at Tartan Fields; Matt Liston of Louisville and Tyler Riley of Findlay advanced.
U.S. Mid-Amateur Qualifier – Cincinnati: Cincinnati’s Chris Burger earned medalist with 66 at Western Hills CC; Denver Haddix of Lexington, KY and Alex Ebel of Cincy advanced by playoff after 67.
U.S. Women’s Amateur Four-Ball Qualifier – Cincinnati: Emily Holzopfel of Rayland + Sabrina Coffman of Toledo were medalists, as Eva Lim of Columbus + Alyssa Zhang of Pittsburgh advance by playoff.
NOTABLE PLAY AT USGA NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS:
– Dublin’s Jeg Coughlin III topped the defending champ in the Semifinals to reach the Finals of the U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship at Troon CC in Scottsdale, but fell in the 36-hole match by 3&2 even after making a strong comeback in the afternoon session.
– Sarah Willis of Eaton shot 73-74 in the U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship at Monterey Peninsula CC in Pebble Beach to earn the 21st seed in match play.
2025 was a standout year for championship tournament golf in Central and Southern Ohio, filled with tradition, excellence, and unforgettable moments. Congratulations to all champions, competitors, and organizers for a fantastic season!
