Canton’s Vaughn Snyder raced out to such a big lead early on the back nine at Manakiki on Sunday, that four straight bogeys from the 14th to the 17th had on effect on him winning the Greater Cleveland Amateur Championship for a third time.
Snyder started the final round at 3-under par after 36 holes, holding a three shot lead over Rick Deichert of Shaker Heights. With two birdies and two bogeys on the front nine, Snyder turned in even par then made birdies at 10 and 12. With Diechert shooting 37 on the front side then making bogey at 10, Snyder suddenly was up five shots standing on the 13th tee.
Playing together in the final group, Deichert made birdie on 13 to cut into the big lead. That’s when Snyder started his bogey run, hitting some indifferent pitches and missing some mid-length par putts that had been dropping all weekend.
But Deichert made bogey at 14, missed a birdie putt at 16, drove into trouble and had to scramble for par on 17, then missed the green long at the 18th. When Snyder avoided the trouble lurking both left and right by smashing his tee shot into the fairway on the 18th hole, his victory seemed secure.
Snyder finished at 1-under par total for the 54 holes, while Deichert came in at 2-over par, three shots behind. Both players closed with a Sunday 74.
2025 Seneca Course Champion Chris Okeson earned solo third place by shooting a 1-under on Sunday at Manakiki, good for a 3-over par total. Matt Marino shot the low round of Sunday, a 3-under par 69, to finish alone in fourth place at four-over.
The top-10 finishers and ties earn an exemption into the 2026 Cleveland Am.
Snyder now has his name on the John S. Fiander Cup for a third time. He trails Concord’s Brad Steven in overall Cleveland Am wins, as Steven recorded four victories between the years of 1996-2013.
PHOTO GALLERY: 2025 Cleveland Am RD3 >
FINAL RESULTS: Cleveland Metroparks Golf
2025 Greater Cleveland Amateur Championship
Manakiki Golf Course, Willoughby Hills (Fri, Sun)
Sleepy Hollow Golf Course, Brecksville (Sat)
Friday, August 8 – Sunday, August 10, 2025
Golf Genius Hole-by-Hole Results >
1 Vaughn Snyder 69 – 71 – 74 = 214 $1,000
2 Rick Deichert 67 – 76 – 74 = 217 $700
3 Chris Okeson 73 – 74 – 71 = 218 $650
4 Matt Marino 76 – 74 – 69 = 219 $600
T5 Steve Schniegenberg 74 – 77 – 70 = 221 $525
T5 Jeff Sawitke 67 – 77 – 77 = 221 $525
7 Jacob Halligan 76 – 73 – 73 = 222 $450
T8 Ian Morgan 70 – 83 – 70 = 223 $325
T8 Jacob Morgan 77 – 73 – 73 = 223 $325
T8 Ben Farina 73 – 76 – 74 = 223 $325
T8 Bryan Yeo 76 – 73 – 74 = 223 $325
12 Nick Anagnost 76 – 74 – 74 = 224 $200
T13 Steve Blackburn 75 – 76 – 74 = 225 $50
T13 Ryan Chipps 76 – 74 – 75 = 225 $50
15 Brett Kaufman 73 – 75 – 78 = 226
T16 Charles Milo 75 – 78 – 74 = 227
T16 Bob Hird 73 – 80 – 74 = 227
T16 Doug Barber 75 – 77 – 75 = 227
T16 Josh Pethel 76 – 76 – 75 = 227
20 David Sotka 74 – 77 – 78 = 229
T21 Robert Schustrich 81 – 72 – 77 = 230
T21 Mark Belasic 73 – 78 – 79 = 230
T21 Anthony Briggs 72 – 76 – 82 = 230
T24 Nicholas Adams 74 – 79 – 78 = 231
T24 Lucas Liberatore 77 – 75 – 79 = 231
T24 Brian Harpster 73 – 78 – 80 = 231
T24 Shaun Kloetzer 72 – 78 – 81 = 231
MISSED CUT
T28 Austin Jenkins 76 – 78 = 154
T28 Ryan Wirtz 73 – 81 = 154
T28 Allen Freeman 78 – 76 = 154
T28 John Williams 79 – 75 = 154
T32 David Swab 75 – 80 = 155
T32 Phil Bojc 76 – 79 = 155
T32 Brian Smith 76 – 79 = 155
35 Devon Goldberg 78 – 78 = 156
36 Brian Myers 77 – 80 = 157
T37 Thomas Miano 80 – 80 = 160
T37 Greg Manuel 80 – 80 = 160
39 Nate Matthews 78 – 83 = 161
T40 Paul Krueger 82 – 80 = 162
T40 Harrison Vonderau 84 – 78 = 162
T40 Luke Butcher 77 – 85 = 162
T43 Aaron Harden 77 – 86 = 163
T43 Andrew Malkus 78 – 85 = 163
45 Joey Collins 79 – 85 = 164
46 Zach Huscusson 84 – 82 = 166
47 Ryan Polk 84 – 86 = 170
48 Aryan Ahlawat 92 – 81 = 173
WD Mike Simpson 76 – WD
WD Jarrod Kasunick 83 – WD
NC Jimmy Wild 74 – NC
NC Ryan Stefanski 79 – NC
