The final round of the 55th Senior Portage County Amateur Championship was as exciting as it was fun for the competitors playing in three divisions: Senior (ages 50-59), Gold (ages 60-69) and Platinum (ages 70-plus).
Golfers were talking as word spread about the round being played by Dave Peck of Macedonia in the Gold Division. Peck, the former superintendent at Grantwood Golf Club in Solon, was enjoying an outstanding 18-holes of golf and everyone was cheering for him.
The champion of the Gold Division, Peck had the low round in the clubhouse for the day, an outstanding 65, a five-under-par score on the challenging Windmill Lakes Golf Course in Ravenna.
Peck was the only golfer who maintained his lead from the first round at Raccoon Hill, where he fired a 71 for a total of 136 for 18-holes.
It was Peck’s fourth Senior Portage County Amateur Championship title.
“It felt easy,” said Peck. “I was hitting greens and my putter was working.”
To say the putter was working is an understatement, as he only had to make approximately 80’ of putts throughout the 18 holes.
Following Peck in the Gold Division, Lou Boarman of Mogadore earned second place and Robert Gintert of Newton Falls earned third place, each scoring 150 strokes with Boarman taking second place in a scorecard play-off.
PLATINUM DIVISION
Jim Herchek of Chagrin Falls, tied with Aurora’s John Sloe at the end of play at Raccoon Hill with identical under-par rounds of 67, fired an even-par 70 at Windmill Lakes for a 5-under-par 137 total.
During the front nine, the competition was neck and neck before Sloe ended up with a final 78 at Windmill to finish in third place, with his son Chris on the bag.
Second place was Paul Trenta of Hartville who moved up a spot after starting in third after Raccoon Hill, with a solid round of 67 at Windmill Lakes. His three-under-par round placed him one stroke behind Herchek and seven strokes ahead of Sloe.
SENIOR DIVISION
Chris Minear of Akron, earning second place in 2024 and third place in 2023, moved up to capture the championship this year. Minear fired rounds of 78-75 for a 154 total to best Dove Fall of Windham and Doug Lockwood of Powell by three strokes. Fall won in a scorecard playoff.
Fall has been playing in the Portage County Amateur for more than 20 years, while Lockwood was competing for the first time.
FINALLY
The senior golfers always linger in the clubhouse to talk about their worst shots, the pin placement that gave them the most trouble, buy a drink for the golfer with the low round and just generally talk golf.
The excitement of Peck’s five-under-par round, the movement up-and-down the leaderboard by competitors that play in the Senior Amateur every year, and anticipation of returning year-after-year is evident for these golfers that love the game.
Congratulations to all competitors for not only their outstanding rounds, acceptance of a bad shot and their sportsmanship that allows them to be happy for the golfers that played better than themselves.
FINAL RESULTS:
55th SENIOR PORTAGE COUNTY AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP
Raccoon Hill Golf Course, Kent – Sat, Aug 30
Windmill Lakes Golf Club, Ravenna – Sun, Aug 31
SENIOR DIVISION (Age 50-59)
Chris Minear, Akron 78-76 154
Dove Fall, Windham 83-74 157
Doug Lockwood, Powell 77-80 157
Matt Harness, Cleveland 84–81 165
Andrew Coddington, Independence 109-82 191
Eric Ernsberger, Ravenna 90-102 192
GOLD DIVISION (Ages 60-69)
Dave Peck, Macedonia 71-65 162 136
Lou Boarman, Mogadore 78-72 150
Robert Gintert, Newton Falls 76-74 150
Jeff Luken, Middleburg Hts. 76-76 152
David Dees, Lisbon 73-79 152
Ray McNiece, Cleveland 80-73 153
Matt Manno, Middlefield 79-79 158
Randy Wilburn, Deerfield 80-80 160
Steve DeBolt, Newton Falls 83-77 160
Gary Congin, Chesterland 82-80 162
Ron Rositani, Willowick 91-81 172
Tom Freeman, Akron 94-82 176
David Ritter, Akron 86-93 179
PLATINUM DIVISION (Age 70+)
Jim Herchek, Chagrin Falls 67-70 137
Paul Trenta, Hartville 71-67 138
John Sloe, Aurora 67-78 145
Steve Bedell, Champion 77-71 148
Keith Pluto, Parma 78-77 155
Dan Ledenican, Aurora 82-74 156
