PEPPER PIKE, Ohio: Brandywine Country Club Assistant Professional Michael Balcar set a tournament and course record on Tuesday to win the 25th Mitchell-Haskell Tour Championship at The Country Club.
Balcar, 33, shot a final-round 9-under 63 for a two-day total of 13-under 131 to win by a whopping 11 shots in one of the Northern Ohio Professional Golfers Association’s most coveted titles.
Both totals are tournament and course records. The Country Club Director of Golf Steve Bordner confirmed the single-round score broke the record of 64, set by Arnold Palmer and equaled by Casey Schraeder in 2016. NOPGA officials confirmed his 63 and 131 were tournament records.
However, the old records were set prior to The Country Club’s massive renovation in 2023. The renovation added length and made the course more difficult.
Pepper Pike Club Head Professional Rob Moss rallied from a five-stroke deficit to win the Senior Division with a 36-hole score of 74-69=143 (1-under).
It marked the third win in this event for Moss, but his first as a Senior. The Section Hall-of-Famer previously won Regular Division titles in 2012 and 2017.
His 69 was one of three by the Seniors, joining first-round leader Mark Evans and Youngstown Country Club Assistant Professional Jon Jones.
Three-time winner Jim Troy finished second to Balcar with rounds of 69-73=142, and defending champion Sean McGuire was third at 73-70=143.
PGA Life Member Tom Atchison, a five-time winner of the Mitchell-Haskell, and Mark Evans, head professional at Barrington Golf Club and the first-round leader, tied for second at 145.
Balcar, who won the NOPGA Section Championship in August, began the final round with a one-shot lead over Troy but quickly extended that lead to six shots with birdies on three of the first four holes.
At that point, the tournament was over as no one was able to get closer than six shots.
Balcar, a Cleveland State graduate, spiked his par-birdie-birdie-birdie start with an eagle on the 569-yard eighth hole when his 5-iron second shot reached the green in two and he made a 40-foot putt. At that point, he was 9-under.
The stunning driving and shot-making continued on the closing nine. He birdied the 13th by making an 8-foot putt, the par-3 14th by chipping in from 17 yards, and the 541-yard 16th when he hit a scalding 2-iron from the trees on the right to the left side of the fairway, placed his third to 12 feet and made the putt.
He closed the performance when he hit a 355-yard drive on the closing hole and stopped his second from 114 yards to three feet and drained the putt.
Moss, one of the most winning players in section history, began the day five shots behind Evans and took the lead with a birdie on the 520-yard eighth, reaching the green in two with a 3-hybrid and two-putting from 25 feet.
Moss, a three-time winner of the Ohio Open, saved his best for last by making birdies on three of his final four holes. He made a 30-foot putt for birdie on the 164-yard 14th and hit a marvelous chip shot from just left of the green on the par-5 16th.
His birdie on the 340-yard 17th came when his tee shot found the deep rough above the trap that guards the front side. From an awkward stance, he chipped to 10 feet and made the putt.
He closed with his only double-bogey of the tournament, but no one was able to take advantage.
PHOTO GALLERY: 2026 NOPGA Mitchell-Haskell Tour Championship – Final Round >
FINAL RESULTS: Northern Ohio PGA
2026 NOPGA Mitchell-Haskell Tour Championship
The Country Club, Pepper Pike
Monday, September 28 – Tuesday, September 29, 2026
Blue Golf Hole-by-Hole Results >
Regular Division Results:
1. Michael Balcar, Brandywine Country Club, $1,500.00, *68-63-131 -13
2. Jim Troy, The Golf Dome, $1,000.00, *69-73-142 -2
3. Sean McGuire, Pepper Pike Club, $850.00, *73-70-143 -1
3. Blake Sattler, Brookside Country Club, $850.00, *72-71-143 -1
5. Kyle Buzaki, Glenmoor Country Club, $700.00, *71-73-144 E
6. Randy Dietz, Windmill Golf Center, $575.00, *74-71-145 +1
6. Jaysen Hansen, Tippecanoe Country Club, $575.00, *72-73-145 +1
8. Mark Sierak, Optimus Golf, $450.00, *71-75-146 +2
9. Jake Morgan, Oberlin Golf Club, $400.00, *75-72-147 +3
10. Ken Keller, Pepper Pike Club, $325.00, *73-76-149 +5
10. Mark Bixler, Kirtland Country Club, $325.00, *74-75-149 +5
12. Adam Lewicki, Portage Country Club, $250.00, *74-76-150 +6
13. Nick Paez, GolfTEC – Cleveland West, $250.00, *77-74-151 +7
14. Matt McMahon, Lakewood Country Club, $87.50, *77-75-152 +8
14. Drew Pierson, The Clubhouse, $87.50, *76-76-152 +8
14. Matthew Nimsuwan, Brookside Country Club, $87.50, *76-76-152 +8
14. Isaiah Swan, Stone Ridge Golf Club, $87.50, *76-76-152 +8
18. Evan Bryan, The Country Club, *79-74-153 +9
18. Nick Gustin, Erie Shores Golf Course, *79-74-153 +9
18. Tony Bodziony, Chagrin Valley Country Club, *77-76-153 +9
18. Jared Toom, GolfTEC-Stonebrook, *74-79-153 +9
22. Evan Gray, Shady Hollow Country Club, *83-71-154 +10
22. Anthony Panepento, Canterbury Golf Club, *79-75-154 +10
22. DJ Holub, Pepper Pike Club, *78-76-154 +10
22. Joe Sabatino, North Olmsted Golf Club, *77-77-154 +10
22. Jordan Schroeder, Findlay Country Club, *75-79-154 +10
27. Justin Roth, GolfTEC – Brecksville, *76-81-157 +13
28. Ian Hardesty, Optimus Golf, *80-78-158 +14
28. Nate Curtis, NorthStar Golf Club, *79-79-158 +14
28. Cory Kumpf, Brookside Country Club, *76-82-158 +14
31. Joe Meglen, StoneWater Golf Club, *83-76-159 +15
31. William McKinley, Sharon Golf Club, *81-78-159 +15
31. Jordan Paolini, Alliance Country Club, *79-80-159 +15
31. Emily Liptak, Fairlawn Country Club, *78-81-159 +15
35. Nick Orr, Sharon Golf Club, *84-77-161 +17
36. Mark Scott Jr., Westwood Country Club, *84-80-164 +20
36. Collin McEndree, Walden, *87-77-164 +20
36. Daniel Terry, Chippewa Golf Club – Doylestown, *81-83-164 +20
39. Steve Bordner, The Country Club, *83-82-165 +21
Senior Division Results:
1. Rob Moss, Pepper Pike Club, $1,000.00, *74-69-143 -1
2. Tom Atchison, PGA Of America Life Member, $700.00, *74-71-145 +1
2. Mark Evans, Barrington Golf Club, $700.00, *69-76-145 +1
4. Jon Jones, Youngstown Country Club, $416.67, *77-69-146 +2
4. Mitch Camp, PGA Of America Life Member, $416.67, *74-72-146 +2
4. Gary Rusnak, 1899 Indoor Golf – Twinsburg, $416.67, *71-75-146 +2
7. Tom Waitrovich, PGA Of America Life Member, $275.00, *74-74-148 +4
7. Steve Parker, Firestone Country Club, $275.00, *73-75-148 +4
9. Scott Pollack, 1899 Indoor Golf – Twinsburg, *73-76-149 +5
10. Tony Milam, North Coast Junior Tour, *80-70-150 +6
10. Gary Trivisonno, PGA Of America Life Member, *75-75-150 +6
12. Sean Kenily, Union Country Club, *78-73-151 +7
12. Tony Adcock, Foxy Golf Canton, *75-76-151 +7
14. Eric Morgan, Plum Brook Country Club, *79-75-154 +10
14. Dan Dauk, Windmill Lakes Golf Club, *78-76-154 +10
14. Kevin Sullivan, Quail Hollow Country Club – Weiskopf/Morrish, *77-77-154 +10
17. Rick Sargent, PGA Of America Life Member, *77-79-156 +12
18. Jason Carbone, Canterbury Golf Club, *79-78-157 +13
19. Ned Weaver, Windmill Golf Center, *81-82-163 +19
