Union Country Club Director of Golf Sean Kenily and Fairlawn Country Club Assistant Professional Emily Liptak won two of the Northern Ohio Professional Golfers Association’s most prestigious titles on Tuesday under perfect conditions at Union Country Club.
Kenily was able to ignore the expectations that come with playing on his home course and erased a minimal deficit to win the 42nd annual NOPGA Senior Professional Championship, while Liptak overcame first-appearance jitters to win the 6th NOPGA Women’s Championship.
Kenily, 57, shot a second straight round of 1-under 71 and emerged with a four-shot victory over four players who tied at 146.
Liptak, making her first appearance in an NOPGA major, was able to hold off four-time champion Mary Suitca with a final-round 80 and a two-day total of 12-over 156. Suitca, who began the day with a three-shot lead, finished at 73-84—157 as both players staggered home over the final nine holes.
Defending champion Gary Rusnak (73-73), former champion Mike Stone (77-69) and former Ohio Open champion Dennis Miller (72-74) all finished at 2-over 146.
Former champion Steve Parker (Firestone CC) and Mark Evans (Barrington Golf Club) tied for fifth at 147, while Nick Paez (GolfTEC-Cleveland West) and Scott Pollack (1899 Indoor Golf-Twinsburg) tied for seventh at 149.
With their finishes, Kenily, Stone, Rusnak and Miller qualified to compete in the 38th Senior PGA Professional Championship in Arizona, October 22-25. Alternates in order are: Steve Parker, Mark Evans, Nick Paez, and Scott Pollack.
Kenily and Miller were locked in a seesaw battle for most of the day, with each taking turns moving to the top of the leaderboard. Both were 1-under through 11 holes. On three consecutive holes — Nos. 14, 15 and 16 — there were two-shot swings, two of them in Kenily’s favor.
The match took a decisive swing, however, on the par-5, 430-yard 16th hole when Miller’s drive disappeared into heavy, thick rough and was never found. Miller ended up with a double-bogey 7 to Kenily’s par. Kenily parred in from there, while Miller bogeyed the final hole.
Suitca didn’t have one of her best days. The mother of two triple-bogeyed the first hole to Liptak’s par, and what had been a three-shot lead became a tie. Neither player was able to take control until the 430-yard 16th. Liptak made bogey and Suitca made double bogey to give Liptak a two-shot lead. A bogey on the final hole made it a one-shot victory.
PHOTO GALLERY: 2026 NOPGA Women’s + Senior Section Championships – Final Round >
FINAL RESULTS: Northern Ohio PGA
2026 NOPGA Women’s + Senior Section Championships
Union Country Club, Dover
Monday, August 24 – Tuesday, August 25, 2026
BlueGolf Hole-by-Hole Women’s Results >
BlueGolf Hole-by-Hole Senior Results >
42nd Senior Professional Championship Results:
QUALIFIERS
1. Sean Kenily, Union Country Club, $2,000.00, *71-71-142 -2
2. Mike Stone, Belmont Country Club, $1,300.00, *77-69-146 +2
2. Gary Rusnak, 1899 Indoor Golf – Twinsburg, $1,300.00, *73-73-146 +2
2. Dennis Miller, PGA Of America Life Member, $1,300.00, *72-74-146 +2
ALTERNATES – IN ORDER
5. Steve Parker, Firestone Country Club, $850.00, *74-73-147 +3
5. Mark Evans, Barrington Golf Club, $850.00, *73-74-147 +3
7. Nick Paez, GolfTEC – Cleveland West, $675.00, *78-71-149 +5
7. Scott Pollack, 1899 Indoor Golf – Twinsburg, $675.00, *75-74-149 +5
DID NOT QUALIFY
9. Rick Sargent, PGA Of America Life Member, $600.00, *70-80-150 +6
10. Dan Sutton, McDivots Driving Range, $525.00, *74-77-151 +7
10. Jason Carbone, Canterbury Golf Club, $525.00, *75-76-151 +7
12. Tom Waitrovich, PGA Of America Life Member, $425.00, *77-75-152 +8
12. Tom Atchison, PGA Of America Life Member, $425.00, *75-77-152 +8
14. Gary Trivisonno, PGA Of America Life Member, $325.00, *77-76-153 +9
14. Mitch Camp, PGA Of America Life Member, $325.00, *72-81-153 +9
6th Women’s Section Championship Results:
1. Emily Liptak, Fairlawn Country Club, $600.00, *76-80-156 +12
2. Mary Suitca, Tannenhauf Golf Club, $400.00, *73-84-157 +13
3. Melissa Greene, Alliance Country Club, $200.00, *81-84-165 +21
