Chardon, Ohio — Larry King had to put his radio away.
The Southern Ohio PGA came into Wednesday singles at the 30th Ohio Cup with a two-point lead and, after the first few hours, the leaderboard and the chatter on the staff radio had become too much.
It was time to go analog.
Old school. Good vibes and better advice, with some classic one-on-one encouragement with his team.
Strokes-gained LK.
Singles got squeaky around lunchtime, you see. The momentum for Wednesday was up for grabs, and the Northern Ohio PGA was giving its best effort to reach out and snatch it.
There was just enough NOPGA blue on the leaderboard to erase the SOPGA advantage from Tuesday four-ball and foursomes. Early leads, potential in the middle, and some heavy hitters waiting made it a dead heat on paper.
But Ohio Cups aren’t won on paper.
They’re won in the grind. In the relationships among teammates pulling for each other after their day is done. In the collective effort only a team can muster, even when things get hard or bleak.
And that’s when the SOPGA, searching for a foothold it felt like would be there forever 24 hours earlier, rediscovered the confidence that has been at the center of its wins in 2025 and in five of the last six years.
It started with an Ohio Cup legend in a bucket hat that might as well have been a gladiator helmet.
Sam Arnold’s 20th Ohio Cup was already going well, up to his lofty standards. Arnold won both of his opening matches with teammate Joe Moore, but his singles match against Sean Kenily had taken a challenging turn.
Kenily won holes 16 and 17 to turn the leaderboard a darker shade of NOPGA red and Arnold found himself in an eerily similar situation: standing on 18 tee and needing to make something happen.
Tuesday morning, Arnold had made birdie on 18 to win their opening match. Now he needed to do it again to stop the bleeding.
A good drive and a decent approach later, Arnold stood over a bunker shot he had to get close. He saved his best swing for last, thumping it out of the sand and into concession range.
It was a birdie, a half point and a lifeline of sorts for everyone else looking for more SOPGA blue.
It continued with Chase Wilson, whose day started in the worst possible way.
Down four through seven holes, Wilson kept chipping away. A birdie here. A clutch par putt there. Wins on 16 and 17 brought him to 18, needing to put a good swing on a crucial drive.
It was harder than it sounds.
Wilson was right here the night before, in the final match of the day, needing to put a drive in the fairway to salvage his foursomes match with teammate Danny Sorgini.
It didn’t go well.
Wilson’s drive went left, too far left, and ended with a point for the NOPGA and some momentum heading into Wednesday.
Redemption came in the form of his best swing of the week.
A huge drive that covered a fairway bunker and left a somewhat comfortable angle into the green. That shot found the front fringe, and his eagle putt ended up just short.
Easy birdie.
Hard victory.
More blue.
Team SOPGA found two more points with dominant wins from Joe Moore and Allie White.
White’s 6&5 singles win capped off one of the more incredible Ohio Cup debuts by anyone, but perhaps all the more remarkable considering the history she made by becoming the first woman to represent the SOPGA in the event’s 30-year history.
She finished the week unbeaten, 2-0-1, and already looks like a Southern Ohio PGA professional who expects to play in the proverbial fall classic every year.
But perhaps the biggest moments for the Southern Ohio PGA came from two unlikely members.
Taylor Suggs, in his second Ohio Cup, matched up against NOPGA veteran Jaysen Hansen in singles play. A rematch from Suggs’ debut in 2024.
Suggs relished the challenge.
He went 2-up after three and kept the pressure on all afternoon. Hansen refused to go away and won holes 15 and 16 to keep the match alive.
Standing on 17 tee, Suggs needed to answer.
He did in a massive way, launching a towering long iron into the long par 3. It was more than enough to close out Hansen and deliver another massive point for the SOPGA, which had now reached 15.5 points.
Victory was in its grasp.
Ohio Cup rookie Brad Loomis got them to 16 with a halve against Jon Jones.
One more point and the Southern Ohio PGA would win the 30th Ohio Cup outright.
Enter Alex Martin.
Down three after three to NOPGA veteran Randy Dietz, Martin had to find a way to stay competitive. After a few wayward drives, his driver went on the bench, and Alex decided to rely on his strengths: ball striking and short game.
It was a wise decision.
Birdies on seven and eight kick-started four straight wins.
Dietz battled back, winning three of the next four holes. Martin responded with wins on 15 and 16, bringing their match tied to the 18th.
Eighteen at Sand Ridge Golf Club isn’t a brute, exactly. Driver isn’t necessarily required to get into position to score.
Martin’s 3-wood found the fairway.
His approach came up just short of the green.
One good chip and the Cup was staying in Southern Ohio.
Short game is Martin’s specialty. His classic, steady-handed wedge landed softly and within easy birdie range.
Game over.
Two in a row.
And suddenly, Larry King could put the radio away for good.
The captain who had spent the morning listening to updates and trying to keep one eye on every match was now surrounded by the people who had made the whole thing matter in the first place.
His players.
His teammates.
His friends.
The anxiety that had sent him searching for something more tangible than a radio had given way to the simplest thing in team golf: joy. The kind that comes from watching one of your guys make the shot he needs to make. The kind that comes from knowing everyone else was pulling for him, too.
The Southern Ohio PGA had won the 30th Ohio Cup.
It was the fifth win in the last six editions and the second straight for the SOPGA, another chapter in what has become a remarkable run of dominance in this event.
But dominance is only part of the story.
Because the Ohio Cup has never really been about a trophy.
Not entirely.
For 30 years, it has been an reason for PGA Professionals from across the state to put their own flags aside for a few days and compete for something bigger than themselves. They arrive as rivals. They leave as friends. They spend a few days trying desperately to beat each other, then shake hands, share stories, and go home to the same profession they love.
That’s the strange beauty of the Ohio Cup.
The Northern Ohio PGA and Southern Ohio PGA represent different corners of the state, different clubs, different cities, different lives. But the same profession runs through all of it. The same early mornings. The same members. The same range conversations. The same long days and small victories that nobody outside the golf business could possibly understand.
For three days, they get to understand each other a little better.
And on Wednesday afternoon, after all the close calls and comebacks and radio chatter, Larry King didn’t need the numbers anymore.
He knew.
His team had done it.
Again.
–Article and photos courtesy of the SOPGA
FINAL RESULTS: NOPGA + SOPGA
2026 30th Ohio Cup
Sand Ridge Golf Club, Chardon
Tuesday, October 6 – Wednesday, October 7, 2026
Blue Golf Match Results >
TUESDAY FOURBALL
Sam Arnold–Joe Moore (SOPGA) def. Steve Parker–Mitch Camp, 1 up; Jaysen Hansen–Jim Troy (NOPGA) def. Bob Sowards–Michael Auterson, 2 and 1; Gary Rusnak–Nick Paez (NOPGA) halved Dave Bahr–Chad Ammer; Jared Jones–Andy Montgomery (SOPGA) def. Ian Haidle–Jordan Paolini, 6 and 4; Nick Gustin–Mark Sierak (NOPGA) halved Corey Weckerling–Allie White; Sean Kenily–Jon Jones (NOPGA) def. Brad Loomis–Mike Thomas, 4 and 3; Michael Balcar–Anthony Panepento (NOPGA) def. Taylor Suggs–Alex Martin, 5 and 3; Chase Wilson–Danny Sorgini (SOPGA) def. Randy Dietz–Cory Kumpf, 1 up.
Fourball Results: NOPGA 4, SOPGA 4
TUESDAY FOURSOMES
Jared Jones–Andy Montgomery (SOPGA) def. Jaysen Hansen–Jim Troy, 6 and 5; Sam Arnold–Joe Moore (SOPGA) def. Sean Kenily–Jon Jones, 3 and 2; Dave Bahr–Chad Ammer (SOPGA) def. Steve Parker–Mitch Camp; Gary Rusnak–Nick Paez (NOPGA) def. Brad Loomis–Mike Thomas, 1 up; Anthony Panepento–Michael Balcar (NOPGA) def. Taylor Suggs–Alex Martin, 2 up; Corey Weckerling–Allie White (SOPGA) def. Ian Haidle–Jordan Paolini, 4 and 2; Bob Sowards–Michael Auterson (SOPGA) def. Cory Kumpf–Randy Dietz, 2 and 1; Nick Gustin–Mark Sierak (NOPGA) def. Danny Sorgini–Chase Wilson, 1 up.
Foursomes Results: SOPGA 5, NOPGA 3
Day 1 Standings: SOPGA 9, NOPGA 7
WEDNESDAY SINGLES
Nick Paez (NOPGA) def. Dave Bahr, 2 and 1; Sean Kenily (NOPGA) halved Sam Arnold; Bob Sowards (SOPGA) def. Cory Kumpf, 5 and 4; Chase Wilson (SOPGA) def. Jim Troy, 1 up; Anthony Panepento (NOPGA) def. Danny Sorgini, 2 and 1; Joe Moore (SOPGA) def. Mitch Camp, 2 and 1; Allie White (SOPGA) def. Ian Haidle, 6 and 5; Gary Rusnak (NOPGA) def. Mike Thomas, 1 up; Taylor Suggs (SOPGA) def. Jaysen Hansen, 3 and 1; Steve Parker (NOPGA) def. Chad Ammer, 7 and 6; Nick Gustin (NOPGA) def. Corey Weckerling, 4 and 3; Jon Jones (NOPGA) halved Brad Loomis; Michael Balcar (NOPGA) def. Michael Auterson, 3 and 1; Alex Martin (SOPGA) def. Randy Dietz, 1 up; Jared Jones (SOPGA) def. Jordan Paolini, 6 and 4; Andy Montgomery (SOPGA) def. Mark Sierak, 2 and 1.
Singles Results: SOPGA 9, NOPGA 7
FINAL TOTALS: SOPGA 18, NOPGA 14
