The final individual stroke-play event conducted in 2025 by the Northern Ohio Section of the Professional Golfers Association takes place on September 29-30 with the playing of the 24th Mitchell-Haskell Tour Championship at The Country Club in Pepper Pike.
The 36-hole, no-cut tournament, also known as the NOPGA Tour Championship, will feature some of the most accomplished players in the Northern Ohio Section. Those eligible to play include:
– Any winner of a Section event in 2025
– Former Mitchell-Haskell Tour Championship winners
– Former Denny Shute Match Play Champions
– The top 30 members, 15 seniors and six associates off the respective points lists.
Review of 2024: Outstanding final rounds propelled Brookside Country Club Director of Instruction Blake Sattler and 1899-Indoor Golf Twinsburg Instructor Gary Rusnak to the respective championships. Sattler shot a final-round 6-under 66 – the lowest round of the tournament — to overtake first-round leader Michael Balcar with a final total of 8-under 70-66=136 to win the Regular Division. Rusnak added a final-round 5-under 67 to an opening 73 for a 4-under 140 and a two-shot win. Balcar, the assistant at Brandywine Country Club in Maumee, finished second to Sattler with rounds of 68-70=138. North Coast Junior Tour Director Tony Milam finished second in the Senior Division at 73-69=142.
Top 5 finishers, 2024, Regular Division: 1. Blake Sattler (Brookside Country Club) 70-66=136; 2. Michael Balcar (Brandywine Country Club) 68-70=136; 3. Sean McGuire (Pepper Pike Club) 73-70=143; 4. Jaysen Hansen (Toledo Country Club) 73-71=144; 5. Jordan Paolini (Shaker Heights Country Club) 75-70=145.
Top 5 Finishers, 2024, Senior Division: 1. Gary Rusnak (1899-Golf, Twinsburg) 73-67=140; 2. Tony Milam (North Coast Junior Tour) 73-69=142; 3. Mitch Camp (PGA Life Member) 74-69=143; T4. Tom Atchison (PGA Life Member) 73-74=147; T4: Jason Carbone (Canterbury Golf Club) 73-74=147.
THE PAST WINNERS
Championship Division: 2024: Blake Sattler; 2023: Mark Sierak; 2022: Randy Dietz; 2021: Jim Troy; 2020: Jim Troy; 2019: Randy Dietz; 2018: Jim Troy; 2017: Rob Moss; 2016: Casey Schraeder; 2015: Andrew Shiflet; 2014: Jaysen Hansen; 2013: David Champagne; 2012: Rob Moss; 2011: Tony Adcock; 2010: Jason Reddington; 2009: Steve Mulcahy; 2008: Todd Lancaster; 2007: Ben Farina; 2006: Jaysen Hansen/Mitch Flemming; 2005: Michael Ferry; 2004: Steve Mulcahy; 2003: Mitch Camp; 2002: Eric Morgan.
Senior Division: 2024: Gary Rusnak; 2023: Mike Stone; 2022: Tom Atchison; 2021: Steve Parker; 2020: Gary Rusnak; 2019: Gary Robison; 2018: Gary Robison; 2017: Craig Goldsberry; 2016: Gary Robison; 2015: Tom Atchison; 2014: Tom Atchison; 2013: Tom Atchison; 2012: Gary Robison; 2011: Tom Atchison; 2010: Tom Waitrovich/Gary Robison; 2009: Jim Logue; 2008: Gary Robison; 2007: Gary Robison; 2006: Gary Robison/Dan Priest/Gary Baker; 2005: Jim Logue; 2004: Tom Herzan; 2003: Bob Barto.
TOP WINNERS OF THE MITCHELL-HASKELL TOUR CHAMPIONSHIP
Championship Division: Jim Troy 3 (2018, 2020, 2021); Randy Dietz 2 (2019, 2022); Rob Moss 2 (2012, 2017); Jaysen Hansen 2 (2014, 2016 w/Mitch Flemming).
Senior Division: Gary Robison 7 (2018, 2016, 2012, 2010 shared w/Tom Waitrovich, 2008, 2007, 2006 shared w/Dan Priest & Gary Baker); Tom Atchison 5 (2022, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2011); Jim Logue 2 (2005, 2009).
GOING LOW AT THE MITCHELL-HASKELL TOUR CHAMPIONSHIP
Numerous low scores posted throughout the history of the Mitchell-Haskell Tour Championship with former Pepper Pike Club Assistant Casey Schraeder owning the lowest with an opening-round 64 (8-under) in 2016. Schraeder went on to win the tournament, adding a final-round 74 for a 138 total and a three-shot victory over Beechmont head professional Jaysen Hansen (70-71). (Hansen has since become head professional at Toledo CC).
LOWEST SINGLE ROUND SCORES IN THE LAST 10 YEARS:
64: Casey Schraeder, 1st round 2016.
66: Jaysen Hansen, 2nd round, 2014; Mike Stone, 2nd round, 2019; Blake Sattler, 2nd round, 2024.
67: Mike Stone, 2nd round, 2014; Gary Rusnak, 2nd round, 2024.
68: Andrew Shiflet, 1st round, 2015; Tim Perrin, 2nd round, 2016; Mike Stone, 2nd round, 2017; Jim Troy, 1st round, 2020; Randy Dietz, 1st round, 2022; Adam Lewicki, 1st round, 2022; Jim Troy, 1st round, 2022; DJ Holub, 1st round, 2022; Michael Balcar, 1st round, 2023; Michael Balcar, 1st round, 2024.
69: Mike Frisina, 1st round, 2014; Nathan Tarter, 2nd round, 2017; Randy Dietz, 1st round, 2019; Collin Slattery, 2nd round, 2019; Jim Troy, 1st round, 2021; Rob Moss, 1st round, 2021; Collin Slattery, 1st round, 2021; Jaysen Hansen, 1st round, 2022; Jordan Paolini, 1st round, 2021; Mark Scott Jr., 1st round, 2022; Sean McGuire, 1st round, 2022; Michael Balcar, 1st round, 2022; Tony Milam, 2nd round, 2024; Mitch Camp, 2nd round, 2024.
AND FOR THE LOW 36 FOR THE LAST 10 YEARS
Regular Division: 136: Blake Sattler (70-66), 2024
Senior Division: 134: Tom Atchison (66-68), 2022
Apprentice Division: 136: Blake Sattler (70-66), 2024
Note: Atchison’s 134 was shot at Brookside CC
BACK FOR ANOTHER SHOT: As one of the Section’s “majors” the Tour Championship easily attracts former winners. Eleven former champs have entered the 24th edition. They are in alphabetical order, with the year they won with “R” meaning Regular Division and “S” meaning Senior Division:
Tony Adcock, 2011R; Mitch Camp, 2003R; Randy Dietz, 2019R, 2022R; Jaysen Hansen, 2006R, 2014R; Rob Moss, 2012R, 2017R; Gary Rusnak, 2020S, 2024S; Blake Sattler, 2024R; Mark Sierak, 2023R; Mike Stone, 2023S; Jim Troy, 2018R, 2020R, 2021R; Tom Waitrovich, 2010S.
WHO ARE MITCHELL & HASKELL?: Joe Mitchell was the long-time head professional at The Country Club and long-time member Coburn Haskell is credited with patenting the modern golf ball in 1899.
HOME, SWEET HOME: The Country Club, founded in 1889, has been the gracious host of the Mitchell-Haskell Tour Championship for 22 of the 23 years the tournament has been played. The only year it wasn’t held at Country was in 2022 when the club was undergoing a massive restoration. Brookside Country Club in Canton hosted the event in 2022 with Randy Dietz winning the second of his two Tour titles in the Regular Division and Tom Atchison winning the last of his five Senior Division titles. Sadly, Atchison has missed the entire 2025 season following knee surgery.
THE ROLEX PLAYER-OF-THE-YEAR RACES IN THE HOME STRETCH
Two of the three NOPGA Rolex Player-of-the-Year races remain undecided and the outcome of the final two events of the year – the Mitchell-Haskell and the Denny Shute Match Play (Oct.13-15 at Portage CC) — could play a role in determining the outcome. Here are the leaders in each division:
CHAMPIONSHIP DIVISION
PLAYER & AFFILIATION | EVENTS PLAYED | POINTS
1. Jaysen Hansen, Toledo CC 12 1005.06
2. Jim Troy, The Golf Dome 11 998.71
3. Anthony Panepento, Canterbury 10 690.74
4. Mark Sierak, Optimus Golf 10 658.20
5. Randy Dietz, Windmill Golf Center 11 642.66
SENIOR DIVISION
PLAYER & AFFILIATION | EVENTS PLAYED | POINTS
1. Mike Stone, Belmont CC 9 475.50
2. Gary Rusank, 1899 Golf 11 389.67
3. Jon Jones, Youngstown CC 11 322.67
4. Mitch Camp, PGA Life Member 11 259.60
5. Scott Pollack, 1899 Golf 11 253.60
ASSOCIATE DIVISION
PLAYER & AFFILIATION | EVENTS PLAYED | POINTS
1. Blake Sattler, Brookside CC 11 1,298.30
2. Michael Balcar, Brandywine CC 10 1,911.25
3. Kyle Buzaki, Glenmoor CC 12 1,159.81
4. Antonio Bodziony, Chagrin Valley CC 11 769.95
5. Sean McGuire, Pepper Pike 09 725.36
2025 MITCHELL-HASKELL TOUR CHAMPIONSHIP FAST FACTS
WHAT: 24th annual Mitchell-Haskell Tour Championship
WHEN: September 29-30, 2025
WHERE: The Country Club, 2825 Lander Rd., Pepper Pike
WHO: Those eligible include any winner of a Section event in 2025; former Mitchell-Haskell Tour winners; former Denny Shute Match Play Champions; the top 30 members, 15 seniors and six associates off the respective Rolex point lists.
FORMAT: 36 holes stroke play, no cut, Regular & Senior Divisions
SPONSORS: ClubCar, Pepsi, Holderness & Bourne
THE COUNTRY CLUB: It was founded in 1889 by Cleveland industrialist and philanthropist Samuel Mather, once the richest man in Ohio. The course was designed by William Flynn in 1928 and restored in 2022 by noted architect Gil Hanse in 2022. For this event the course will play at 7,129 yards with a par of 72.
DIRECTOR OF GOLF: Steve Bordner; HEAD GOLF PROFESSIONAL: Evan Bryan.
DEFENDING CHAMPIONS: Regular Division: Blake Sattler (Brookside CC) 70-66=136 (-8); Senior Division: Gary Rusnak (1899 Golf) 73-67=140 (-4).
