A relative newcomer and a face familiar to many Northern Ohio Professional Golfers Association members are the first-round leaders in separate major events at Union Country Club.
Rick Sargent, who recently returned to competitive golf after about a 15-year layoff, shot an opening 2-under 70 on Monday and is the leader in the 42nd NOPGA Senior Professional Championship.
Four-time champion Mary Suitca, head professional at Tannenhauf Golf Club, shot a 1-over 73 and has a three-shot lead in the sixth NOPGA Women’s Professional Championship.
Both events, also known as Section Championships, conclude on Tuesday.
Sargent, 68, used a torrid second nine, which he played in 4-under 32, to build a one-shot lead over host professional Sean Kenily, the Director of Golf at Union.
NOPGA Hall of Famer and 2014 Section champion Mitch Camp and 1996 Ohio Open champion Dennis Miller share third place at even-par 72, while defending champion Gary Rusnak and Barrington Golf Club Head Professional Mark Evans are tied for fifth at 1-over 73.
While not as long as previous host venues, Union’s 6,500 yards gave many players trouble. Only four in the field of 33 were able to beat or match par 72.
The Senior Professional Championship has significant meaning for the men, as it will qualify four players for the 38th Senior PGA Professional Championship in October. It is also the last event in which players can make the NOPGA Senior Team for the 30th annual Ohio Cup Matches, to be held Oct. 5-7 at the Mayfield Sand Ridge Club in Chardon. Only six players can make that team based on the Titleist/FootJoy Senior Points List.
Sargent, a native Californian who was raised in the Chicago area, relocated to Ohio in 2012 following a successful teaching and playing career in Florida. He had limited his competitive playing time due to hip, arm and knee surgeries. He has spent most of his summers as a caddie at Firestone.
After a slow start with three consecutive bogeys, he made the turn in 3-over but quickly began turning things around with birdies on four of his first seven holes on the back nine. He played his second nine bogey-free.
He began playing in NOPGA events in June.
Suitca’s round of 35-38 gave her a three-shot lead over Fairlawn Country Club Assistant Professional Emily Liptak, who went 39-37.
Alliance Country Club Assistant Professional Melissa Greene stands third at 81, while NOPGA Director of Junior Golf Haleigh Ditto is in fourth at 88 and Avon Oaks Assistant Professional Erin Craig is in fifth at 93.
Sargent, who now lives in Hudson, used spot-on approach shots to set up three of his four birdies on the closing nine. His 7-iron shot stopped four feet from the hole on the 337-yard 10th, and a wedge from 110 yards came within one foot of going in on the 11th, also playing to 337 yards. He made a 15-foot downhill putt for birdie on the par-3 14th and a par-saving 8-footer on the 317-yard 15th. His short-iron play showed up again on the 430-yard, par-5 16th, when another wedge shot got to four feet from 86 yards.
Suitca is looking to win this event for the fifth time and on a fourth course. She won in 2021 at Lakewood Country Club, in 2022 at Westfield Country Club and in 2024 and 2025 at Tippecanoe Country Club. She owns tournament records for the lowest single round, a 72 at Westfield, and the lowest 36-hole total, a 147 at Westfield and Lakewood.
Her front nine included two birdies and one bogey. After a bogey on the 10th, she parred seven of her final eight holes.
Liptak, a graduate of Green High School and the University of Akron, made the turn at 3-over after a double bogey on the par-3 eighth and a bogey on the ninth offset her birdie on the 540-yard seventh.
Brief trouble arose after she parred the first three holes on the back, as she made a double bogey on the 501-yard 13th. She answered with birdies on the 14th and 16th but finished the back nine in 37 with a bogey on the penultimate 17th.
PHOTO GALLERY: 2026 NOPGA Women’s + Senior Section Championships – Round 1 >
RD1 RESULTS: Northern Ohio PGA
2026 NOPGA Women’s + Senior Section Championships
Union Country Club, Dover
Monday, August 24, 2026
BlueGolf Hole-by-Hole Women’s Results >
BlueGolf Hole-by-Hole Senior Results >
