AT WESTFIELD C.C.: First match goes at 11 a.m.
Warrensville Heights: The South Course at Westfield Country Club will be the site of an historic event when the first Junior Ohio Cup begins on Saturday (October 28) at 11 a.m.
The Junior Ohio Cup, presented by Cobra Puma Golf, is a Ryder Cup-like event between junior teams from the Northern Ohio Section of the Professional Golfers Association and the Southern Ohio Section.
The teams are comprised of eight boys and eight girls between the ages of 14 and 18. They will compete in Four-Ball (aka Best-ball) matches at 11 a.m. on Saturday and singles matches on Sunday.
The players earned their spots on their teams by winning their respective PGA Junior Section Championship or through their status on the season-long Player-of-the-Year points list.
The NOPGA team will be captained by Drew Pierson, PGA and Ben Chandler, PGA will captain the SOPGA team.
MEET THE NOPGA TEAMS
CAPTAIN: Drew Pierson, PGA
The Boys
ARYAN AHLAWAT
Age: 18
Residence: Broadview Heights
Attends: North Royalton High School
Grad Year: 2023
2023 Highlights: Won NOPGA Junior Tour events at Shawnee Hills and Mill Creek . . . Had 21 Top-10 finishes.
RYAN CZENSZAK
Age: 15
Residence: Twinsburg
Attends: Walsh Jesuit High School
Grad Year: 2026
2023 Highlights: Was the winner of NOPGA Junior Tour events at Trumbull Country Club, Wooster Country Club, Manakiki and Gleneagles … Overall, had 18 Top-10 finishes.
RYAN DINAN
Age: 17
Residence: Akron
Attends: Coventry High School
Grad Year: 2024
2023 Highlights: Won NOPGA Junior Tour events at Fox Den and Columbia Hills . . . Added Top-10 finishes in 10 events.
DANIEL GAMBONE
Age: 16
Residence: North Canton
Attends: North Canton Hoover High School
Grad Year: 2025
2023 Highlights: Was the winner of the NOPGA Junior Section Championship at Oberlin, giving him automatic bid to the Junior Ohio Cup . . . Overall, had 12 Top-10 finishes.
DEXTER JAMES
Age: 14
Residence: Hudson
Attends: Hudson High School
Grad Year: 2027
2023 Highlights: Was a dominant player in his age group with victories at Trumbull Country Club, Black Brook, Plum Brook, Eagle Creek, Wooster Country Club, Shawnee Hills and Tannenhauf. That’s seven wins and 25 Top-10 finishes.
TREY LAUTENSCHLEGER
Age: 18
Residence: Dover
Attends: Massillon Washington High School
Grad Year: 2024
2023 Highlights: Among his 11 Top-10 finishes was a victory in the NOPGA Junior Tour event at Avon Oaks Country Club.
NATHAN MENAPACE
Age: 17
Residence: New Philadelphia
Attends: New Philadelphia High School
Grad Year: 2024:
2023 Highlights: Finished the season with 10 Top-10 finishes.
SION PARK
Age: 18
Residence: Westlake
Attends: Westlake High School
Grad Year: 2024
2023 Highlights: Was an individual qualifier to the OHSAA state tournament after getting Junior Tour wins at Plum Brook, Eagle Creek, Turkeyfoot Lakes, Wooster Country Club and Riceland.
The Girls
JULIA VAN BOKKELEN
Age: 16
Residence: Hudson
Attends: Hudson High School
Grad Year: 2025
2023 Highlights: 15 Top-10 finishes in NOPGA events; member of the Hudson team that qualified for the OHSAA state tournament.
EMILY BURLING
Age: 17
Residence: Hudson
Attends: Hudson High School
Grad Year: 2025
2023 Highlights: Had three victories on the NOPGA Junior Tour – Old Avalon Stableford; Catawba Island Club and Fox Den . . . Posted 11 Top-10 finishes . . .Member of the Hudson team that qualified for the OHSAA state tournament.
KRISTINA CHILL
Age: 15
Residence: Columbia Station
Attends: Magnificat High School
Grad Year: 2026
2023 Highlights: Had NOPGA Junior Tour wins at Black Brook, Glenmoor, Columbia Hills and Manakiki . . .Had 13 Top-10 finishes . . . A member of the Magnificat team that finished as the Division I state runner up in the OHSAA state tournament.
BROOKLYN MILLARD
Age: 17
Residence: Aurora
Attends: Aurora High School
Grad Year: 2024
2023 Highlights: Won the Junior PGA Section Championship at Oberlin Golf Club, giving her an automatic bid to the Junior Ohio Cup.
ANNELISE STENCEL
Age: 17
Residence: Akron
Attends: Walsh Jesuit High School
Grad Year: 2024
2023 Highlights: Finished in the Top-10 in 10 events.
ALEXANDRIA VARDON
Age: 17
Residence: Akron
Attends: Firestone High School
Grad Year: 2024
2023 Highlights: Recorded 13 Top-10 finishes
GRACYN VIDOVIC
Age: 16
Residence: Aurora
Attends: Aurora High School
Grad Year: 2025
2023 Highlights: Had NOPGA Junior Tour victories at Ellsworth Meadows, Wooster Country Club, Shawnee Hills and Gleneagles . . . Was an individual qualifier to the state tournament . . .Had 11 Top-10 finishes.
SERENA WU
Age: 15
Residence: Solon
Attends: Solon High School
Grad Year: 2026
2023 Highlights: Won the NOPGA Tour Championship at Club Walden and was an individual qualifier for the OHSAA state tournament . . . Arguably was the NOPGA Junior Tour’s dominant player, winning 11 times at Old Avalon, Ashland, Lake Forest, Plum Brook, Legends of Massillon, Turkeyfoot Lake, Mill Creek, Windmill Lakes, Pine Hills and Punderson . . . Overall had 18 Top-10s.
MEET THE SOPGA TEAMS
Captain: Ben Chandler, PGA The Boys
CAMERON PHILLIPS
Age: 17
Residence: McDermott
Attends: Lucasville Valley High School
Grad Year: 2025
2023 Highlights: Had one SOPGA Junior Tour victory this summer.
ANDY STEED
Age: 16
Residence: Wilmington
Attends: Clinton-Massie High School
Grad Year: 2025
2023 Highlights: He was the Division II state runnerup by two strokes in this year’s Division II state tournament at Northstar with consecutive rounds of 75 . . . Posted 10 victories and 19 Top-10 finishes in SOPGA events this summer.
GRIFF TURNER
Age: 17
Residence: Enon
Attends: Grenon High School
Grad Year: 2024
2023 Highlights: Finished in the Top 10 in 12 SOPGA events this summer.
ZACH HARTLEY
Age: 18
Residence: Dayton
Attends: Centerville High School
Grad Year: 2024
2023 Highlights: Finished in the Top 10 in 12 SOPGA events this summer.
JAMES WEI
Age: 16
Residence: Dublin
Attends: Dublin Jerome High School
Grad Year: 2025
2023 Highlights: Had one victory and 10 Top-10 finishes in SOPGA events this summer.
COLIN CLEARY
Age: 18
Residence: Columbus
Attends: Grandview Heights High School
Grad Year: 2023
2023 Highlights: Nine Top-10 finishes in SOPGA events this summer.
LUCAS MASSA
Age: 14
Residence: Howard
Attends: Home schooled
Grad Year: 2027
2023 Highlights: He won four SOPGA events enroute to having 17 Top-10 finishes this summer.
OWEN WHITE
Age: 15
Residence: Tipp City
Attends: Tippecanoe High School
Grad Year: 2027
2023 Highlights: Posted three SOPGA victories and 12 Top-10 finishes this summer.
The Girls
ADDIE YARBROUGH
Age: 17
Residence: Dublin
Attends: Dublin Jerome High School
Grad Year: 2024
2023 Highlights: Was a member of the Division I state championship team after posting one victory and three Top-10 finishes in SOPGA events this summer.
PAIGE WEISS
Age: 16
Residence: Orient
Attends: Westfall High School
Grad Year: 2025
2023 Highlights: Was the medalist – placing T4 individually — for the team that finished eighth in the Division II state tournament. Had six victories and 13 Top-10 finishes in SOPGA events.
KATELYN MILEY
Age: 16
Residence: Galion
Attends: Northmoor High School
Grad Year: 2025
2023 Highlights: Turned in 13 Top-10 finishes in SOPGA events.
GRACE BOONE
Age: 16
Residence: Blanchester
Attends: Clinton-Massie High School
Grad Year: 2025
2023 Highlights: Two victories and nine Top-10 finishes in SOPGA tournaments this summer.
AVA BRESSLER
Age: 16
Residence: Dayton
Attends: Centerville High School
Grad Year: 2025
2023 Highlights: Did not win an event but had a whopping 15 Top-10 finishes in SOPGA tournaments this summer.
ABBY HARWOOD
Age: 18
Residence: Dayton
Attends: Centerville High School
Grad Year: 2023
2023 Highlights: Had a prosperous SOPGA summer with five victories and eight To-10 finishes.
CADENCE MONROE-MCCOY
Age:14
Residence: Springfield
Attends: Northwestern High School
Grad Year: 2027
2023 Highlights: Her name was on many SOPGA leaderboards this summer with five victories and a stunning 17 Top-10 finishes.
REBEKAH HARTLEY
Age: 15
Residence: Dayton
Attends: Centerville High School
Grad Year: 2026
2023 Highlights: Three SOPGA victories and 16 Top-10 finishes suggests a future as bright as the present.
THE SCHEDULE: Friday, Oct. 27, Practice rounds; Saturday, Oct. 28, Four-Ball matches, 11 a.m.; Sunday, Oct. 29, Singles matches, 10 a.m..
SATURDAY FOUR-BALL PAIRINGS (NOPGA players listed first)
First match goes off at 11 a.m.
Girls
MATCH 1: Gracyn Vidovic & Kristina Chill vs. Paige Weiss & Katelyn Miley; MATCH 2: Brooklyn Millard & Julia Van Bokkelen vs. Addie Yarbrough & Rebekah Harley; MATCH 3: Serena Wu & Annelise Stencel vs. Grace Boone & Abby Haywood; MATCH 4: Emily Burling & Alex Vardon vs. Cadence Monroe-McCoy & Ava Bressler.
Boys
MATCH 1: Ryan Dinan & Aryan Ahlawat vs. Andy Steed & Griff Tuner; MATCH 2: Sion Park & Ryan Czenszak vs. Cameron Phillips & Lucas Massa; MATCH 3: Daniel Gambone & Nathan Menapace vs. Zach Hartley & Owen White; MATCH 4: Trey Lautenschleger & Dexter James vs. Colin Cleary & James Wei.
SUNDAY SINGLES PAIRINGS (NOPGA players listed first)
First match goes off at 10 a.m.
Girls
MATCH 1: Brooklyn Millard vs. Paige Weiss; MATCH 2: Gracyn Vidovic vs. Addie Yarbrough; MATCH 3: Serena Wu vs. Abby Haywood; MATCH 4: Emily Burling vs. Katelyn Miley; MATCH 5: Kristina Chill vs. Ava Bressler; MATCH 6: Annelise Stencel vs. Cadence Monroe-McCoy; MATCH 7: Alex Vardon vs. Grace Boone; MATCH 8: Julia Van Bokkelen vs. Rebekah Hartley.
Boys
MATCH 1: Ryan Dinan vs. Cameron Phillips; MATCH 2: Sion Park vs. Andy Steed; MATCH 3: Daniel Gambone vs. Zach Hartley; MATCH 4: Trey Lautenschleger vs. Griff Turner; MATCH 5: Nathan Menapace vs. Colin Cleary; MATCH 6: Aryan Ahlawat vs. Lucas Massa; MATCH 7: Dexter James vs. Owen White; MATCH 8: Ryan Czenszak vs. James Wei.
Hey, 19: Four players in the Junior Ohio Cup share a stat from the recent girls Division I state tournament. The NOPGA’s Gracyn Vidovic (Aurora), Emily Burling (Hudson) and Serena Wu (Solon) and the SOPGA’s Addie Yarbrough (Dublin) were all part of a six-player tie for 19th, all at 154. Burling had the lowest 18 holes with a second-round 73.
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For questions regarding the Jr. Ohio Cup, contact Northern Ohio’s Haleigh Gray at hgray@pgahq.com or Southern Ohio’s Alex Heban at aheban@pgahq.com
About the Northern Ohio PGA Junior Tour
Founded in 1982 the Northern Ohio PGA Junior Tour is dedicated to providing competitive golf opportunities for junior golfers in the Northern Ohio area. The tour offers a variety of events for players of all skill levels, including a 9-hole Futures Tour, 18-hole tournament series, Collegiate Preview events, and 36 Hole championships. Through its programs, the Northern Ohio PGA Junior Tour strives to foster a love for the game of golf, develop sportsmanship and integrity, and prepare young golfers for the next level of competition. Find out more at thenorthernohiopga.com.
About the Southern Ohio PGA Junior Tour
The SOPGA Jr. Tour was established in 2008 by the Southern Ohio PGA as an extension of the association’s more than 500 Members and Associates teaching juniors the game of golf throughout Central and Southern Ohio. Through the Players Series and Junior Series, the SOPGA Jr. Tour aims to develop young golfers while providing outstanding competitions on a local level. For almost 15 years, the SOPGA Jr. Tour has fostered the values of the game, like sportsmanship and integrity, among its members. Find out more at southernohiojuniorgolf.com.
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