Balcar Wins His Fourth Title in Five Years
Brandywine Country Club’s Michael Balcar shot rounds of 66-72 for a 36-hole total of 138 and a one-shot victory in the 56th Northern Ohio PGA Assistants Championship at Oberlin Golf Club on Tuesday.
It marked Balcar’s fourth victory in the last five years in this event, which qualified two players to the 49th PGA Assistant Professional Championship in Port St. Lucie, Fla., in November.
The second qualifier is Canterbury assistant Anthony Panepento (70-72=142), joining Balcar on the trip to Florida for the second year in a row. They finished 1-2 last year when the event was played at Shady Hollow. The event also designated three alternates.
2025 national qualifiers Michael Balcar and Anthony Panepento.
Chagrin Valley Country Club’s Antonio Bodziony and Oberlin’s Alex Treuel tied for second place in the tournament at 70-69=149, but are ineligible to advance to nationals as they have not reached qualifying status in the PGA system.
Balcar, whose opening 66 gave him a 4-shot lead, played the second 18 holes in even-par (72). But he ran into some trouble during a two-hole stretch on the front nine of his second round when he went bogey-double-bogey on the 16th and 17th. What was a comfortable lead dropped him into a tie with Bodziony, who birdied three holes in a six-hole stretch midway through his final nine holes.
Balcar, playing behind Bodziony, took the lead for good when he birdied the 376-yard fourth to get to six-under. He parred the final five holes. He missed several birdie opportunities down the stretch but was able to recover after some errant tee shots.
THE ALTERNATES: DJ Holub (Pepper Pike Club) 72-73=145; Jordan Paolini (Shaker Heights Country Club) 74-71=145; Ben Bastel (Lincoln Hills Golf Club) 72-74=146.
PHOTO GALLERY: 2025 NOPGA Assistants Championship >
FINAL RESULTS: Northern Ohio PGA
2025 NOPGA Assistants Championship
Oberlin Golf Club, Oberlin, Ohio
Tuesday, September 2, 2025
Blue Golf Hole-by-Hole Results >
1. Michael Balcar, Toledo, OH, Brandywine Country Club, $1,600.00, *66-72-138 -6
2. Antonio Bodziony, Mentor, OH, Chagrin Valley Country Club, $1,100.00, *70-69-139 -5
2. Alex Treuel, Elyria, OH, Oberlin Golf Club, $1,100.00, *70-69-139 -5
4. Anthony Panepento, Wooster, OH, Canterbury Golf Club, $900.00, *70-72-142 -2
5. Palmer Yenrick, Oregon, OH, Stone Oak Country Club, $850.00, *74-69-143 -1
6. Kyle Buzaki, Stow, OH, Glenmoor Country Club, $750.00, *75-69-144 E
7. Jordan Paolini, Tallmadge, OH, Shaker Heights Country Club, $600.00, *74-71-145 +1
7. DJ Holub, Twinsburg, OH, Pepper Pike Club, $600.00, *72-73-145 +1
9. Ben Bastel, Toledo, OH, Lincoln Hills Golf Club, $450.00, *72-74-146 +2
10. Sean McGuire, Twinsburg, OH, Pepper Pike Club, $400.00, *72-76-148 +4
10. Riley Wilcoxon, Bellefontaine, OH, Liberty Hills Golf Club, $400.00, *75-73-148 +4
10. Chris Capriolo, Westlake, OH, Cappy’s Club Repair, $400.00, *72-76-148 +4
13. Dustin Roth, Norwalk, OH, Eagle Creek Golf Club, $350.00, *74-75-149 +5
14. Matthew Nimsuwan, Strongsville, OH, Brookside Country Club, $312.50, *75-75-150 +6
14. David Morgan, Wellington, OH, Westfield Group Country Club, $312.50, *73-77-150 +6
16. Anthony Cosentino, Northfield, OH, Beechmont Country Club, $275.00, *77-74-151 +7
17. Derek Smith, Parma, OH, Red Tail Golf Club, $158.33, *77-75-152 +8
17. Anthony Julius, Mayfield Heights, OH, The Mayfield Sand Ridge Club – Mayfield, $158.33, *78-74-152 +8
17. Conner Stevens, Brookfield Center, OH, Pine Lakes Golf Club, $158.33, *76-76-152 +8
FULL FIELD RESULTS >
QUALIFIERS
1. Michael Balcar, Toledo, OH, Brandywine Country Club, *66-72-138 -6
2. Anthony Panepento, Wooster, OH, Canterbury Golf Club, *70-72-142 -2
ALTERNATES – IN ORDER
3. DJ Holub, Twinsburg, OH, Pepper Pike Club, *72-73-145 +1
3. Jordan Paolini, Tallmadge, OH, Shaker Heights Country Club, *74-71-145 +1
5. Ben Bastel, Toledo, OH, Lincoln Hills Golf Club, *72-74-146 +2
