New champions in all three divisions will be determined on Wednesday when the Northern Ohio Professional Golfers Association conducts the finals in the 51st Denny Shute Match Play Championship at Portage Country Club.
Two former champions were eliminated during quarterfinal and semifinal play on Tuesday on a bright and brisk day, while another was unable to play due to injury. Defending champions Adam Lewicki and Sean McGuire saw their reins end in earlier rounds.
Here is how the day unfolded in the three divisions:
CHAMPIONSHIP DIVISION
Four-time champion Randy Dietz and 2018 champion Jim Troy played their way into the finals by beating former champions in the semifinals. Dietz, a four-time champion and an instructor at Windmill Golf Center, defeated Shaker Heights Country Club Assistant Professional Jordan Paolini, 2-and-1 in the semifinals after eliminating Optimus Golf Director Mark Sierak, 2-and-1 in the quarterfinals. Dietz birdied the sixth and seventh holes to go 2-up on Paolini and was 3-up at the turn. He maintained the lead the remainder of the way.
Troy, an instructor at the Golf Dome and a five-time Section Player-of-the-Year, reached the finals for the second time in the last three years by beating 2023 champion Anthony Panepento, 5-and-3, in the semifinals and Nick Paez 1 up in the semifinals. Troy took control early with three birdies and was 5-up after nine holes.
Dietz and Troy will begin their 36-hole final at 9:10 on Wednesday.
SENIOR DIVISION
It will be a case of worker vs. the boss when Scott Pollack and Gary Rusnak meet in the finals. Pollack is the Managing Partner of 1899 Golf in Twinsburg and Rusnak is an instructor there. Pollack rallied from an early deficit to beat Firestone Country Club Instructor Steve Parker, 3-and-2, while Rusnak outlasted 2019 champion Tom Waitrovich, 1-up after taking the lead for good on the 15th hole. Rusnak is having a banner season having won the NOPGA Senior Professional Championship and the Mitchell-Haskell Senior Division title. Pollack and Rusnak will begin their 18-hole final at 9:20.
ASSOCIATE DIVISION
Assistant professionals Kyle Buzaki (Glenmoor Country Club) and Antonio Bodziony (Chagrin Valley Country Club) will meet in the finals. Playing in the Shute event for the first time, Buzaki used a hot putter to defeat Riley Wilcoxon (Liberty Hills Golf Club), 4-and-3, in the semifinals after eliminating Weymouth Country Club Assistant David Reiter, 3-and-1, in the quarterfinals. Bodziony birdied the fourth to take the lead for good enroute to a 1-up win over Dan Wasinski (Signature of Solon) in the semifinals after beating Pepper Pike Assistant Professional DJ Holub, 3-and-1, earlier in the day. Buzaki and Bodziony will be the first match out in their 36-hole final at 9 a.m.
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