By Tim Rogers
NOPGA Media
CANFIELD, Ohio – For Jon Jones, this is new territory.
During the second round of the Northern Ohio PGA Professional Championship on Tuesday, Jones will try to increase – or hold on to – the two-stroke lead he built during Monday’s first round when he threw a 4-under 68 at the field of 55 other professionals.
The longtime assistant professional at Youngstown Country Club has yet to win the Section championship but has been a solid player all season. He has won twice and has nine top-10 finishes since April and has almost clinched a spot on the Senior Division team for the Ohio Cup.
The top five finishers in the Rolex Points Race will qualify for the Ohio Cup team event.
Jones, 58, made an eagle and four birdies over an eight-hole stretch to build a two-shot lead over Pepper Pike Head professional and five-time winner Rob Moss (35-35=70), who stands alone in second place heading into Tuesday’s middle 18 of the 54-hole event.
Five players, including Toledo Country Club head professional and 2020 champion Jaysen Hansen (36-35), are tied for third, and 2019 champion Mike Stone (37-35=72) is alone in eighth place, just four strokes back.
The event, won by such notables as Denny Shute, Frank Stranahan, Herman Keiser, Charlie Sifford and Don Padgett II, is also known as the Section championship and is the final event of the season in determining the regular division of the NOPGA team that will face Southern Ohio in the Ohio Cup Matches in October. Also, the top five finishers will qualify for the 58th National Professional Championship to be played in Bandon Dunes Golf Resort in Bandon, Ore., in April.
Hansen, second on the Section’s Regular Division Rolex Points race, shares third place with Optimus Golf owner Mark Sierak (36-35), GolfTec-Stonebrook instructor Jared Toom (35-36), 1899-Indoor Golf managing partner Scott Pollack (36-35) and Erie Shores head professional Nick Gustin (35-36), all at one-under 71.
The second round of the Professional Championship began at 8:30 a.m. Tuesday.
Even with little wind, Tippecanoe’s 6,750-yards were tough yards to negotiate. The scores reflected the firm and fast conditions. Only eight players in the field of 56 were able to match or break par.
“It was as firm and fast as we have played all year,” said Jones, who is playing in his Section co-leading 12th event of the season.
Jones, second in the NOPGA Senior Division point race, said his five-birdie, two-bogey outing was one of his best in this event. He hit 15 greens and did not make a three-putt.
“Given the circumstances, this was as solid a round as I’ve had,” he said. “I hit a lot of fairways and hit 15 greens, and my iron play was very good. That makes it a lot easier.”
Jones, who has qualified for the National Professional Championship five times, kicked his round into high gear with an eagle on the 508-yard seventh hole and followed with the first of four birdies on the 431-yard eighth. A bogey on the 11th dropped him to one-under, but he reeled off three consecutive birdies on holes 12 through 14.
Jones set up his eagle with a 6-iron shot from 192 yards that left him with a tap-in. He made a 21-foot putt for his subsequent birdie on the eighth and added birdie putts of 6 feet, 12 feet and another tap-in on the 549-yard 14th.
With 36 holes remaining, Jones knows as well as anyone that the finish line is miles away.
“You can’t win the tournament on Day One, but you can lose it,” he said, repeating the oft-mentioned phrase regarding great starts. “I stayed within myself and had a good game plan coming in. Today was a great test of golf. The course played tough.”
Moss, seeking an unprecedented sixth title, has seemingly made progress in his putting woes. He made four birdies, several from a challenging distance.
“I got off to a good start, but you can’t say you’re in contention until the final nine holes on Wednesday,” he said, while working on his putting game after his round. “We’ll just keep doing what we’ve been doing and we’ll see what happens.”
It has been a cruel season for the five-time NOPGA Player-of-the-Year. He stands 11th in the Rolex race and is looking for his first victory of the season.
Hansen, second on the Rolex list, birdied two of his final four holes to get into the red numbers. After an up-and-down front nine, Pollack birdied the final two holes for his 71. Sierak made the turn at even, birdied the 10th and finished with eight straight pars, and Toom had 17 pars and one birdie to join the leaders.
Results Through Round 1
1. Jon Jones, Youngstown Country Club, *34-34-68 -4
2. Rob Moss, Pepper Pike Club, *35-35-70 -2
3. Nick Gustin, Erie Shores Golf Course, *35-36-71 -1
3. Jaysen Hansen, The Toledo Country Club, *36-35-71 -1
3. Scott Pollack, 1899 Indoor Golf – Twinsburg, *36-35-71 -1
3. Mark Sierak, Optimus Golf, *36-35-71 -1
3. Jared Toom, GolfTEC-Stonebrook, *35-36-71 -1
8. Mike Stone, Belmont Country Club, *37-35-72 E
9. Milton Carswell, Stone Oak Country Club, *36-37-73 +1
9. Sean Kenily, Union Country Club, *37-36-73 +1
9. Dennis Miller, PGA Of America Life Member, *35-38-73 +1
12. Tony Adcock, Foxy Golf Canton, *37-37-74 +2
12. Mark Bixler, Kirtland Country Club, *39-35-74 +2
12. Jordan Paolini, Shaker Heights Country Club, *35-39-74 +2
12. Steve Parker, Firestone Country Club, *36-38-74 +2
12. Joe Sabatino, North Olmsted Golf Club, *35-39-74 +2
17. Cory Kumpf, Brookside Country Club, *37-38-75 +3
17. Nick Paez, GolfTEC – Cleveland West, *39-36-75 +3
17. Sean Patrick, Tippecanoe Country Club, *38-37-75 +3
17. Gary Rusnak, 1899 Indoor Golf – Twinsburg, *39-36-75 +3
17. Jim Troy, The Golf Dome, *39-36-75 +3
22. Christopher Carfangia, Pine Lakes Golf Club, *39-37-76 +4
22. Randy Dietz, Windmill Golf Center, *38-38-76 +4
22. Bret James, Sylvania Country Club, *39-37-76 +4
22. Collin McEndree, Club Walden, *40-36-76 +4
22. Anthony Panepento, Canterbury Golf Club, *38-38-76 +4
22. Tim Perin, Lakewood Country Club, *34-42-76 +4
22. Drew Pierson, The Clubhouse, *38-38-76 +4
22. Kevin Sullivan, Quail Hollow Country Club – Weiskopf/Morrish, *40-36-76 +4
22. Gary Trivisonno, PGA Of America Life Member, *35-41-76 +4
31. Zac Cork, Lakewood Country Club, *41-36-77 +5
31. Ian Haidle, Shady Hollow Country Club, *40-37-77 +5
31. Scott Karabin, Old Avalon Golf Course, *38-39-77 +5
31. Adam Lewicki, Portage Country Club, *39-38-77 +5
31. William McKinley, Sharon Golf Club, *42-35-77 +5
31. Tony Milam, North Coast Junior Tour, *38-39-77 +5
31. Mark Scott Jr., Westwood Country Club, *39-38-77 +5
31. Daniel Terry, Chippewa Golf Club – Doylestown, *40-37-77 +5
31. Tom Waitrovich, PGA Of America Life Member, *41-36-77 +5
Pictured at top: Jon Jones, Youngstown Country Club assistant professional, leads after Round 1.