DAYTON, OH – Sam Arnold, PGA, and Bob Sowards, PGA, are tied for the lead at three-under-par in the 78th Southern Ohio PGA Senior Professional Championship presented by Cadillac held at Walnut Grove Country Club in Dayton, OH.

Sam Arnold, PGA, once again, holds the overnight lead at the Southern Ohio PGA Senior Professional Championship. This time last year, the General Manager at Vineyard Golf Course in Cincinnati held a one-stroke lead over the field heading into the final round. Fast forward to this year and Arnold finds himself in a similar situation after opening the Championship with a three-under-par 69. Three birdies in the first seven holes put him in a good position to begin the tournament. After a tumultuous back-nine, Arnold closed the round on top of the leaderboard as he looked to win his first Senior Championship.

Tied at the top of the leaderboard heading into the final round is five-time defending champion Bob Sowards, PGA Director of Instruction at Kinsale Golf & Fitness Club in Powell. Opening the tournament even-par, Sowards made his move up the leaderboard on the back-nine with a hole-out eagle from 77 yards on the par-four 14th hole to finish the round three-under-par 69.

A trio of players sit one shot behind after consistent rounds of even-par 72; John Gordon, PGA Superintendent at Oxford Country Club, Mike Kaido, PGA General Manager at Zanesville Country Club and Tim Krapfel, PGA Head Professional at Bel-Wood Country Course.

The Final round begins Thursday, August 31 at 8:00 AM. The top-five finishers in the 78th SOPGA Senior Professional Championship will qualify for the 2023 Senior PGA Professional Championship scheduled to be played October 26-29, 2023 at PGA Golf Club in Port St. Lucie, FL. Five alternate player spots are also available to the top players. 

Sowards is exempt into the 2023 PGA Senior Professional Championship based on his finish at previous championships. 

To view tee times for the final round of the Southern Ohio PGA Senior Professional Championship, click here. 

To view the full Southern Ohio PGA Senior Professional Championship leaderboard, click here. 

The 2023 Southern Ohio Senior PGA Professional Championship is presented by Cadillac.

Thanks to the team at Walnut Grove Country Club for their commitment to hosting the 78th Southern Ohio PGA Senior Professional Championship. 

 

Final Results 

T1  Sam Arnold       Vineyard Golf Course                  34-35–69 -3  

 T1  Bob Sowards      Kinsale Golf & Fitness Club           36-33–69 -3  

 T3  John Gordon      Oxford Country Club                   36-36–72 E   

 T3  Mike Kaido       Zanesville Country Club               36-36–72 E   

 T3  Tim Krapfel      Bel-Wood Country Club                 36-36–72 E   

 T6  Pat Delaney      Reid Memorial Park Golf Course        37-36–73 +1  

 T6  Zachary Fink     Beckett Ridge Country  Club           37-36–73 +1  

 T6  Dan Gage         Wedgewood Golf & Country Club         39-34–73 +1  

 T9  Chad Ammer       Maketewah Country Club                37-37–74 +2  

 T9  Tom Bach         Heatherwoode Golf Club                37-37–74 +2  

 T9  Ken Corliss      The Golf Club of Dublin               36-38–74 +2  

 T9  Craig Goldsberry PGA Life Member                       36-38–74 +2  

 T9  Barry Hinckley   Jefferson Golf & Country Club         39-35–74 +2  

 T9  Brian Jones      Kenwood Country Club                  39-35–74 +2  

 T15 Chris Black      Valley View Golf Club                 37-38–75 +3  

 T15 Larry King       Tri County Golf Ranch                 39-36–75 +3  

 T15 Brian Tyra       Walnut Grove Country Club             38-37–75 +3  

 T18 Tommy Hilliard   PGA Life Member                       37-39–76 +4  

 T18 Glenn Johnson    York Golf Club                        39-37–76 +4  

 T18 Steven Klick     Beavercreek Golf Club                 36-40–76 +4  

 T18 Rodney Royster   Westerville Golf Center               38-38–76 +4  

 T18 Scott Spence     The Lakes Golf & Country Club         40-36–76 +4  

 T23 Ray Finnearty    PGA Life Member                       42-35–77 +5  

 T23 Cory George      PGA Life Member                       38-39–77 +5  

 T23 Bob Stephens     Sycamore Creek Country Club           40-37–77 +5  

 26  Dave Bahr        Maketewah Country Club                38-40–78 +6  

 27  Paul Hollenbaugh New Albany Country Club – North/East  39-40–79 +7  

 T28 Anthony Andrews  Blue Ash Golf Course                  41-39–80 +8  

 T28 Jon Decker       Medallion Club – Meadows              38-42–80 +8  

 T28 Jack Pawelkoski  The Golf Club at Yankee Trace         41-39–80 +8  

 T31 Paul Hobart      PGA Life Member                       41-42–83 +11 

 T31 Randy Neufarth   PGA Life Member                       41-42–83 +11 

 33  Alex Brickley    Kinsale Golf & Fitness Club           43-41–84 +12 

 34  Jeff Steinberg   Meadow Links & Golf Academy           43-43–86 +14 

 T35 Brian Kelly      Ohio State Golf Club                  46-41–87 +15 

 T35 Mike Thomas      Sharon Woods Golf Course              41-46–87 +15