Ex-Buckeye Snyder to defend at Ohio Amateur golf championship

DAYTON (AP) — Former Ohio State player Vaughn Snyder is back to defend his title this week at the 103rd Ohio Amateur golf championship that starts today at Moraine Country Club.

Snyder, a native of Massillon, had rounds of 71, 71, 70 and a closing 71 last year at Findlay Country Club to finish at 1-under 284, two strokes better than Blake Furgerson of Concord, Alex Martin of Middletown and Ethan Tracy of Hilliard. All three of Snyder’s closest pursuers are also back for this week’s tournament, which begins with four rounds of stroke play.

Six other former Ohio Amateur champions are also in the 144-player field: Stephen Anderson (1990), Matt Ehlinger (1998), Alan Fadel (1995), Robert Gerwin II (1996, 2001), Andrew Montooth (1997) and Randy Reifers (1986).

Also qualifying are 15-year-olds Michael Bernard of Huber Heights and Chad Merzbacher of Dublin along with the oldest entrant, 66-year-old Skip Snow of Dayton.

This is the fourth time Moraine, home of the 1945 PGA Championship, has hosted the Ohio Am. John Cook won there in 1979, Rob Moss in 1989 and Ben Curtis in 1999.

Snyder won two tournaments in the fall for Ohio State and was second-team All-Big Ten this season. He was second on the team with a 73.57 stroke average over 37 rounds. He made it through qualifying for the U.S. Open, missing the cut after rounds of 76 and 78.

Only nine players have won the Ohio Amateur in back-to-back years.

Three of them are Arnold Palmer (1953-54), Cook (1978-79) and Curtis (1999-2000), each of whom went on to stardom on the PGA Tour.