WESTFIELD CENTER − When Ben Cors walked off the course at Westfield Group Country Club last July, he left more motivated than ever.
After missing the cut at last summer's Ohio Open Championships, the Wooster resident is back to get back to the final day for the second time in his young career as the three-day event opens Monday in Westfield Center.
“You never want to miss a cut,” said Cors, who will compete in his third straight Open. “There's definitely a little bit more salt in the wound. I can't wait to get back out there and compete.”
A year after advancing to the final round in his debut in the event, Cors fell short of the goal in 2023 by coming up one stroke shy of the cut.
Needless to say, it's one of many things that has motivated the Walsh Jesuit graduate and current University of Dayton senior to put himself in the hunt for the state's top prize.
Sure, the 21-year-old Cors has been busy since last summer, which included posting a 74.13 in 10 events for the Flyers this past season, which included being part of the five-man team that competed in the Atlantic 10 Championships.
Now the former three-time state qualifier and two-time All-Ohioan at Walsh is hoping to improve upon his 60th-place finish back in 2021 with another final-day appearance.
“I think a lot of it is just being patient,” Cors said. “You just have to play your game and not push anything. It's just about being patient and taking what the course gives to you.”
With 299 players in the field, 11 are from Wayne, Ashland, Holmes
The Ohio Open field features a total of 288 players, including 11 former winners of the event and 11 individuals from the Ashland/Holmes/Wayne County area.
Millersburg's Carter Mishler was the only local to make the final round a year ago, where the former Hiland standout and current Ashland University golfer finished in a tie for 39th overall with a three-round 2-over-par 212.
Mishler, who led the Hawks to a pair of state championships and was a two-time All-Ohioan himself, has been one of the Eagles top individuals after storming onto the campus with an impressive rookie season that saw him earn Great Midwest Athletic Conference Freshman of the Year honors.
While Cors was a shot back of the cut in 2023, a handful of other locals also were within reach of the final day lineup and eager to get back on the course as Wooster graduate and Seville resident Carter Hahn was six shots back, followed by another former General in Mason Frazier at seven strokes off the cut.
What made last season's event so difficult, however, was the weather over the first two rounds.
Course layouts and challenges
That, combined with the unique event that features amateur players to working to become PGA golf professionals played out over two completely different layouts at Westfield Group C.C. − the North course being a more link-style track and the South as a more traditional tree-lined course.
“I like playing a couple different courses in a event,” Cors said. “I think it's a nice change of pace, especially coming from college. There are some amateur events where you change up courses, but most tournaments you play the same course for 3-4 days and you kind of like, 'OK, I'm ready for a different layout.'
“It requires you to prepare twice as much for two different layouts and completely different style of courses and you just have to be ready for anything.”
Wooster's Anthony Panepento and Devon Starcher also had solid showings in last summer's event and are among area individuals to watch as they were nine and 14 shots, respectively, back on the final-day cut.
Alex Mosteller (Creston), Kamden Mowry (Ashland), Aaron Rich (Wooster) and Gavin Stutz (Wooster) also are scheduled to participate, along with Chippewa Golf Club professional and Wadsworth resident Daniel Terry.
The area has had just one top-10 finisher in the Ohio Open since 2000, when Dalton's Howard Wenger tied for eighth overall back in 2007.
But no matter how the three days play out, the event is always one that is circled on Cors summer calendar.
“It's always a blast to play in this event,” he said. “You see some of the best players, not only in my age group but players that have won the Ohio Open many times. I think seeing that is really cool and seeing a lot of PGA pros that you see at clubs and playing with them and against them is always fun.
“Just seeing the players in Ohio come out and compete at Westfield is special,” Cors added. “It's a course I know well, being not too far from Wooster, and it's always an event I look forward to.”
Open details
103rd Ohio Open Championships
WHEN: July 1-3, tee times starting at 7:45 a.m.
WHERE: Westfield Group Country Club - North Course (6,734 yards/par 70), South Course (6,774 yards/par 70)
AREA PARTICIPANTS: Ben Cors (Wooster), Mason Frazier (Wooster), Carter Hahn (Wooster), Carter Mishler (Millersburg), Alex Mosteller (Creston), Kamden Mowry (Ashland), Anthony Panepento (Wooster), Aaron Rich (Wooster), Tyler Sabo (Ashland), Devon Starcher (Wooster), Gavin Stutz (Wooster).
DEFENDING CHAMP: Michael Balcar (Toledo)
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