The Farmers National Bank Greatest Golfer concluded its 2026 play this Sunday at The Lake Club, bringing together a field of 275 golfers for a weekend of elite competition. The tournament, a staple of the valley’s golf scene, showcased grit and sportsmanship across every division.
In the Men’s Open Division, sponsored by Duncan Kitchen & Bath, Brandon Pluchinsky secured his 10th Greatest Golfer victory with a 3-day total of 198, including a tournament-low 64 on Saturday. Pluchinsky acknowledged the effort required to stage the event, thanking the Greatest organization for “scrambling and doing all this stuff these last weeks with the tornado and everything.”
He added that the “competition’s the best,” noting that golfers across the valley respect the high level of play in the Open division. Ryan Sam finished in second with a 206 total (best daily score of 65), while Garrett Frank took third with a 206 total (best daily score of 67).
(SEE ALL PLAYERS/ALL SCORES HERE)
The Seniors Open, sponsored by BG Trucking, was won by Jim Maynard from Trumbull Country Club. Maynard finished with a 3-day total of 221, powered by an opening-round 64. Upon his win, Maynard praised the organization, stating, “what a great event. Thank you for putting on such a fantastic event at great courses across the valley.” Robert Gintert claimed the runner-up spot with a 224 total (best score 71), and Paul Keller finished third with a 226 (best score 72).
In the Ladies Open (Flight 1), sponsored by Roklyn Deperro Turner LPA, Matilyn Zines representing YSU emerged as the champion. She posted a 3-day total of 212, featuring a best daily score of 69. Having competed in the event for years, Zines noted, “I’d like to thank the event because I played ever since I was young… very welcoming. I loved it out here.” Allexis Sallee finished second with a 220 total (best score 70), and Angela Sims took third with a 228 (best score 70).
One of the most dramatic stories of the weekend took place in the Men 3-6 division, sponsored by Elias CPA Group. Recent high school graduate Jackson Ensley became the tournament’s youngest winner ever after a massive Sunday comeback. “I was losing by five strokes going into today,” Ensley said. “I started off with a double bogey on one. I birdied two and then I had 16 straight pars.” His resilience led to a 3-day total of 227 (best daily score 71). Josh Dankovich followed in second place with a 228 total (best score 73), and Marcus Rivera finished third with a 229 total (best score 73).
The Men 7-9 division, sponsored by Avalon Downtown Pizza, provided a nail-biting finish as Shane Kibler and Charles Loomis made huge gains on Sunday to end up in a three-way shootout with Nathan Kelly. Kelly admitted the pressure was high after nearly losing a massive lead: “I almost gave it away. Yeah, I was six clear with six holes left and I almost gave it up. But in the playoff, I figured something out.” All three finished with a 3-day total of 236 (all sharing a best daily score of 76).
Other division winners shared their excitement and relief from a hard-fought weekend:
Men 10-12 (JAC Live): Bradley Koch won with a 240 total (best daily score 79). Koch exemplified the tournament’s spirit, saying, “made a nine on my first hole today. Never give up.” Andrew Batchelor came in second with a 242 (best score 77), followed by Adam Hill in third with a 245 (best score 76).
Men 13-15 (Koncrete Dezign): Kevin Holden claimed his first championship in eight years of trying, finishing with a 248 total (best score 79). He celebrated with the “biggest gallery of the day,” offering a “shout out to all my family and friends that showed up.” Josh Galloway was second with a 253 (best score 76) and Brandon Richards third with a 254 (best score 83).
Men 16-19 (Brokers Realty): Philip Eubank took the top spot with a 256 total (best score 81). Eric Leeworthy finished second with 260 (best score 82), and Ronald Snyder took third with a 267 (best score 86).
Men 20-25 (Maruca Law Group): Garrett McIntyre won with a 278 total (best score 87), thanking the organizers “for putting on this this great tournament.” Michael Garber took second with a 283 (best score 87) and Harry Vanderburg third with a 294 (best score 90).
Ladies Net (J&M Decor): Katie Kinast won with a 244 total (best score 68 Net), calling it a “fun weekend and an amazing time.” Denise Gorski finished second with 249 (best score 71) and Carla Elenz third with 264 (best score 79).
Seniors 3-6 (Fairway Ford): Bob Haseley won with a 229 total (best score 74), remarking that he “slugged it out limped in to the end but still won.” David Dees finished second with 232 (best score 74) and Rex Pagani third with 232 (best score 76).
Seniors 7-9 (Mullen Insurance Solutions): Ray Calcagni, Jr. slugged it out to win with a 226 total (best score 72). Mike Moore was second with a 230 (best score 72) and Hank Morris third with a 231 (best score 72).
Seniors 10-12 (Clewell’s Landing): James Lessick won with a 246 total (best score 79), calling it a “wonderful day and a wonderful tournament.” Richard W Gent finished second with 250 (best score 80) and Sam Carelly third with 253 (best score 80).
Seniors 13+ (Mavarick Roofing): Ron Snyder won with a 252 total (best score 83), noting he “had a fantastic time” at the event. David Kozy finished second with 255 (best score 83) and Robert Chenet third with 259 (best score 84).
The Greatest season closes Aug. 30 with the Morgan Stanley Long Drive and Par 3 Skills competition at Reserve Run, hosted by Mich Ultra. Forty sponsors made the Greatest Golfer season happen.
Special thanks to our weekend host courses: Pine Lakes, Avalon Lakes, Salem Hills, Trumbull CC, Flying B, The Lake Club, Old Avalon, Squaw Creek, Tam O’Shanter and Salem Golf Club.