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DAYTON, Ohio – The morning light at Miami Valley Golf Club comes in slow and indifferent. As if the sun acquiesces its daily appearance to the ghosts from that 1957 PGA Championship, ghosts who prefer to remain undisturbed while they stroll the fairways. It’s got the air of a course that tells you “there’s no hiding out here” when every stroke is counted and signatures on scorecards signal the end of the round.
As he watched the final group of the 2025 Southern Ohio PGA Championship, a Section pro said from the comfort of a signed scorecard, “this tournament tears people up!” Section Championships have a way of peeling you open like that. We saw it again.
Jared Jones stood on the first tee a shot behind and ready for the grind. He’s a fan of that nasty but ever-present part of this beautiful game – the pressures and perks, and all that’s in between. Most of the pros playing in the Section Championship have day jobs but those were on hold for 48 hours this week. This was real golf and Jones was ready. The Tommy Bryant Memorial Trophy is only taken.
He is not a touring pro with a travel team and a swing coach in tow. He is a PGA of America Golf Professional who spends more hours watching students bend their knees to hit it slightly less right rather than chasing flags for himself. And yet, here he is, paired with men who’ve felt the heat of this tournament before. Michael Auterson was leading when the day began and he’s won two Tommy Bryant’s. Ben Kern got his in 2023 and was in a three-way tie for second with Jones and Andy Montgomery.
Bob Sowards has eleven of these things and he’s always lurking. Game on.
On the par-5 first, his group roars out of the gate. An eagle for Auterson. Birdies for Jones and Monty. Four under par on the first and red numbers on the board before the coffee’s cooled. Jones stayed hot with three more birdies before a pair of speed bump bogeys to turn at 2-under. The lead changed hands four times throughout the day. Kern held it and then lost it, his errant tee shot on the 12th his undoing. Auterson made a typical late push that’s a hallmark of his doggedness and tenacity.
And then they reached the 18th, the bunker bisecting the fairway swallowed both tee shots. Their approaches short left and short right. And suddenly, they’re both standing over a pair of pitches that do two things and two things only: make heroes or haunts dreams.
We saw both, again.
Auterson’s pitch from short right went too far from the hole for his liking, opening the door for Jones. He walked right through it. With a low-running chip that settled inside four feet, all he needed was Auterson’s par attempt to stay above ground, which it did. One quick swipe of the putter, one more par for the road and Jones snatched his first Southern Ohio PGA Section title just like that.
“You always want to compete to win and have a chance to get something up and down to win a tournament,” said Jones. “That’s why you work hard and put in the time to improve.”
Jones would say after the round that he simply made it to the finish line but anyone who watched saw someone built for the grind and unwilling to be torn up. It’s the type of stuff we remember and on a hot Tuesday in August, in a corner of Dayton where history still lingers, his performance felt right at home.
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(Dayton, OH) - In the world of golf, excellence is rarely the product of one skill alone. It’s the seamless blending of work ethic, adaptability and passion for the game. At NCR Country Club, Hannah McCrabb embodies all of these qualities and it’s why she has been named the 2025 Southern Ohio PGA Assistant Golf Professional of the Year.
As NCR’s Lead Assistant Golf Professional, Hannah approaches her role with a rare mix of versatility and focus. She has never been one to define her responsibilities narrowly. Whether organizing member leagues, leading tournament operations, or solving behind-the-scenes operational challenges, Hannah is the person her colleagues and members can count on. In 2024, she took on the demanding role of leading tournament operations, a challenge she embraced with precision, professionalism, and grace under pressure. Her habit of arriving early, staying late, and tackling every assignment with enthusiasm has made her indispensable to the NCR team.
Hannah’s service to the Southern Ohio PGA Section and the PGA of America reflects her dedication to the profession. Since earning PGA Membership in December 2023, she has already achieved Specialized status in Golf Operations and is pursuing a second specialization in Executive Management. She serves on the Women’s Taskforce, the Women’s Open Steering Committee, and the Membership Committee, helping to grow the game and strengthen the Section. Her leadership on the Ohio Women’s Open Steering Committee was instrumental in the successful return of the OWO this past summer, underscoring her ability to turn vision into reality.
Her leadership style is rooted in a lifetime in golf. From her early days as a caddie, bagroom attendant, and shop assistant at Dayton Country Club, Hannah learned the value of initiative, reliability, and teamwork. Those traits shine at NCR, where she not only leads her peers but will take over the lead role for outside operations in 2025, managing hiring, training, and scheduling for seasonal staff. She is a natural mentor, especially to young women in golf, a role she embraces with personal conviction after growing up without a female role model in the sport.
Hannah’s impact extends far beyond her facility. She has been deeply involved with the McCrabb Open, a charity tournament founded by her father to support children with cancer. She’s also left her mark on high school golf, coaching Springboro High School’s girls’ varsity team to back-to-back state tournament appearances. She is the only person in school history to both play in and coach at the state level.
From junior camps and beginner ladies’ programs at NCR to her volunteer work and community leadership, Hannah has proven herself as both a steward of the game and an inspiration to others. Her recognition as the 2025 Assistant Golf Professional of the Year is not just a testament to her skill, but to the values she brings to everything she touches.
