By Tim Rogers, NOPGA Media

CANFIELD: For most of Tuesday it appeared the final round of the 76th NOPGA Professional Championship was shaping up to be a two-man race.

As we know, looks can be deceiving. At least when it comes to golf and too many cocktails. Things change. Swings go wayward. Putts don’t drop. Chip-and-runs become chip-and runs and runs and runs and runs. Before you know it, you’re chipping from the opposite side of the green from which you started.

So, Brandywine Country Club Assistant Professional Michael Balcar took matters into his own hands and threatened to make it a one-man, one-horse race in which everyone else is a spectator on The Coming of Michael Balcar.

 He posted his second straight sub-par round to build a 5-shot lead during the second round on Tuesday with 18 holes to play.

Given the severity and challenge of Tippecanoe’s 6,902 yards and the way Balcar has approached it over the first 36 holes, is it too early to cue the trophy engraver? Too early to pop the champagne, or at least a Miller Lite? Probably not.

Balcar, the reigning NOPGA Associate Player-of-the-Year, added a 4-under 68 – the best round of Tuesday and the second-best round of the tournament – to his opening 67 for a two-day total of 9-under 135.

Three-time champion and first-round leader Jim Troy – arguably the Section’s best player over the age of 40, did not have one of his better days with a 2-over 74 and a 4-under total of 140 and sole possession of second place. If anyone in the Section can challenge Balcar head-to-head anywhere and anytime but here, it is Troy.

Given Balcar’s 36-hole performance, which has included 10 birdies against just two bogeys, everyone probably is playing for second place. 

The next four players are eight shots back. Randy Dietz (Windmill Golf Center), Sean Kenily (Union Country Club), Anthony Panepento (Canterbury Golf Club) and Jason Schroeder (Findlay Country Club), share third-place at one-under 143 and Mike Stone, the 2019 champion and Director of Instruction at Belmont Country Club, is at 144 along with Matt McMahon, Director of Instruction at Lakewood Country Club.

 The field was cut to the low 29 scores and ties – a total of 30 players — who were at eight-over par.

Balcar, the 2023 Ohio Open champion, was asked what it would mean to add a second NOPGA major to his resume.

“Honestly, I’m going to stay in the present and what I’m going to have for dinner,” the former Cleveland State standout said, declining assume what might be the obvious. “I had a really steady round today. I just tried to keep the golf course in front of me. I caught a lot of good breaks and I’m just going to show up tomorrow and give it my best. That’s all I can do.”

Don’t let Balcar kid you. He was as solid as a silver dollar. Two bogeys in 36 holes. In this event? On this golf course? After the anxiety and tedious wait of a 3-hour weather delay on Tuesday? Let’s not kid ourselves. Tippecanoe’s greens can be as treacherous as an ill-advised marriage but he had no three-putts.

Aided by his caddie and long-time instructor Jeff Manore, Balcar got up and down from bunkers, side-hill, down-hill and up-hill lies as well as anyone playing the game. Arguably, he is one of the longest hitters in the Section, averaging 300 yards of carry with his driver and 265 with his 3-wood. He is determined and focused as driven. He will be a welcome – and much needed — addition to the team that will represent the NOPGA in the 30th Ohio Cup matches against the Southern Ohio PGA in October.

Troy, the current leader on the Titleist/FootJoy Ohio Cup Points List, understands his position.

“I really didn’t get anything out of it today,” said Troy, who has his Ohio Cup spot locked up. “The greens were significantly slower (because of the rain) and I had a lot of up-hillers so I felt I really had to bash a lot of them and I really didn’t get it together and dialed in. There were a couple of shots that I hit really well but just didn’t get rewarded on.”

Balcar’s best magic acts came on the 401-yard 11th and the 339-yard 12th holes. Already holding a one-shot lead on 11, his second shot from about 160 yards in the middle of the fairway faded right of the green and came within 12 feet of rolling into pond.

He faced a testy uphill chip with little green to work with coaxed it up to about seven feet and made the putt for a great – and rewarding – par save.

He came within 10 feet of driving the 12th green, somehow avoiding the small, roundish bunker that guards the front of the putting surface. His ball came to rest on a small hill, about two yards beyond the bunker but short of the green. He chipped to eight feet and made the birdie putt that got him to seven-under.

“I don’t know how it got there but I’ll take it,” he said of his drive that had to have cleared the bunker by a few feet, hit the upside of the hill above the bunker and sat there, setting up a relatively easy chip to get to birdie range.

He put an exclamation point with a birdie on the 455-yard closing hole, regarded as the fourth-toughest hole on the course. His second shot stopped just right of the pin and he rolled in the putt.

By that time, it had become apparent that his lead was more than secure and he could start thinking about dinner. And the final round. And what it would mean for this 33-year-old, blue-collar, hard-working, assistant professional and Cleveland State grad to win one of the most prestigious titles on the NOPGA schedule.

He’ll cross that bridge when he comes to it. It’s the Balcar Way and that way has been working pretty well.

##