Year’s best honored:

Thirty-six years ago, Centerville dentist Tom Frazier, a member of the Noon Optimist Club, was instrumental in bringing a junior golf program to Ohio.

At its peak, the Optimist International Golf Tournament attracted 900 boys and girls, ages 10-18, to its Ohio qualifying events. There were so many players that eight pre-qualifying events were needed to pare down the field for the Ohio District Tournament.

In recent years, fading interest in golf and the proliferation of junior tournaments have reduced the field for the Optimist events so much that only 250 Ohioans participated last year.

For that reason there will be only two Ohio qualifiers this year — one in the southern part of the state at Yankee Trace in Centerville on June 5 and one in the north at Canton on June 12.

The division winners and some of the high finishers in both tournaments will advance to the Optimist main event in July at PGA National in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.

Ohio South chairman Jerry Stahley of Centerville said 62 players have signed up for the Yankee Trace event, which is attracting participants from Dayton, Cincinnati, Columbus and as far north as Perrysburg. He expects many more.

There are divisions for boys 10-11, 12-13, 14-15 and 16-18 and for girls 10-12, 13-14 and 15-18. Those already enrolled in college at the time of the tournament are ineligible. The entry fee is $80. Jeff Scohy and Dan Devore will receive their 2016 player of the year awards Monday afternoon when the Miami Valley Golf Association holds its season-opening Spring Better Ball tournament at Country Club of the North.

Scohy, 39, of Bellbrook won the award for the fifth time by accumulating more points than any other MVGA member in the designated events. He also won the award in 2008, 2012, 2014 and 2015.

Devore, 61, of Butler County will get the senior POY award for the third time, having earned it previously in 2012 and 2013. A large field of 128 has entered Monday’s two-person team competition.

City tourney dates:

The City of Dayton added a women’s stroke play tournament to its schedule in 2016 but drew only three players because the August date was too late to accommodate high school and college players.

The 2017 event will be July 29-30 at Kittyhawk Golf Center along with the 36-hole men’s stroke play event. The senior men will play July 27-28 at Kittyhawk.

An 18-hole junior stroke play event for boys and girls 10-18 is scheduled June 16, with ages 10-13 playing nine holes and ages 14-18 playing 18 holes.

The 72-hole city men’s match play championship is June 8-11 at Madden Golf Course, and a 72-hole CDL A & B Drivers and Owner Operators senior men’s match play competition is July 13-16 at Community Golf Course.

Cronin to NCAAs:

Chaminade Julienne High graduate Ellie Cronin is a member of the Cleveland State women’s team that won the Horizon League championship and will play in the 18-team NCAA regional May 8-10 at the Ohio State Scarlet course. Six teams will advance to the NCAA finals, May 19-24 in Sugar Grove, Ill.

Cronin, a freshman who holds several CJ golf records, tied for 11th in the HL tournament in Florida with scores of 83, 76 and 77. She averaged 80.1 for 25 rounds this season.