Mud Run’s Chili Open Hosts 51 Teams while Benefiting First Tee – Greater Akron

AKRON, Ohio (October 21, 2024) – The seventh annual Chili Open presented by Skyway Drive-In – Green took place at Mud Run Golf Course & Driving Range on Saturday, October 19. The temperature was perfect, hitting 72 degrees later in the day, but the greens proved to be a challenge for the record breaking 51 teams (102 golfers), raising over $8,500 for First Tee – Greater Akron.

As in past years, the talk of the event was the difficult pin positions. The duo of Dylan Dunn and Ryan Orosz won the 2-person scramble with a nine-hole score of 31 (-3).  Tim Lewis and Brian Hickok took second place with a 33 (-1). And rounding out the top three for even par (34) was Ray Colalella and Dave Beier.

First Tee participants were also encouraged to play in this outing. Participant Jonathan Stefanko had the Longest Drive for the men on hole #6 as well as Closest to the Pin second shot on hole #2. Other skills contest highlights were Longest Putt on #1 by Ray Colalella and on #4 by Petey Fetchin as well as Closest to the Pin on #3 and Longest Drive for women on hole #9 by Nova Mikel.

Each year, Mud Run, under the direction of Dirk Hartman, organizes the Chili Open to support the First Tee – Greater Akron, which works to empower local youth through the game of golf. This nonprofit combines golf with life skills training, helping participants build character and equipping them to face new challenges throughout their lives.

And the contest for skins was exciting, only one skin was awarded with a birdie on hole #5 by Michael and Shay Schoolcraft.

“The perfect weather helped boost the number of teams but the difficult pin placements will bring them back next year. We are already making plans for 2025, “said Dirk Hartman, Head Pro/General Manager of Mud Run.