NYSGA News

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It has been quite the season for Rochester area golfers in just the first two months of the golfing season in upstate New York. 2008 NYSGA Men’s Amateur semifinalist James Scorse recently won the Tournament of Champions crown for the third straight year. Scorse, a Stafford CC member, fired a two-day total of 1-under par 141 at the Blue Heron Hills CC. He finished 1-over par after the first day and rebounded with a 2-under 69 performance on Saturday to win the event.

In the 2008 Men’s Amateur Championship, Scorse fell to the eventual winner Jeff Wolniewicz, of Gowanda CC. Wolniewicz is currently competing in the Monroe Invitational Championship, which is being held in Victor, N.Y. The 69^th annual event got underway on Wednesday with the University of Central Florida bound Dominic Bozzelli, of Pittsford ranking among the top five after carding a 1-under 69 on the first day. Thomas Muto, from Wolcott, shot even par for the first day of the Monroe Invitational, which is good for ninth on the leaderboard. Meanwhile, Gavin Hall, a Pittsford Middle School student, is only four shots back of the lead after a 1-over 71 on Wednesday.

To start the month, the Section V area posted the lowest total score (1033) at the New York State High School Championships which took place at the Robert Trent Jones Golf Club in Ithaca, N.Y. The two-day total ranked 22 strokes better than the next closest section. Individually, Section V golfers attained three finishes in the top four, including the top spot from Dominic Bozzelli of McQuaid Jesuit HS. Yaroslav Merkulov, of Penfield, finished in second place for the individual championship and recorded the low-round on Sunday with a 5-under 67. McQuaid Jesuit junior Andrew Lane registered a two-day total of 146 to tie for third place in the event.

Rochester area golfers will look to continue their success throughout the rest of the season. The repeat NYSGA Women’s Amateur Champion, Christy Schultz, of Brook-Lea CC, looks to defend her title next month at Drumlins GC for the 80^th women’s state amateur. Yaroslav Merkulov and Gavin Hall also look to defend their state titles in the upcoming Junior & Boys Amateur Championship, respectively.

Syracuse, N.Y. — In its 80th year, the Women’s Amateur Championship field looks to be as strong as ever. Entries totaled 81 participants yesterday when registration closed at 5 p.m. for the event that will be held at Drumlins Golf Club from July 7-9.

The field is comprised of several former NYSGA champions, including three former Women’s Amateur Champions: Christy Schultz of Brook-Lea Country Club, the two-time defending champion and a three-time winner overall; Gail Flanagan of Westchester CC who repeated as champion in 1996 & 1997; and Gail Brophy, the two-time defending champion in the NYSGA Super Senior Women’s Amateur who also won the NYSGA Women’s Amateur in 1961 & 1963.

In addition to the Women’s Amateur champions, there are four previous Girls Amateur champions in the field. In the past five years, four different girls have captured the coveted Betty Deeley Trophy, including Kristina Wong (2004), Katelynn Mannix (2006), Carly Bergin (2007), and last year’s champion Suzie Lee (2008).

Finally, the NYSGA Senior Women’s Amateur Champion in 2005 and 2006, Maggie Kril, of Durand Eastman GC marks the eighth former NYSGA Champion in the 2009 field.

This competitive field will be met with recent format changes to the event which were implemented by the NSYGA. The first major change is the move to stroke play as the championship will be held from Tuesday-Thursday, with a cut being made after the second day. This year also marks the inception of the Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship, which is open to all female golfers age 25 & over.

Hamilton, N.Y. — Nine players shot 78 or better to qualify for the 87th Men’s Amateur Championship at Seven Oaks Golf Club on Monday in the Syracuse region qualifier. The field of 34 battled through dreary conditions and passing showers, but it was Kevin Roy, of Bellevue CC, who was undaunted by the ominous weather to lead the field with a 1-under 71 for the day’s low score while attaining medalist honors.

Roy, who recently completed his first year at Long Beach State, makes his very first appearance at the NYSGA Men’s Amateur Championship. Roy tallied back-to-back pars to start his day as he tamed the first two holes which seemed to be giving players trouble all day long. Numerous players found themselves 3-over par after the opening par four and an unforgiving par three surrounded by bunkers from the back and sides.

Roy stayed even until the 516-yard fifth hole, where he was able to chip in for eagle on the par five. A runner-up at the Post-Standard Amateur two weeks ago, Roy faced heavy rain when he hit the seventh tee, which is where he made his lone bogey on the front. He made amends on the ninth hole by picking up a birdie to finish 2-under for the front nine.

On the back nine, Roy found similar success. Despite consecutive bogeys to start the back, Roy hit his approach shot to within three feet on 15 to tap in for birdie. He closed as the only player under par and credited his low score to his putting and ball striking accuracy off the tee. “I think I had 27 putts in all and I only missed one fairway, so overall I thought it was a good round,” said Roy.

“The greens were definitely very fast. They were really nice and were kept in great shape,” said Roy. Players all day echoed similar opinions in regards to greens that never slowed despite heavy rain at times.

“You think you got an uphill putt so you go after it and you end up knocking it six feet past the hole,” said Todd Dischinger, of Foxfire Golf & Country Club. Dischinger went out in the second group of the day and finished with the second best score at 3-over par (75). He closed the front nine with a birdie on the par five seventh hole and narrowly missed a 60-foot putt for birdie on the par three, 183-yard eighth hole.

Four players were tied at 4-over par and Matt Campbell of Teugega Country Club registered a 77 to advance into next month’s Championship. Cody Endress of Cortland CC and Kevin VandenBerg of Bellevue CC were the last two players to punch their tickets to Ravenwood Golf Course on July 14th for the Men’s Amateur with a 6-over 78.

Qualifying for the Men’s Amateur continues throughout the month. You can follow the results from every local qualifier on the left-hand side of the NYSGA homepage.

Submitted by Kevin Solan

NYSGA Media Intern

The pairings for the State Days Tournament at Shorewood CC are complete.
Alphabetical & By Starting Time

The entry deadline is nearing for the second NYSGA Net Event of the year. The next State Days Tournament is set to take place from the Shorewood CC in Dunkirk, N.Y. on June 20. Entries will not be accepted after 5 p.m. on June 15 so apply now to ensure a spot in the field. The entry form can be found on the NYSGA homepage under “Net Events” on the right-hand side. From here, it can be downloaded and mailed in or filled out directly online.

On July 7, the 80th Women’s Amateur & Mid-Amateur Championship Tournament will commence. The entry deadline for the first NYSGA Championship Tournament of the year is June 16. Entries will not be accepted after June 16 so apply now to secure your spot in the field. The tournament will be held at Drumlins GC in Syracuse, N.Y. from July 7-9. Click here to read about the format changes recently made to the Women’s Amateur, including the creation of the Mid-Amateur field.

Syracuse, NY: The NYSGA has received a total of 518 entries for the 87th NYSGA Men’s Amateur Championship which will be played at Ravenwood GC beginning July 14, 2009.

Sectional qualifying will take place throughout the month, starting on June 8th at Vestal Hills CC and concluding on June 30th at Wayne Hills CC, the site of the Finger Lakes regional qualifier. 24 players are exempt from qualifying, including last year’s Men’s Amateur Champion Jeff Wolniewicz of Gowanda Country Club.

Pairing information will be released later in the week for the qualifiers at Vestal Hills CC and Wanakah CC. Pairings for the rest of the qualifiers will be available beginning next week.

Former NYSGA Junior Champion Dominic Bozzelli fired a two-day total of four-under par at the Robert Trent Jones Golf Course in Ithaca to become only the third repeat NYSPHSAA champion. Bozzelli’s two-day total of 140 matches his score from the 2007 Junior Championship when he registered consecutive rounds of 70 to win the tournament.

Bozzelli carded three birdies and 15 pars on Monday for a 69 to go along with his one-under par 71 the day before. His performance was one stroke shy of recording the best showing at Cornell in the NYSPHSAA Tournament. 2007 Men’s Amateur Champion John Duthie and Mike Quagliano each shot a 139 when they competed in 2007 and 2004, respectively.

Also competing in the High School Championships were 2008 NYSGA winners Yaroslav Merkulov and Gavin Hall, who earned victories in the Junior and Boys Division Championships, respectively. Merkulov recorded the low-round of the day on Monday with a five-under par 67, giving him a 145 for the tournament which was good for second place. Meanwhile, eighth grader Gavin Hall finished in 13^th with a 152 in a field that was dominated by high school juniors and seniors.

In 3^rd place at the NYSPHSAA tournament there was a tie between two contenders from the NYSGA Junior Championship last year. Ryan Simpson and Andrew Lane both shot a +2 (146). Simpson posted the lowest score from Section II while Lane represented the third player from Section V to finish in the top four.