Four Represent NYS In 69th US Senior Amateur at The Honors Course

August 24, 2024

UPDATE 8/28 -- Bob Royak's run at the 69th U.S. Senior Amateur came to an end in the Round of 16.

Royak defeated Randy Haag of Orinda handidly earlier in the day, taking the match 7 and 6. Royak won seven unanswered in the first 10 holes and closed out the match with a par on the 12th hole. 

Royak went on to face Robert Nelson of Fairhope, Alaska in the Round of 16. The tight match lasted 17 holes, with each player trading birdies deep into the round. Nelson won both the 16th and 17th holes to secure the victory and advance to the Quarterfinal match. 

UPDATE 8/27 -- Bob Royak defeated Robert F. Gerwin III in a Round of 62 match at the U.S. Senior Amateur Championship. Despite dropping the first three holes, Royak clawed his way back and clinched the victory thanks to a go-ahead birdie on the Par 3 16th hole. 

Royak will face off with Randy Haag of Orinda, California in the Round of 32 on Tuesday morning. 

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UPDATE 8/26 – Of the four New Yorkers in the field at the 69th U.S. Senior Amateur, only Bob Royak made the stroke play cut and progressed to match play. Royak finished T7 in the stroke play with rounds of 74 and 72. Royak will face off with Robert F. Gerwin II of Cincinnati, Ohio in the Round of 64. 

Each of Dave Scialabba (+15), James Scorse (+16) and D Scott Mackesy (+20) were unable to make the stroke play cut.

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Related: Results / Championship Home / Qualifying Results

OOLTEWAH, TENN -- Four senior golfers from the Empire State will be in the field at the 69th U.S. Senior Amateur Championship at The Honors Course. 

Bob Royak of Guilderland, but living in Alpharetta, Georgia, Dave Scialabba of Oyster Bay, James Scorse of Churchville, D Scott Mackesy of Bronxville make up the quartet of New York golfers set to tee it up at the 69th playing of the Senior championship. 

The 156 player field will engage in two 18-hole rounds of stroke play, at which point the low 64 scorers will qualify for match play. Four rounds of match play will follow, with the championship match taking place on Thursday, August 29th. 

The victor will receive an exemption from local qualifying for the 2025 U.S. Open Championship as well as entry to the 2025 U.S. Senior Open Championship, 2025 & 2026 U.S. Amateur Championships, 2024 & 2025 U.S. Mid-Amateur Championships and the next 10 U.S. Senior Amateur Championships. 

The Honors Course, which was designed by legendary architect Pete Dye and was opened in 1983, will measure 6,836 yards for competition and play to a Par of 72. The course has hosted several national championships, including the 1991 U.S. Amateur, the 2005 U.S. Mid-Amateur, as well as the 2011 U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur and 2016 U.S. Junior Amateur Championships. Two NCAA Championships have also been held at the course just outside of Chattanooga. 

Of the New Yorkers in the field, only Bob Royak earned exemption from event qualifying. Royak took home the 2019 U.S Senior Amateur Championship at the Old Chatham Club, after defeating Roger Newsome in a 1-up victory in the final match. The 1979 NYS Junior Boys’ Champion was also eligible thanks to a semifinalist performance at last year’s U.S. Senior Amateur, as well as his position within the Top 10 Age-Eligible of points leaders in the World Amateur Golf Ranking.  

Dave Scialabba earned his position courtesy of sectional qualifying at Lehigh Country Club in Allentown, Pennsylvania. Scialabba grabbed one of six spots at the qualifier, hosted by the Golf Association of Philadelphia, in a three for four playoff. Scialabba, who plays at Meadow Brook Golf Club, won the 2020 Long Island Golf Association Senior Amateur Championship. Scialabba was named the Long Island Golf Association’s Senior player of the year in 2022, after recording five Top-10 finishes. He won the 2023 Richardson Memorial Championship at Wheatley Hills Golf Club. 

James (Jim) Scorse was one of two players to punch his ticket at the Stafford Country Club qualifier on August 6. Scorse turned in a two-under 70 to advance to his second U.S. Senior Amateur Championship in only his fourth season of eligibility. Scorse, 59, played in several U.S. Mid-Amateur Championships and is tied for fourth-longest match in tournament history with a 24 hole victory over Kyle Coody in 2002. Scorse has won each of the four NYS individual men's championships, including the 66th Men’s Senior Amateur Championship at Yahnundasis in 2023. He’s also won the 2011 and 2012 Men’s Four-Ball titles and was a member of the inaugural RDGA Hall of Fame Class in 2022. 

D Scott Mackesy turned in a 70 (-2) to secure the final qualifying spot at Gillette Ridge Golf Club in Bloomfield, Connecticut. Mackesy was the 18 hole leader at the 2024 MGA Senior Amateur Championship with an opening 70 in his first appearance at the championship. 

Below are the pairings and tee times for the New York players at the 69th U.S. Senior Amateur Championship (EDT). 

NAME RD 1 RD 2
Dave Scialabba / Richard Bradsby / Mark C Miller #1 - 8:31 am #10 - 1:30 pm
D Scott Mackesy / Michael McCoy / Jerry Rose #1 - 12:30 pm #10 - 7:30 am
James Scorse / Chris Smedley / Barry Fabyan #10 - 1:10 pm #1 - 8:10 pm
Bob Royak / John Kemp / Steve Harwell #1 - 2:10 pm #10 - 9:10 am