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VERONA, N.Y. - The 13th NYS Men’s Amateur Four-Ball kicked off Sunday on a beautiful sunny day at Turning Stone. One-hundred sides took to the Kaluhyat and Shenendoah courses in the first NYS Championship of the 2024 season. 

Jim Hirsh (NYSGA eClub - Central NY) and Bill Virkler (Yahnundasis GC) fired an opening round seven-under, 65 and will enter Monday play three clear of the Men’s Amateur field. 

Luke Hobika (Drumlins GC) and Joe Babcock (Oswego CC) lead the Senior Division after carding a field-low round of 64 and Kevin Webb (Clifton Springs CC) / Robert Branham (Canasawacta CC) turned in a seven-under 65 to take a one-stroke lead into Monday in the Super Senior division. 

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Hirsh / Virkler got things started with an opening birdie on the Par 3 5th and played their way around Kaluhyat with the only one blemish - a bogey on the Par 5 6th. The pair hit their stride as they made the turn, making four birdies in five holes and pulling well ahead of the rest of the field. 

"Second hole, I hit one out of play. My partner was on an island on a par 5 that was tough. He grinded out a bogey, it was our only bogey of the day. That was really big, it kind of saved our round right out of the gate because it could have gotten ugly," said Hirsh.

Three teams closed out the opening round at four-under, including two-time champions Billy and David Hanes (Crag Burn GC) who are looking to defend their 2023 title. 

Doug DeCarlo (Drumlins CC) / Brian Levi (Yahnundasis GC) as well as Ben Cratsley / Scott Harris (Old Hickory CC) each turned in a 68 and will enter the final round three back of Hirsh / Virkler. 

Five sides concluded the day at three under, and remain in striking distance from the top of the leaderboard. 

The majority of the Amateur field played Kaluhyat in Round 1, while about a dozen went off on Shenendoah. 

At 6,724 yards, Kaluhyat plays quite a bit shorter than Shenendoah, which measures a hair over 7,000 from the championship tees. 

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With an eight under 64 on Sunday, Hobika / Babcock hold a one shot lead in the Senior division heading into the Final Round. The bogey-free gem was punctuated by a run of three straight birdies to close out the front nine (the pair began the shotgun on No. 1). 

Paired up with the 18-hole leaders,defending champions Andy Bernatovicz (River Oaks GC) / Kenneth Riter (NYSGA eClub - Western NY) carded a 65, and join Chris Smithers / John Harrington (Tuscarora GC) at seven under - one shy of Hobika / Babcock. 

A dozen Senior players concluded Round 1 in red numbers, including Bob Black / William Little (Onondaga G&CC) and Kennedy Cheruiyot (Deerfield GC) / Michael Harris (Mogan’s Crossing) who each finished T4 at four under. 

Shenendoah plays at 6,128 yards for the Senior yardage while Kaluhyat measures out at 6,183. 

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Webb / Branham posted a bogey-free 65 on Shenendoah to take a one stroke lead into Monday in the Super Senior bracket. The 2017 Senior Four-Ball champions made five birdies and also carded an eagle on the short par 4 16th. 

Jim Johnson (Canandaigua CC) / Jim Burns (Durand Eastman GC) are hot on the heels of Webb / Branham after firing a six under 66, finding themselves only one back heading into Monday.  

Jim Mueller (Orchard Creek GC) / Kevin Broderick (Schenectady Municipal) also remain thoroughly in the mix after a 68 on Sunday. They will begin play on Monday two back of Johnson / Burns and three back of the leaders Webb / Branham. 

Only two of the 12 Super Senior pairings finished over par on the 5,596 yard Shenendoah layout on Sunday. 

Play will resume Monday morning with a shotgun start scheduled for 8:30 am.