News

CORNING, N.Y. – The 67th New York State Men’s Senior Amateur Championship will be held at Corning Country Club September 10-11, 2024. 

Related: Championship Home / Live Scoring / Pairings / Program / 2023 Recap

A field of 132 Senior Men from the Empire State will tee it up in the 36-hole competition. The field will compete in 18 holes on Tuesday, followed by an additional 18 on Wednesday to decide a victor.

CHAMPIONSHIP QUICK FACTS

Dates: September 10-11, 2024

Host Site: Corning Country Club, Corning, N.Y. 

2023 Champion:

Jim Scorse of Stafford Country Club turned in a 70-69 tournament to finish at three under par, four clear of the field at Yahnundasis Golf Club. 

Format: 36 holes of individual stroke play, played over two days of competition. 

Eligibility: This championship is open to male amateur golfers who are 1) At least 55 years of age (as of September 10, 2024), 2) Are active NYSGA Members and 3) Hold an up-to-date USGA Handicap Index of 12.0 or less. 

Age Groups: The Men’s Senior field will also feature two age group categories: 55-59 and 60-64. Players above the age of 65 are not eligible for either of the age groups, but were also able to compete in the 2024 NYS Men’s Super Senior Amateur Championship at Crag Burn Golf Club.  

PAR & YARDAGE

6,310 yards, Par 70

OUT: 3,103 / IN: 3,207

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

THE FIELD

Past NYS Senior Champions in the field 

Jim Scorse, 59, of Stafford Country Club will enter play at Corning as the defending champion. Scorse strung together rounds of 70 and 69 to finish four clear of the field and complete his sweep of New York State major championships. Scorse won the 2016 NYS Mid-Amateur Championship at his home course of Stafford Country Club, as well as the 2013 Mid-Am at Schuyler Meadows and the 2005 Men’s Amateur at Ontario Golf Club. He’s a six time NYS champion as a whole, winning the 2011 and 2012 Four-Ball Titles. He won the RDGA’s Men’s Senior Player of the year in 2023 for the second consecutive year. 

Dan Russo, 66, of Schuyler Meadows is a two-time Men’s Senior champion. Russo won back-to-back titles in 2019 at the Cavalry Club and again in 2021 at the Powelton Club (the 2020 tournament was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic). Russo has qualified for two U.S. Senior Opens and competed in the 2015 U.S. Senior Amateur. He finished co-runner up at the 2022 Men’s Senior Championship, while attempting a three-peat.

Robert Hughes, 63, of Thompson Park Golf Course prevailed at the 2018 tournament at Mohawk Golf Club. Hughes went 70-70-75 and secured the victory on the second hole of a sudden-death playoff with Wade Sarkis. Hughes finished T4 at last year’s tournament at Yahnundasis Golf Club.

Dave Benedict, 74, of Brook-Lea Country Club was the 2011 NYS Men’s Senior Champion at Vestal Hills Country Club. Benedict also won the 1994 NYS Mid-Amateur at Wayne Hills Country Club and also took the 2005 RDGA Senior Championship. Earlier this season, Benedict finished fifth at the NYS Legend’s Amateur Championship at Crag Burn Golf Club.

Others NYS Champions in the field

Andy Bernatovicz, 57, of River Oaks Golf Club won the 2023 NYS Men’s Senior Amateur Four-Ball with Kenneth Riter. The pair finished T4 at the same event earlier this season at Turning Stone Resort. Bernatovicz tied in sixth place at the Men’s Senior Championship in 2022. 

Matt Clarke, 63, of Cazenovia Country Club won the 2005 Men’s Mid-Amateur Championship at the Country Club of Rochester. Clarke has also won the 2022 and 2016 Men’s Senior Four-Ball Championships with Robert Rosen. Clarke finished as the co-runner up at the 2015 Men’s Mid-Amateur at Wolferts Roost and has qualified for more than a dozen USGA events.

John Gaffney, 65, of Brookfield Country Club won the 1999 NYS Men’s Amateur Championship at Wanakah Country Club. Gaffney finished runner-up at this year’s Mixed Team Championship at Stafford Country Club. He also won the 2023 BDGA Senior Legends Championship at Niagara Frontier. 

John Harrington, 61, of Tuscarora Golf Club is coming off a victory at the Men’s Senior Four-Ball Championship with Chris Smithers. Harrington also won the SDGA Senior Best-Ball title with Walt McArdell in 2021.

Stu Harris, 62, of Oak Hill Country Club is a two-time NYS Mixed Team Champion, winning with Tracy Petrillo in 2015 and 2019 respectively. Harris is coming off a victory at the RDGA Wilson Fitch Senior Championship, where he went 72-72 to take home the title. 

Luke Hobika, 56, of Drumlins Golf Club is a three-time NYS champion. Hobika secured two state Mid-Amateur Championships, first in 1998 at Yahnundasis Golf Club and again in 2015 at Wolferts Roost CC. In 2023, Hobika won the NYS Mixed Team Championship with his sister Meredith at Leatherstocking Golf Course. In his first year of eligibility, Hobika was the runner-up to Jim Scorse at last year’s Men’s Senior Amateur.

Ken Ogden, 60, of Oak Hill Country Club won the 2019 Senior Amateur Four-Ball alongside Wade Sarkis. Ogden and Sarkis finished runner-up at the same event in 2023. Ogden won the 2021 RDGA Senior Championship.

Kenneth Riter, 61, of NYSGA eClub - Western NY won the 2009 NYS Men’s Mid-Amateur Championship at Glens Falls Country Club. Riter also took the 2023 NYS Men’s Senior Amateur Four-Ball alongside Andy Bernatovicz.

Robert Rosen, 63, of Country Club of Buffalo has won two Men’s Senior Four Ball championships alongside Matt Clarke (‘22, ‘16). Rosen also won the 2021 Erie County Senior Amateur. 

Wade Sarkis, 62, of Canandaigua Country Club won the 2019 Senior Four-Ball Championship alongside Ken Ogden. Sarkis finished runner-up at the Men’s Senior Amateur in 2018, losing to Bob Hughes in a two-hole playoff. Sarkis finished in the top 15 in both the 2022 and 2023 tournaments.

Chris Smithers, 60, of Tuscarora Golf Club teamed up with John Harrington to win this year’s Men’s Senior Four-Ball title. Smithers went 73-75 (+6) to finish as the co-runner up to Kevin Vandenberg in the 2022 tournament at Springville Country Club.

Kevin Webb, 65, of Clifton Springs Country Club has won four NYS titles, including three Senior Mixed Team titles with his wife Lisa. The pair last won the Senior title earlier this season at Stafford Country Club and also took the 2018 and 2019 titles. Webb also won the 2016 Men’s Four-Ball title at Leatherstocking Golf Course. Webb won the Masters Division title in the 2024  RDGA Wilson Fitch Senior Championship. Webb finished T10 at the 2022 Men’s Senior Championship at Springville Country Club.

Jim Welch, 57, of Olde Kinderhook Golf Club took home the NYS Men’s Mid-Amateur Championship at Dutchess Golf & Country Club in 2011. Welch went 73-72 (+3) at last year’s tournament to finish solo third in his first appearance at the tournament. He qualified for the U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship in 2019.

Other Players to Watch

PJ Alterio, 55, of Niagara Falls Country Club won the BDGA Senior Championship in 2023. Alterio also won the Erie County Senior Amateur Championship in 2023. Alterio also won the BDGA’s Senior Match Play Championship in 2021. 2024 marks the first tournament Alterio is eligible for the Men’s Senior Championship. 

John Bufalini, 62, of Thompson Park Golf Course finished top 10 in both the 2023 and 2019 Senior Amateur Championships, securing co runner-up honors at the 2019 tournament at the Cavalry Club. Bufalini won the Watertown City Championship in both 2023 and 2019. 

Ken Cohen, 61, of Villa Roma Country Club took home the 2022 Westchester Senior Amateur Championship and finished Top 5 at the Met Senior Amateur Championship at Baiting Hollow. Cohen finished Top 10 at both the 2019 and 2021 NYS Senior Amateur Championships. 

Michael Dunsmore, 66, of Cobble Hill Golf Course has competed in four U.S. Senior Amateurs, cracking the quarterfinal match in 2016. He finished T10 at the 2022 NYS Men’s Senior Amateur at Springville Country Club.

David Hicks, 61, of Cornell University Golf Course finished as the runner-up at the 2019 tournament at the Cavalry Club. Hicks and partner Chris Smithers finished T4 at the Men’s Senior Four-Ball Championship in 2023 with a five under tournament.

Dave Fizer, 59, of Ballston Spa Country Club finished T4 at last year’s championship at Yahnundasis Golf Club, with a six over performance. Fizer was the oldest player to qualify for this year’s Men’s Amateur Championship at Wanakah Country Club and won the Ballston Spa Men’s Senior Club Championship in 2022.

Brian Kumiega, 58, of Country Club of Buffalo is coming off a victory earlier this month at the 2024 BDGA Senior Matchplay Championship, defeating Andy Bernatovicz in the 20th hole of the final match. He also won the Erie County Senior Amateur this season. Kumiega finished T10 at the 2022 Men’s Senior at Springville.

Bruce Levinson, 60, of Onondaga Golf & Country Club has finished in the Top 20 of each of the last three NYS Men’s Senior Amateurs. Levinson is a three time Syracuse District Two Ball Champion and finished runner-up at the 2011 Gerry Ashe Memorial.

Dennis Lynch, 63, of Nassau Players Club is coming off a substantial victory at the 97th MGA Senior Amateur Championship in May. Lynch was the only player to finish under par, going 72-71 in the two stroke victory at GlenArbor Golf Club. He won the same tournament in 2020. Lynch finished as the co-runner up at the 2022 Men’s Senior Amateur with a six over tournament at Springville Country Club and T4 at both the 2021 tournament at Powelton and 2017 tournament at Crag Burn. Lynch has won two MGA Mid-Amateur championships and represented New York at the 2019 U.S. Senior Amateur Championship.

Jim Mason, 62, of Oak Hill Country Club finished tied in fourth at the 2019 Men’s Senior Amateur at the Cavalry Club and T6 in 2018 at Mohawk Golf Club.

Jack Weinerth, 63, of Highland Park Golf Club has won back-to-back SDGA Senior Stroke Play Champions at Oswego Country Club and Camillus Golf Club respectively. Weinerth also won the Senior AIM Championship at Radisson Greens. Weinerth finished fifth at the 2021 Men’s Senior Amateur at the Powelton Club. 

 ABOUT CORNING COUNTRY CLUB

Corning Country Club has a spectacular 18-hole golf course, a 25,000 square foot clubhouse with dining, meeting and banquet facilities, a fitness center and swimming pool. The club played host to the LPGA Corning Classic from 1979 - 2009. It was one of the longest running tournaments on the LPGA Tour and the longest with a single sponsor. The 1919 Thomas Winton design has supported several other New York State championships through the decades, including the Women’s Amateur three times in 1965, 1975 and 2023, a Men’s Senior in 1982, Girl’s Junior in 1989 along with a Women’s Senior & Super Senior in 2017.