Jim Scorse of Stafford Country Club delivered a masterful final-round performance to successfully repeat at the 67th NYS Men’s Senior Amateur Championship. With an opening 69 (-2), Scorse began final round play with a one stroke lead. After making par on the first six holes, the 59-year-old went on to birdie five of his next seven, leaving little doubt of a back-to-back win.
FRESH TAKES: 2026 NFL Preview (podcast) “I didn’t expect to shoot five under, I was just looking to win,” said Scorse after hoisting the trophy for the second time. “When I made the turn I knew I had a pretty big lead and got into a good rhythm.”
When all was said and done, Scorse’s bogey-free 65 (-5) left him nine clear of the field. The Churchville native’s seven under total was the lowest at a Men’s Senior Amateur in at least 20 years. With a three-under performance at Yahnundasis last year, Scorse was the only player in each of the last two tournaments to finish at or under par. This year’s Men’s Senior marks Scorse’s fifth individual state championship.
“Five under is tied for my lowest competitive round,” remarked Scorse. “You know you’re playing against the best in the state in a tournament like this and I’m glad I was able to put it together at the right time.”
James Welch of Olde Kinderhook Golf Club made back-to-back appearances in the Top 3 at a Men’s Senior. Welch posted a three over 73 to finish in solo second at two over par. Welch, who finished T3 at last year’s tournament, made five birdies across the two rounds.
Three players finished T3 at four over par. Andy Bernatovicz of River Oaks Golf Club made the biggest splash on Wednesday with a two-under 69. 2024 NYS Men’s Super Senior Champion Jim Mueller of Orchard Creek Golf Club carded rounds of 73 and 71, while Jim Lane of Newman Municipal Golf Course remained steady with back-to-back rounds of 72. The top five finishers each earned an exemption into this year’s NYS Men’s Mid-Amateur at Schuyler Meadows, scheduled for September 27-29.
Kenneth Riter of NYSGA eClub – Western NY turned in a 69 of his own to get to five over par, good for sixth place. Riter won the 60-64 age group, while last year’s runner-up, Luke Hobika, won the 55-59 age group honors at six over 146. The Drumlins Golf Club member carded a 70 in the final round.
Corning Country Club measured at 6,310 yards and played to a Par of 35-35-70.
67th NYS Men’s Senior Amateur Championship – Final Results
1 Jim Scorse, Stafford Country Club 68 – 65 — 133
2 James Welch, Olde Kinderhook Golf Club 69 – 73 — 142
3 Andy Bernatovicz, River Oaks Golf Club 75 – 69 — 144
3 Jim Mueller, Orchard Creek Golf Club 73 – 71 — 144
3 Jim Lane, Newman Municipal Golf Course 72 – 72 — 144
6 Kenneth Riter, NYSGA eClub – Western NY 76 – 69 — 145
7 Walt McArdell, Foxfire Golf Course 74 – 72 — 146
7 John Wessels, Drumlins Golf Club 74 – 72 — 146
7 Chris Smithers, Tuscarora Golf Club 74 – 72 — 146
7 Luke Hobika, Drumlins Golf Club 76 – 70 — 146
11 Matt Congdon, Binghamton Country Club 75 – 72 — 147
11 John Harrington, Tuscarora Golf Club 73 – 74 — 147
11 Mark Steed, Corning Country Club 72 – 75 — 147
14 Steve Loomis, Lakeside Country Club 76 – 72 — 148
14 Jim Hamilton, Saratoga National Golf Club 75 – 73 — 148
14 Jack Weinerth, Highland Park Golf Club 75 – 73 — 148
14 John Miosi, Seneca Hickory Stick Golf Club 74 – 74 — 148
14 Lucas Sirois, Schenectady Municipal Golf 77 – 71 — 148
14 Michael Dunsmore, Cobble Hill Golf Course 73 – 75 — 148
20 Michael Boyczuk, Springville Country Club 76 – 74 — 150
20 Brian Kumiega, Country Club of Buffalo 76 – 74 — 150
20 Michael Harris, Morgan’s Crossing 78 – 72 — 150
20 John Bufalini, Thompson Park Golf Course 77 – 73 — 150
20 John Gaffney, Crag Burn Golf Club 77 – 73 — 150
20 Philip Gutterman, Pine Hollow Club 77 – 73 — 150
26 Philip Ohler, MGA eClub – Hudson Valley 75 – 76 — 151
26 Jim Burns, Durand Eastman Golf Club 73 – 78 — 151
26 Robert Rosen, Country Club of Buffalo 77 – 74 — 151
26 Bob Black, Onondaga Golf & Country Club 77 – 74 — 151
26 Stuart Harris, Oak Hill Country Club 72 – 79 — 151
31 Don Fortuna, Twin Hickory Golf Club 80 – 72 — 152
31 Daniel Russo, Schuyler Meadows Club 75 – 77 — 152
31 Jeff Schauger, River Oaks Golf Club 77 – 75 — 152
31 Jeff Amoroso, Mendon Golf Club 73 – 79 — 152
31 Robert Hughes, Thompson Park Golf Course 77 – 75 — 152
36 Anthony Villanti, Skenandoa Club 79 – 74 — 153
36 Michael Grace, Country Club of Buffalo 76 – 77 — 153
36 Ken Ogden, Oak Hill Country Club 79 – 74 — 153
36 PJ Alterio, Niagara Falls Country Club 79 – 74 — 153
36 Joe Hobika, Yahnundasis Golf Club 75 – 78 — 153
41 Ken Augustyniak, Gowanda Country Club 79 – 75 — 154
41 Matt Clarke, Cazenovia Country Club 78 – 76 — 154
41 Richard Luther, Stafford Country Club 74 – 80 — 154
41 Scott Belote, Transit Valley Country Club 77 – 77 — 154
41 Claudiu Mihai, Elma Meadows Golf Club 77 – 77 — 154
46 CJ O’ Rourke, Wolferts Roost Country Club 81 – 74 — 155
46 Jim Hamburger, McCann Golf Course 79 – 76 — 155
46 Steve Stone, Sheridan Park Golf Club 74 – 81 — 155
46 Billy Byrnes, Nassau Players Club 77 – 78 — 155
46 Tom Musso, Bath Country Club 77 – 78 — 155
51 Kurt Paseka, MGA eClub- Long Island 76 – 80 — 156
51 Matthew Laramee, Malone Golf Club 79 – 77 — 156
53 Jim Mason, Oak Hill Country Club 78 – 79 — 157
54 David Hicks, Cornell University Golf Course 81 – 77 — 158
54 Steven Hastings, Powelton Club 80 – 78 — 158
54 Jeff Reissman, Hollow Brook Golf Club 80 – 78 — 158
54 Bob Kubiak, Twin Hickory Golf Club 76 – 82 — 158
54 Dennis Lynch, Nassau Players Club 78 – 80 — 158
54 Craig Bell, Mendon Golf Club 78 – 80 — 158
60 Ed Kostolansky, Corning Country Club 82 – 77 — 159
60 David Fizer, Ballston Spa Country Club 80 – 79 — 159
60 Jim McKillip, Town of Colonie Golf Club 80 – 79 — 159
60 Daniel Ireland, Country Club of Troy 79 – 80 — 159
60 David Mattana, Fresh Meadow Country Club 79 – 80 — 159
60 Ronald Abbey III, Lakeside Country Club 76 – 83 — 159
60 Ernie Kreis, NYSGA eClub – Central NY 77 – 82 — 159
67 Doug Slattery, Brook-Lea Country Club 82 – 78 — 160
67 Ricky Pruden, Indian Hills Golf Club 82 – 78 — 160
67 Mike Brabham, Wiltwyck Golf Club 81 – 79 — 160
67 Richard Rivanera, En-Joie Golf Club 79 – 81 — 160
67 Keith Anderson, Brookfield Country Club 78 – 82 — 160
67 Barry Winter, Southern Dutchess CC 78 – 82 — 160
73 Joe Quillinan, Olde Kinderhook Golf Club 82 – 79 — 161
73 Jeff Fallon, NYSGA eClub – Watertown 81 – 80 — 161
73 Peter Chiarella, Capital Hills at Albany 79 – 82 — 161
73 John Zamperetti, McConnellsville Country Club 76 – 85 — 161
77 David Malcolm, East Aurora Country Club 83 – 79 — 162
77 Donald Crouch, Mark Twain Golf Club 81 – 81 — 162
77 Jeff Rupert, Ravenwood Golf Club 80 – 82 — 162
80 Louis Mattos, Corning Country Club 82 – 81 — 163
80 Raymond Edwards, Pine Hills Golf & Country Club 81 – 82 — 163
80 Ken Cohen, Villa Roma Country Club 85 – 78 — 163
80 Daniel Dichristina, Onondaga Golf & Country Club 80 – 83 — 163
80 Chip Keister, NYSGA eClub – Southern Tier 84 – 79 — 163
80 Salvatore Romano, Eagle Crest Golf Club 79 – 84 — 163
80 Andrew Burns, Cobblestone Creek Country Club 78 – 85 — 163
87 Rick Wood, Indian Hills Golf Club 76 – 88 — 164
87 Gary Cohan, Nassau Players Club 78 – 86 — 164
89 Rick Dehlinger, Brookfield Country Club 84 – 81 — 165
89 Kevin Webb, Clifton Springs Country Club 90 – 75 — 165
89 Bryan Hanley, NYSGA eClub – Rochester 83 – 82 — 165
89 Sean Hanlon, Mendon Golf Club 82 – 83 — 165
89 Barton Vanleuvan, North Country Golf Club 81 – 84 — 165
89 Flip Williams, Sagamore Resort & GC 85 – 80 — 165
89 Robert Solometo, Willowcreek Golf Club 84 – 81 — 165
89 Bill Paulsen, McGregor Links Country Club 84 – 81 — 165
97 Guy Sheldon, Olde Kinderhook Golf Club 83 – 83 — 166
97 Bernie Beck, Links at Erie Village 81 – 85 — 166
97 Peter Amodio, Rogues Roost Golf & CC 80 – 86 — 166
100 Kevin Hart, Pinehaven Country Club 83 – 84 — 167
100 Dave Benedict, Brook-Lea Country Club 84 – 83 — 167
100 Mark Angelucci, Yahnundasis Golf Club 83 – 84 — 167
103 Joseph Pinkes, Seven Oaks Golf Club 83 – 85 — 168
103 Dave Grasso, Willowcreek GC 83 – 85 — 168
103 Steve Lowe, Cedar Lake Club 89 – 79 — 168
103 Ken Gardner, RDGA eClub 82 – 86 — 168
103 Bruce Levinson, Onondaga Golf & Country Club 84 – 84 — 168
103 David Bernstein, Niagara Falls Country Club 84 – 84 — 168
109 Robert Kerning, Nassau Players Club 88 – 81 — 169
109 Dale Landl, Locust Hill Country Club 85 – 84 — 169
109 John Russell, NYSGA eClub – Capital Region 85 – 84 — 169
112 Michael Amoruso, Fairview Country Club 90 – 80 — 170
112 Tony Worth, Lakeside Country Club 86 – 84 — 170
114 Gary Spears, MGA eClub – Hudson Valley 88 – 83 — 171
114 Mike Clark, Willowcreek GC 86 – 85 — 171
114 Leighton Swanson, Chautauqua Golf Club 86 – 85 — 171
117 David Kokes, North Country Golf Club 87 – 85 — 172
117 Lee Johns, Corning Country Club 85 – 87 — 172
119 Toby Taylor, NYSGA eClub – Central NY 91 – 82 — 173
119 Jamie Hinman, RaNic Golf Club 87 – 86 — 173
119 Carl Assini, SGATOUR.com 85 – 88 — 173
122 James Mackinnon, North Country Golf Club 89 – 85 — 174
123 Matthew Ryan, NYSGA eClub – Southern Tier 90 – 85 — 175
123 John Brewer, Tarry Brae Golf Course 85 – 90 — 175
125 John Quethera, Penfield Country Club 90 – 89 — 179
126 Lowell Swanson, Chautauqua Golf Club 92 – 91 — 183
127 Vincent Sculco, Olde Kinderhook Golf Club 89 – 96 — 185
128 Mitsuo Lockrow, NYSGA eClub – Capital Region 92 – 98 — 190
129 Tom Gough, Corning Country Club 84 – – — WD
129 Paul Simonson, Indian Hills Golf Club 84 – — WD
131 Ron Patti, Binghamton Country Club 85 – – — WD
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