Chuck Connolly of Hiland GC and Dave Benedict of Brook-Lea CC are champs in Binghamton. Photo courtesy: NYSGA

BENEDICT HOLDS ON FOR SENIOR TITLE

After winning both last year, Queensbury’s Chuck Connolly has half as much this year and twice as much anxiety. His 80 on the final day gave him a 54-hole score of 234 to sneak out a one stroke victory. He finished ten strokes off the Senior division, tied for seventh.

“It was a picture of anxiety,” Connolly said laughing. “If they had a camera and took my picture they could put it in the dictionary right next to the word ‘anxiety’. I couldn’t calm myself down.”

The double-defending champion has now won three Senior Championships and two Super Senior Championships. John Baker, who shot a 77 and had a 54-hole score of 235, was second in the Super Senior Division.

It came on a day where scores were down at Vestal Hills Country Club after a wet and windy day two. The final round of the Men’s Senior and Super Senior Championship saw both Connolly and Dave Benedict of Gates, NY, just west of Rochester, protect 36-hole leads and take home championships in their respective divisions.

Click here for full coverage and final leaderboards.

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Chuck Connolly is atop the Super Senior board and in contention for the Senior Division too.

QUEENSBURY MAINSTAY LOOKS TO DEFEND TITLE

While the Senior leaderboard shuffles on day two, Queensbury’s Chuck Connolly, the defending champion of the Super-Seniors, shot 75 to make a move to the top at the New York State Golf Association’s annual event. Connolly (Hiland GC) leads that division and sits tied for sixth in the Senior Divison, seven strokes back.

Meantime, Latham’s Jimmy Cocca, who sat just one shot back in the Senior Division, fell off the pace with an 86. The man in front of him, Frank Plata (Cazenovia CC) shot 83.

Click here to see complete leaderboards. The tournament concludes Thursday, Oct. 6.

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Scott Berliner, asst. at Normanside CC, matched his Match Play title at The Sagamore with an Asst. Match Play title at Colonie G&CC

NORMANSIDE ASSISTANT DOES IT AGAIN

VOORHEESVILLE – Scott Berliner has perfected the winning doff-of-the-cap and handshake. He’s gotten a lot of practice this season.

On Wednesday, the assistant at Normanside CC used five birdies and no bogeys to close out Chris Sanger in the finals of the Northeastern New York PGA Assistant’s Match Play Championship at Colonie Golf & Country Club, winning 4 & 3. They shook hands on the 15th green when both made par.

“For the first seven holes, it was kind of back and forth,” Berliner said. “Those are fun matches…you kind of feed off each other in a positive way.”

The win earned him Assistant Player of the Year for the section for the fifth consecutive year and six of the past seven years.

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NENY PGA ASSISTANTS BATTLE

Many feel today will be just another good walk “unspoiled” for Scott Berliner, the assistant pro at Normanside Country Club, who has already wrapped up NENY Pro Player of the Year and is looking to do the same as Assistant of the Year.

However, Milton Torres, an assistant at Wahconah Country Club, who won one of the season’s early events, might have something to say about that today at the NENY PGA Assistants Match Play event at Colonie Golf & Country Club.

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FINAL ENYGA OF SEASON

What do they say about “when the cat’s away?” Well, the mice played…golf…wrapping the Eastern New York Golf Association while two weekly regulars were out of the Capital Area.

So Schenectady Muni’s Bob Smith took advantage, shooting 77, to win the ENYGA’s final weekly tournament at Normanside Country Club on Monday, Oct. 3.

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Jimmy Cocca of Shaker Ridge CC, seen earlier this year at Mohawk GC, is one shot back in the NYSGA Senior Tournament

PLATA LEADS SENIORS, GRESHAM ATOP SUPER SENIORS

Postponed from this summer, the 55th Men’s Senior and 16th Super Senior Amateur is taking place at Vestal Hills CC in Binghamton this week. Latham’s Jim Cocca is in the hunt.

However, the seemingly never-ending rain over the past several weeks has left Vestal Hills CC soaked.

Cocca is one of just two players to break par during the first round. He shot a one-under 71 and it could have been even lower, he said.

“I was four-under with five to go,” said Cocca, who started on the back nine. “I drove it perfect and I ended up just hitting some lousy sand wedges short. I hit some sloppy wedges and made three bogeys with them.” Read the rest of this entry »

Scott Berliner is handed the check, cup and trophy as champion from Executive Director Tracie Warner

EARNS NENY PGA PLAYER OF YEAR HONORS
By John Craig

REXFORD – As unstable as his course was in the off-season was in direct contrast to how stable Scott Berliner’s game has been this on-season. And the season has been on.

It’s fitting that he would shoot 65-69 – for a two-day average of 67 – at the 67th Northeastern New York PGA Stroke Play Championship at The Edison Club on Tuesday, Sept. 27. Berliner’s score, -10, was five better than Bob Mucha, head pro at Greenock Country Club in Lee, MA, and earned him $2,100 and wrapped up Player of the Year honors.

“This one was special because just the names on the trophy,” Berliner said. “Gene Sarazen. My name’s going to be on a trophy with Gene Sarazen. That’s pretty cool.”

Berliner is an assistant pro at Normanside CC in Delmar.

NENY PGA section directors Tracie Warner and Doug Evans searched the record books and say that Berliner may have topped them all. His -10 is the lowest score in the event since 1986. Jim Jeffers posted -8 in 1994, Evans said.

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HILAND STAPLE WINS ENYGA

Chuck Connolly of Hiland Golf Club in Queensbury shot 69 to win the Eastern New York Golf Association weekly A Division Low Gross at Stadium Golf Club on Monday, Sept. 26. Last week’s winner, Amsterdam Muni’s Mike Arminio, fired 74 and Dave LaFleche of Van Patten followed with 75.

Three players each carrying 9 handicaps led the Low Net section.

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WINS FOUR-WAY PLAYOFF WITH PAR ON FIRST HOLE
By John Craig

He posted +5 on a soggy track and then waited. Valatie’s Jimmy Welch, who plays out of Winding Brook CC, has some not-so-found memories of Dutchess Golf & Country Club, but he does now.

Welch, 44, found himself in a four-way playoff late Sunday and was on the correct side of the hole while the other three were on the “right” side to win the 28th New York State Golf Association’s Mid-Amateur title.

“They all got in trouble right of the hole,” Welch said. “You can’t miss the green right, they were all in a tough spot, they all made five. It was a huge break to have three guys make bogey on a relatively not-that-hard-of-a-hole. So I got a big break there.”

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ENYGA SEASON WINDING DOWN

Mike Arminio of Amsterdam Muni shot 71 to capture the weekly Eastern New York Golf Association’s A Division at Eagle Crest Golf Club on Wednesday, Sept. 21. He bested Hiland’s Chuck Connolly by five strokes and Van Patten’s Ralph Maru, who shot 81 in the Low Gross.

Dick Gunning (Town of Colonie) shot 76, less his 5-handicap for a 71 in the Low Net. Bob Smith from Schenectady Muni shot 84 (9 HC) and Tim Getwright (Town of Colonie), also a 9-handicap, shot 85.

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