Jimmy Sullivan, here in a file photo, wins the NENY JGT #5 at Eagle Crest.

CLIFTON PARK – Jimmy Sullivan of Troy won the Northeastern New York Section PGA Junior Golf Tour Event #5 hosted Tuesday at Eagle Crest Golf Club in Clifton Park. He shot 34-36 to win by five strokes over Animesh Hajela of Loudonville.

Results:
1-Jimmy Sullivan, Troy (34-36) 70
2-Animesh Hajela, Loudonville (36-39) 75
3-Spencer Sautin, Ballston Lake (37-39) 76
   John Farrah, Niskayuna (35-41) 76
5-John Young, Mechanicville (38-39) 77
    Zachary Meade, Tupper Lake (38-39) 77
    Kyle Lewis, Saratoga Springs (37-40) 77
8-DJ Tozier, Clifton Park (40-38) 78
    Evan Cody, Malta (39-39) 78
    Robert Cave, Voorheesville (39-39) 78
11-Brendon Jeffes, Schenectady (39-40) 79
     Dan Bennison, Albany (39-40) 79
     Aaron Scofield, Schoharie (38-41) 79
14-Seth Adams, Schenectady (42-38) 80
     Luke Donah, Ballston Spa (40-40) 80
     Taylore Bellamare, Hoosick Falls (39-41) 80
17-Dan Palmateer, Greenfield Center (39-42) 81
      Jimmy Greg, Clifton Park (42-39) 81
      Trevor Skiba, Latham (41-40) 81
      Daniel Jaromin, East Greenbush (43-38) 81
      Pete Koehler, Niskayuna (39-42) 81
      Danny Fitzpatrick, Loudonville (38-43) 81

Girls 16-18 Results
1-Macy Raimo, Albany (39-40) 79
2-Bailey Cocca, Latham (38-42) 80
3-Jessica Madsen, Slingerlands (42-41) 83
   Sarah Adamowski, Amsterdam (42-41) 83

Boys 13-15 Results
1-Calvin Beckwith, Saratoga Springs (34-38) 72
    Jeff Palmerino, Glenmont (36-36) 72
3-Arthur Griffin, Lake Placid (37-36) 73
   Aaron Simone, Niskayuna (36-37) 73

Girls 13-15 Results
1-Grace Ziamandanis, Slingerlands (44-42) 86
2-Natalie Squillace, Albany (44-44) 88
3-Caitlan Blydenburgh, Castleton-on-Hudson (42-49) 91

Boys 12 & Under Results
1-Justin Lane, Woodstock 41
2-Kyle Adams, Schenectady 42
   Patrick Hayes, Loudonville 42

Girls 12 & Under
1-Sarah Luna, Schenectady 50
2-Kayla Szekely, Gansevoort 52

John Vaccaro of Wolferts Roost takes home the 2010 Albany Mayor's Cup at Capital Hills @ Albany.

ALBANY – Apparently, they hadn’t had enough spent enough time together. After playing 36-holes in the State Amateur last Thursday, Don DeNyse III and John Vaccaro – the muni guy and the country club guy – went extra holes on Sunday before deciding the 2010 Albany City Championship.

It looked like it would be over after 36 holes. Then 37. Finally 38. Vaccaro topped DeNyse with a birdie on the second playoff hole at Capital Hills @ Albany. DeNyse had won the Mayor’s Cup for the past five years.

“This course will bite you if you don’t stay in the fairway, that’s for sure,” Vaccaro said. “It’s a tough golf course, especially that back nine.”

That’s what happened to DeNyse, who shot a 66 to come back, “blocked” his drive on the second playoff hole and wound up right of the cart path on #18. It forced him to chip to just in front and then up to about five-feet.

However, Vaccaro had driven to about 85-yards and landed on the green 15-feet from the hole. His birdie putt dropped in for the win.

“Happy I lost to a birdie, though,” DeNyse said. “There’s only been one birdie all day in the skins, even from the white tees.”

DAY ONE: VACCARO’S 67

Vaccaro took the lead after Saturday, shooting a four-under 67. Bob Gennarelli was second with a 70 (-1) and Justin Hearley was third at even par-71. Riley McGraw and Matt McCaffrey shot 72. DeNyse was six back, after a 73 (+2) on his home course.

DeNyse had won this tournament from 2005-2009. He works at the course and plays it nearly every day. One night he remembers rolling in a 25 foot putt in the dark and has played by cell phone light.

“I shot myself out of it a little bit (Saturday) with a 38 on the front nine,” said DeNyse, who grew up at Capital Hills. He’s a CBA graduate and is a senior-to-be at Siena College.

Vaccaro and DeNyse had played in the seventh to last threesome at the 88th New York State Golf Association Men’s Amateur at Albany Country Club on the final day. Along with Matthew Dejohn of Clifton Springs CC, they played 36-holes on Thursday.

Vaccaro finished in a two-way tie for 11th at ACC at +6. DeNyse finished in a two-way tie for 16th at +8.

DeNyse and Vaccaro are familiar with each other in the Capital Region Amateur Golf Association. This was not a CRAGA event but it turned into one between the two of them. Little did they know that even though they weren’t in the same group on Sunday they would still play a couple more holes together.

DAY TWO: DENYSE’S 66

Sunday, DeNyse was in the second-to-last foursome and started with a 31 including four birdies (1, 2, 5, 6). Vaccaro also had four birdies (1, 2, 6, but two bogeys (4, 9) for 33.

On the back, DeNyse birdied the 13th and 15th holes and at 17 was on the upslope of the elevated green in two. He was able to chip up to about 25-feet and his putt just died at the hole to save par.

“I gave myself a lot of good opportunities and capitalized on most,” DeNyse said. “I missed a couple short ones but I made some long ones too that made up for it. I gave myself good chances pretty much all day until the last hole.”

On 18, DeNyse three-putted from 20-feet. His first attempt slid by left, leaving him a five-footer coming back. That putt also slid left. He walked off the green exasperated.

“I played too much break on the five-footer,” DeNyse said.

Vaccaro had three bogeys on the back nine (11, 12, 14) and no birdies. At 17, he two-putted from 40-feet, just on the front of the green. He went to 18 tee down one stroke. By the time he reached his drive, he knew he had to make par to tie, birdie to win. His wedge stuck pin high about eight feet but with so much backspin, it wound up 15-feet below the hole. The putt slid right and he tapped in for the playoff.

PLAYOFF: A TALE OF TWO HOLES

The first playoff hole was #1. Vaccaro, from Wolferts Roost CC, outdrove DeNyse by a couple of yards. Both used 3-woods from 235-yards. DeNyse found the right side bunker, just on the upslope. Vaccaro’s ball crossed the cart path on the right and was almost touching the blacktop. Head pro Steve Vatter gave him a ruling that he could move it from the path.

Vaccaro then took his 64-degree wedge and shot it about 35-yards to the green, coming out quick, it hit the front of the green and skidded to a stop 15-feet from the cup.

“I knew it had spin on it,” Vaccaro said. “I opened it up, just hit it hard. I knew it would stop, I just had to get it up on the green.”

DeNyse left himself a 26-foot birdie putt that slid by. Vaccaro took his customary triangular look at the putt – from behind the ball, behind the cup and facing his line – then stepped up and rolled it. DeNyse actually took a step toward Vaccaro to congratulate him when the ball somehow horseshoed out, it spit it back to everyone’s surprise.

“It did a 360,” Vaccaro said, pointing out that the cup may have been slightly damaged and not a clean line. Onto #18.

At the 361-yard par-4, DeNyse left himself in trouble with his drive to the right of the cart path.

“Just blocked it a little bit,” DeNyse said of his drive. “Hadn’t done it all day but happened there.”

This time, Vaccaro’s wedge didn’t spin back and stuck at 15-feet. DeNyse chipped to the upslope and then pitched to nearly the same spot he was in after 36-holes, five-feet below the hole.

It didn’t matter, however, as Vaccaro made his birdie.

“It’s an honor, believe me, to come into the lion’s den and beat the lion,” Vaccaro said. “It’s tough to come to this guy’s golf course. He’s a great player and I knew he would come out and shoot a number today and he did. And I just tried to hang in there.”

DeNyse said he was disappointed and wanted that six-peat in a tournament he loves.

“It’s guys that I know from around here, so it’s fun,” he said.

DeNyse is looking next toward the Edison Club Invitational August 9. Vaccaro is pointing toward his club’s championship and then the CRAGA Stroke Play Championship at Olde Kinderhook August 6-7.

V for Victory: John Vaccaro congratulated by Steve Vatter, head pro at Capital Hills, after the 2010 Albany City Championship.

SCORES:

John Vaccaro 67-72=139, Don DeNyse III 73-66=139, Bob Gennarelli 70-72=142, Justin Hearley 71-74=145, Tim DiStefano 74-71=145, Matt McCaffrey 72-74=146, Riley McGraw 72-75=147, Jim Toomey 74-73=147, Steven Candlen 74-75=149, James Bologna 77-74=151, Rick Lloyd 77-75=152, Phil Costello 74-78=152, Jim Cocca 76-77=153, Packy McGraw 79-75=154, Ryan Prinzo 81-76=157, Jason Urschel 83-76-159, Dave Beckett 81-84=165, Bill Long 86-80=166, Alex Bringsjord 83-92=175.

OTHER DIVISIONS

Eric Macfarlane (80-70=150) beat Gavin Hughes (74-76=150) on the first playoff hole, the par-5 #1 to win the Open Division. Kip Kirby (77-75=152) was third.

John Gadani (75-73=148) won the Seniors 50’s Division. Paul Engel was second (76-75=151) and Frank Bishop was third (77-75=152).

Ed Unser shot 79-74=153 to win the Seniors 60’s Division.

Kim Lloyd won the Ladies Division with a 74-94=168.

Bryan & Mark Leggett of Ballston Lake shot 36-37=73 (+3) to each win $60.00. Colby & Kevin Krogh of Ballston Spa were a stroke back, 39-35=74 (+4) and each took home $40.00. Corey & Tim Purcell of Clifton Park (37-38=75 +5) won $30.00 each for third and the pairing of Matthew & Joe Parrottino of Slingerlands was fourth (42-34=76 +6) winning $10.

In the Recreational Division:
1st Christopher & David Halm of Burnt Hills shot 51 and win Dozen Pro V1’s.
2nd Yoni & Mark Israel of Albany shot 51 and won two sleeves of Pro V1’s.
3rd Sarah Luna & Freddy Luna Sr. of Schenectady shot 52 and won a sleeve of Pro V1’s.
4th Ryan & Alex Dell of Niskayuna shot 54.

Closest To the Pin Contests:

#6  Parent: Prabhat Hajela  14’4’’     Dozen Pro V1’s
    Child:  Bobby McCarthy  10’3’’ Dozen Pro V1’s

#17  Parent:  Mark Leggett   8’7’’   Dozen ProV1s
  Child: Max Leavitt 23’3’’     Dozen Pro V1s  

OTHER SCORES:
6th Davis Jensen Loudonville, NY 41 36 77 +7

      Steve Jensen

      Robert Cave Voorheesville, NY 39 38 77 +7

      John Cave

      8th Jack Fox Ballston Spa, NY 40 38 78 +8

      Richard Fox

      Douglas Brown Mayfield, NY 40 38 78 +8

      George Brown

      10th Animesh Hajela Loudonville, NY 43 38 81 +11

      Prabhat Hajela

      T11th Adam McIlravey Schenectady, NY 40 42 82 +12

      Adam McIlravey Sr.

            Brendan McMahon Latham, NY 41 41 82 +12

      Tim McMahon
 

      13th Bobby McCarthy Clifton Park, NY 42 43 85 +15

      Tom McCarthy

      14th Scott VanDenburgh Valatie, NY 45 42 87 +17

      Steve VanDenburg

      Arthur Griffin Lake Placid, NY 48 39 87 +17

      Christina Lucci

      16th Daniel Omicinski Scotia, NY 46 42 88 +18

      David Omicinski

      17th Kayla Szekely Gansevoort, NY 44 45 89 +19

      Paul Szekely

      Jacob Rounds Broadalbin, NY 46 43 89 +19

      Chuck Cirillo

      19th Hannah Valachovic Schenectady, NY 46 44 90 +20

      James Valachovic

      20th Bobby Canniff Latham, NY 45 46 91 +21

      Dan Canniff
 

      21st Max Leavitt Delmar, NY 54 47 101 +31

      Larry Leavitt

ALBANY – Charities from throughout the region are raising money through the Turning Stone ResortChampionship’s “Tickets for Charity” program. This is the fourth year of the initiative, administered by the Upstate New York Empowerment Fund, which is the regional charitable component of the PGA Tour event scheduled for Aug. 2-8 at Atunyote Golf Club.

Last year, 65 charities from eight counties participated. This year, more than 90 charities from 11 counties are involved.

The Addictions Care Center of Albany (ACCA), an Albany-based non-profit dedicated to the treatment and prevention of substance abuse, is the only Capital Region charity selling advance tickets to the tournament. ACCA will receive 100% of the face value of all tickets sold.

According to Keith Stack, ACCA Executive Director, “Selling tickets to this popular golf event allows ACCA to spread awareness of our good work, as well as raise much-needed funds. The monies raised will be usedto provide critical substance abuse treatment and prevention services to the Capital District. This is an excellent opportunity to help our cause and see some of the best professional golfers in the world play at a nationally-recognized, local course.”

The “Tickets for Charity” program raised nearly $750,000 during its first three years. The event will host 132 players from around the world competing for a $4 million purse. In past years, the fundraiser has been part of the PGA Tour’s Fall Series. This year the championship will take place during the mid-summer FedExCup regular season. Past champions include Matt Kuchar, Dustin Johnson and Steve Flesch.

“Good Any Day” tickets, priced at $25, can be used any day during tournament week from Wednesdaythrough Sunday. Those same tickets will cost $35 at the gate. Tickets for charity will run through July 30. Tickets can be obtained by contacting the Addictions Care Center of Albany at (518) 465-5829 or email fsinkoff@theacca.net, as well as stopping by the office at 90 McCarty Avenue in Albany weekdays from 9:00AM-4:00PM.

About ACCA: The Addictions Care Center of Albany empowers individuals, families and communities to advance beyond addiction and overcome barriers to healing through an array of quality, compassionate care and prevention programs. ACCA respects each individual’s unique journey through recovery and believes the disease ofaddiction is both preventable and treatable. Among ACCA’s services are a chemical dependency crisis center, community residences, outpatient clinic and intensive day treatment programs, substance abuse prevention programs, and professional training and development programs. ACCA’s vision is to heal the hearts of everyone touched by addiction.

VOORHEESVILLE – A three-under par 69, including a tap-in birdie on 18 in the third-to-last group, earned Doug Kleeschulte of Kingston’s Wiltwyck Golf Club the 88th annual New York State Amateur Golf Championship Thursday at Albany Country Club. 48 players played 36 holes to cap the week.

Kleeschulte, 20, took the lead on a shuffling leaderboard at +1 after Jake Katz three-putted the 15th. Then, Katz three-putted again at 16, a par-3, from above the hole. Kleeschulte knew he had the lead and stepped on the gas, getting to the front of the 18th green in two.

From about 60-yards, he chipped up and almost holed it for eagle, instead settling for a tap in birdie and a two-stroke lead. He signed his card at the scorer’s table, then went back to 18 green and held his breath.

“The first day I didn’t hit it that great,” Kleeschulte said. “The second day I hit it real well, I left a few shots out there. (Third round) I hit it really bad but I kept it together and shot 76 and the last round, I scrambled around the place.

“It’s a great thing. I’m just really happy,” said Kleeshulte, who is heading into his junior year a Western Kentucky University.

The leader of the first three rounds, Rochester’s Tim Spitz, finally gave up the top spot on ACC’s picturesque par-5 8th. Spitz’s third shot hit the bank in front of the 8th green and hopped into the water but he still salvaged a bogey.

In the clubhouse already was Buffalo’s Tim Hume, who made a charge from the back nine first. He posted +2 thanks to birdies at 10, 11 & 12 – five birdies in all on that side (15 & 17) – and a bogey (14) , out in 32.

SUNY Binghamton’s Jake Katz, 21, said he “swung as hard as (he could)” twice on 18 – drive and a 3W to reach the back of the green in two. His 15-foot eagle putt just went by and Kleeschulte is your winner.

“Extremely disappointed,” Katz said. “Knowing I was right there going into the last nine holes, I’ve been playing great all summer and I expected to come out with a bigger trophy than I have right now.”

Capital Area golfers made a strong showing at Albany Country Club. Dan Russo of Rolling Hills at Antlers Country Club was one shot back after three rounds.

“The first two days it was soft, spongy, no wind,” Russo said. “Today, it played like it should play.

“Bottom line is you’ve got to get the ball in the hole and I didn’t do it. That’s the bottom line.”

Troy’s Steve Quillinan Jr. (CC of Troy) was up and down too. Both finished tied for fifth place at (+4) 292.

“It’s kind of a bummer because I had three really good rounds and one round in the middle that cost me the tournament,” Quillinan said.

Those two, plus Jeb Buchanan and John Vaccaro of Wolferts Roost CC, Jimmy Welch of Winding Brook CC and Don DeNyse III of Capital Hills @ Albany all finished in the top 20, earning exemptions into next year’s field at famed Oak Hill CC in Rochester.

“It’s always nice, you don’t have to take a day off to qualify to get a chance to get in,” Welch, 43, said about his exemption. He says he played a State Am at Oak Hill back in 1987.

“I look forward to playing on it,” DeNyse said. “I’d have no other way of getting on than this.” DeNyse went to the 2003 PGA Championship at Oak Hill.

“A couple putts fall here and there it could have been a different story,” Buchanan said. “But I just have to keep practicing, keeping going on. It’s close. It will be there soon.”

“It went wrong, really all day,” said the leader of rounds 1, 2 and 3 Tim Spitz of Rochester. “I was just hitting a weak cut and getting killed by the wind.

“This week?” Spitz asked rhetorically when asked how he leaves the Capital Area. “I didn’t win. Disappointed.”

SCORES: Even: Doug Kleeschulte (Wiltwyck GC) 73-70-76-69=288, +1: Jake Katz (Westwood CC) 72-70-73-74=289; +2: Tim Hume (Diamond Hawk GC) 76-74-72-68=290; +3: John Duthie (Robert Trent Jones GC) 70-74-74-73=291; +4: Steve Quillinan, Jr. (CC of Troy) 72-70-79-71=292, Matthew Stasiak (Fox Valley Club) 73-70-74-75=292, Dan Russo (Rolling Hills CC) 75-68-73-76=292; +5: Jamison Sindelar (Soaring Eagles GC) 71-76-75-71=293, Jeb Buchanan (Wolferts Roost CC) 74-75-70-74=293, Tim Spitz (Monroe GC) 69-70-76-78=293; +6: John Vaccaro (Wolferts Roost CC) 74-74-72-74=294, Yaroslav Merkulov (Webster GC) 73-69-75-77=294; +7: Jess Esposito (Newman Municipal GC) 75-75-72-73=295, Jimmy Welch (Winding Brook CC) 74-75-73-73=295, Drew Creighton (Crag Burn GC) 71-70-77-77=295; +8: Don DeNyse III (Capital Hills at Albany) 76-72-76-72=296, Mark Mumford (Westchester CC) 71-76-74-75=296; +10: Peter Wilson (Piping Rock Club) 76-74-76-72=298, David Cellura (Penfield CC) 73-74-78-73=298, Tim Lane (Newman GC) 74-71-75-78=298.
 
OTHERS: T21 (+11): Robby Bigley (Pinehaven CC), Andrew Lane (Oak Hill CC). 23 (+13) Cory Stelick (Turning Stone GC), T24 (+14) Carter Rufe (Red Hook GC), Derek Bard (Cedar Lake Club), Raman Luthra (Crag Burn GC), Chris Sanger (Red Hook GC); T28 (+15) Kevin Roy (Bellevue CC), Matthew Dejohn (Clifton Springs CC), Ben Kircher (Monroe GC), T.J. Sumigray (Fox Run GC), Brandon Haase (Mohawk Golf Club); 33 (+16) Andrew Marler (Colonie G&CC); 34 (+17) Matt Campbell (Teugega CC); T35 (+18) Dylan Newman (Bonnie Briar CC), Peter Creighton (Crag Burn GC); T37 (+20) Joe Wilson (CC of Rochester), Trevor Sluman (Oak Hill CC), Luke Feehan (Mahopac GC); T40 (+21) Dave Mooradian (CC of Troy), Paul Pratico (Schenectady Municipal GC); T42 (+23) Todd Dischinger (Foxfire GC), Todd Czepiel (Shaker Ridge CC); 44 (+24) Alexandre Belmont (MGA EClub – NYC); T45 Tom Hackett (Vestal Hills CC), Jacob Reimer (Penfield CC); 47 (+26) Steve Owens (Normanside CC); 48 (+28) Kevin Burke (Mark Twain GC).

The winner of the NYSGA Men's State Amateur gets his name on the Ganson Depew Cup.

SPITZ LEADS AFTER ROUND TWO AT 88TH NYSGA STATE AMATEUR

By John Craig

VOORHEESVILLE – If you go out to watch the golf Thursday, you’ll be able to spot the second-round leader at the 88th New York State Men’s Amateur Championship at Albany Country Club. He’ll be the one in the purple plaid shorts and purple customized golf shoes. Purple is the color of his alma mater, the Furman Paladins.

Tim Spitz, 34, a municipal bond specialist from Rochester, followed up his first-round 69 with a 70 to take a two-stroke lead in to the final day, which will be 36-holes of stroke play.

“This was definitely more of a roller-coaster ride today,” Spitz said.

Day-two had two significant eagles but they came on either side of the cutline. 141 golfers started Tuesday and now it’s down to 48, taking the top-40 plus ties. Spitz leads with -5 and 10 golfers are +7.

“I’m trying to get as far away from the kids as I can because it’s going to be a tiring day,” Spitz said. “You just drink plenty of water and grind it out and sit down when you get a chance. It’ll be fun.”

Click here for the complete list of tee times for the 88th NYSGA State Am.

SPITZ STYLING

Wearing black, gray and white golf shoes with his initials on them, Spitz’s afternoon round was highlighted by an eagle on the par-4 4th hole. With the tees moved up, it played just 308-yards. Spitz hit his drive 260-yards into the right rough and actually went first among his trio.

Using his 56-degree sand wedge, Spitz flopped the shot high into the air to the back of the green. It landed right on the apron and tracked toward the hole as he yelled, “grab, grab, grab.” It grabbed the flagstick and fell in for a two. Spitz grabbed some air with a fist pump.

“It was only going to be a couple feet by but it saved a stroke so we’ll take it,” Spitz said. “It was unexpected.”

Spitz came out to Albany Sunday and actually worked in the Albany office of Oppenheimer Funds and then got in a practice round at ACC. He’s a Municipal Bond Specialist who typically plays Thursday evenings and on Saturday if there’s no tournament that week. His office is ten minutes from his home course of Monroe GC.

“I’ll sneak over there during lunch and just practice,” he said.

Now he will tee it up for 36-holes on Thursday. He’s no stranger to that grind. Last fall in the U.S. Mid-Am in Kiawah Island, SC, Spitz was the runner-up playing 36 each of the three days. The mid-am division is a tournament for golfers 25 and older.

“The greens, they’re tricky but you see the breaks,” Spitz said. “They’re right there in front of you. I’m just hitting it well and going from one shot to the next.”

He’ll be back in his office Friday morning.

“It seemed today I didn’t make any putts for birdie but I made everything I needed to for par,” he said.

“He’s relaxed. He’s tournament tough,” said CC of Troy’s Matt Clarke. “He’s a nice guy, he’s a good player, he’s got total control of the golf ball right now.”

OH-KAYE

Kevin Kaye of Webster GC is the first name below the cutline, shooting 77-75, but he will leave the Capital Area remembering one shot in particular – his first hole-in-one.

It came at the par-3 16th, set at 180-yards. And it’s not often you get a practice shot before the hole-in-one but Kaye, 26, said his second shot on #15 sure felt like it.

“Pured it,” Kaye said of a “perfect punch 5-iron into the wind” 180-yards on #15. When he got to the tee on #16, with the hole downhill and downwind, he instinctively reached for another club.

“My first thought would be a full 7,” Kaye said. “But I had the perfect punch that I had just hit the hole before so I pulled the 6 and took dead aim. As soon as it came off it felt good, never left the pin, one-hopped, disappeared, high-fives all the way around.”

It was his first ace ever.

“At the flag the whole time,” said playing partner John Vaccaro of Wolferts Roost, who said it dropped two-feet from the hole. “It just popped on, rolled in, boom, disappeared, everybody yelled.”

This was Kaye’s fifth time playing the State Am. He made match play at Pinehaven in 2008 and finished ninth at Ravenwood last year. Kaye owns his own web development company, Clutch Media, LLC., in Rochester.

“It was fun, I have a good memory,” Kaye said.

LEADERS AT 8:40AM

Spitz (69-70, -5) will tee off with Drew Creighton (71-70, -3) of Crag Burn GC and Jake Katz of Westwood CC (-2, 72-70) at 8:40AM off the 10th tee.
Creighton, 22, is from Kenmore and finished his morning round tied for the lead.

“I thought the pins were a little bit tougher, the greens were a little bit faster,” Creighton said, who is here with his younger brother Peter. “My game plan really didn’t change: just hit a lot of greens in regulation.”

Recently, Drew switched back to his old set of irons, the Callaway X-Forged to find more consistency.

“I’ve been really coming into the tournament trying to focus on getting comfortable on the putting green,” he said. “Really trying to just find a stroke that I’m comfortable with.”

On his first nine, the front side Wednesday, he only hit four greens-in-regulation but on the back nine, “I think I hit 8 out of nine on the back. I just was trying to hang around. That’s pretty much it,” he said, thinking there might be high winds and storms, as forecast.

The graduate of Canisius College was on the team there. He took some coaching from the new British Open champion Louis Oosthuizen from watching on TV.

“The guy that won kept saying I’m just having fun so that’s all I’m really trying to do,” Creighton said. He starts medical school next week at Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine in Erie, PA.
 Creighton finished 8th in the State-Am last year after never qualifying for the match play round in previous years.

“I just could never crack the match play wall,” he said.

DEFENDING CHAMP AND TROY BOY AT 8:30AM

Defending State Am champ, the youngest to ever win the tournament, Yaroslav Merkulov (-2, 73-69) will be paired with Stephen Quillinan, Jr of the CC of Troy at 8:30AM off the 10th tee.
Quillinan, a fan of “Batman,” may have gotten a signal from the sky, much like the caped-crusader does when the “bat signal” is flashed. Lightning in the area suspended play at 3:07PM. He had just bogeyed the fifth hole. That after starting with a lost ball on the first hole, which he doubled.

When the delay ended and play resumed at 3:32PM, he birdied three of the next six holes. Back-to-back bogeys at 12 and 13 were followed with birdies at 15, 17 & 18.

All along, he was wearing the new fashion trend, the silly band, on his right wrist. They are rubber bands in the shape of different things like animals or sports logos. His yellow one is shaped like the bat signal. He got it a week ago.

“I’ve been a huge Batman fan since I was about two-years old,” said Quillinan, 20, who graduated from Albany Academy and now attends college in Florida. “It’s supposed to bring me luck and it’s been doing all right.”

After shooting 70 on Wednesday, Quillinan is tied with Merkulov and Katz, three strokes behind Spitz.

“I like this course a lot even when the greens get really fast,” Quillinan said. “I’ve always really played well here. It suits my game. It’s kind of long but it’s still short enough where if you hit it kind of far you can have a wedge in your hand.”

Quillinan won last year’s Tri-County Amateur Match Play.

On playing 36: “If you’re playing well you want to play as much as you can in one day.”

OTHER NOTES

Dan Russo, age 52, shot 68 Wednesday: “I don’t have the stamina like these young kids do.” He went onto say that he will draw on his experience if he hits a bad shot.
“I guess I’ve got things in perspective…You just have to accept it and move on…You just get in a bad spot, you take your medicine and move on. Just try not to make it worse.” Russo of Rolling Hills at Antlers near Amsterdam is in a three-way tie for sixth at one-under.

Robby Bigley on what to do Thursday: “Shoot 72-72 and see where that puts you. I think six-over is a good round at this place. It may not win it for you but it’s got a shot, I think. Because this course is so hard and 36-holes on this course is going to be a grind.”

Jeb Buchanan finished with three bogeys on his round. He set a NYSGA State Am record for a round last year, shooting 65: “Pins were a little bit tougher today. I felt like the course was still very scoreable. The greens are pretty soft, receptive. I feel like I’m just so close to having that 65 like I did last year. Hopefully tomorrow will be the day.”

John Vaccaro: “The only thing I’ve got to worry about is my feet, keep the blisters down. I went on the internet last night to look up how to keep the blisters down…My wife’s been sabotaging my game. She’s been giving me a foot rub at night when she wants me to stay up and watch one of her girlie shows. She gives me a foot rub so I won’t fall asleep and it says right on the internet no hand lotion, it softens up your feet and then you get more blisters. So a lot of powder in my shoes, I should be fine tomorrow.”

Don DeNyse III started on the back nine and had a string of birdies at 17, 18 and 1. He’s relying on his short game with wedge and putter: “There’s not much out there where you have 60-70 yards in and those are three holes I do so I’d like to take advantage of them.”
He said he also likes 3 & 11. DeNyse and Vaccaro are part of a four-way tie for 19th (+4).

Also making the cut, some famous surnames: Trevor Sluman, nephew of Champions Tour member Jeff Sluman, and Jamison Sindelar, son of Champions Tour member Joey Sindelar, who is here this week caddying for his son, who will be a junior at dad’s alma mater, The Ohio State University. Hear an interview with the Sluman’s on Friday’s “Capitalareagolf” Radio show on Fox Sports 980 at 5:00PM. In the field, but not making the cut, Brian Levi, son of PGA Tour player Wayne Levi.

Other locals in the mix: Steve Owens of Normanside, Jeb Buchanan of Wolferts Roost and Jimmy Welch of Winding Brook are among those T23 at +5; Dave Mooradian of CC of Troy is +6; Todd Czepiel of Shaker Ridge CC, Brandon Haase of Mohawk Golf Club, Andrew Marler of Colonie G & CC and Paul Pratico of Schenectady Municipal GC are among a group tied at +7, just making the cut.

By Ryan Connelly-Carr

NYSGA honors past champion, welcomes club champ

VOORHEESVILLE – Back in 1977, the New York State Amateur Golf tournament was held at The Albany Country Club. The winner was a young, spry Rich Serian.

Now, at the ripe age of 57, Serian earned an exemption as a past champion on this course. Serian, who played golf in Troy and now lives in Saratoga Springs, shot a solid 36 on the back nine back in ’77. And with a little help from his closest competitor, Charlie Murphy three-putting the 18th, Serian won the tournament.

Serian said he was surprised by the exemption given by the New York State Golf Association. Having not competed in about 15 years, Serian said, “My expectations are higher than reality would dictate so we’ll see how that goes.”

Serian knows the course well even though he says the course has changed a little since his Amateur victory. “The course is in better shape than I’ve ever seen it,” he said.

Also in this stroke play tournament are the father-son combo of Joe and Matt Parrottino, both members at the Albany Country Club. Matt just turned 15 and had never qualified before. With humble expectations, Matt said, “I need to make the cut first and then take it from there.” Admittedly a bit nervous, Matt says he needs to work on his long irons but his chipping is helping to boost his confidence.

“When you know where not to hit the ball, that’s one of the most important parts of playing this golf course,” said Joe, who has also never played in this tournament. He claims there is not a lot of preparation when it comes to playing on his home course. As expected, bragging rights are on the table, but dad anticipates Matt may fair better with his “realistic expectations.”

With moderate weather in the forecast and the areas top golfers, scores should prove to be low. But you never know what may come in this most frustrating gentleman’s game, which is why they compete. The tournament, weather permitting, will conclude Thursday after a grueling 36 hole final day.

By John Craig

VOORHEESVILLE – The phones have been ringing off the hook for the past few weeks at the pro shop at Albany Country Club. In addition to charity outings and member play – including the Member-Guest a couple of weeks back – ACC is about to host the 88th New York State Golf Association’s Men’s Amateur Championship. It’s the third time the club has hosted the prestigious event.

“Everybody is so looking forward to it,” said ACC member Joe Parrottino who, as club champ, has an exemption into the field of 143. “The membership, the grounds crew are all trying to make sure we take extra care of replacing our divots and fixing our pitch marks on the greens and just taking super care of the course so it can be a show piece when the time comes. We’re very, very proud and excited.”

Parrottino’s son Matt, 15, is also in, but he had to qualify. He shot 74 at Colonie Golf & Country Club on July 6.

“I didn’t do anything too bad,” Matt said about his qualifying score. “I played pretty good.” When asked about playing on his home track, Matt said, “That will be nice, that will be cool.”

Father and son have already played an estimated 40 rounds each at ACC so they spent their time before the State Am on vacation in Cape May, NJ.

“It’s going to be Albany Country Club,” Joe said. “Getting on in two doesn’t mean anything but putts is really what the important part is over there. Chipping and putting is going to be a premium.”

Parrottino says the greens will be firm and ready for the best Ams around the state. And he’ll see them at their firmest, teeing off at 12:54PM Tuesday on #10 with John Vaccaro of Wolferts Roost and Kevin Kaye of Webster GC.

“I think the greens are going to be quick,” Joe said. “I think the weather is going to dictate a lot of how the overall feel of the course is going to be. Watering can only do so much.”

“We’re glad they’re going to be firm, that’s really nice,” said NYSGA Executive Director Bill Moore. “We’re hoping we can get them to a good speed, not maybe the speed of old at Albany Country Club. In the two past times that we were there I heard the greens were almost unputtable.

“We’re not going to get that but we’re hoping to give them a good, hard test and see who the best player is out of the state this year,” Moore said.

LAST TWO AMS AT ACC

Albany Country Club moved to its current site in Voorheesville 1963 and since then has hosted two Men’s State Amateurs: 1977 won by then 24-year old Rich Serian who hailed from Frear Park and now, at age 57, lives in Saratoga Springs; and 1990 won by Rochester native Joe Wilson, the grandson of the Joe Wilson who developed Xerox.

Serian, outlasted outstanding local amateur Charlie Murphy. Hot on their heels that year were two future PGA Tour players – Jeff Sluman and Joey Sindelar. Sluman won it in 1978. Sindelar won it in 1980.

“I guess the Sirian vs. Murphy stroke play back nine was wonderful to watch,” Moore said.

Serian will tee off at 12:54PM off #1 with Mike Wheeler of Shaker Ridge CC and Ryan Williams of Potsdam Town & CC. Wilson will tee off at 1:03PM off #1 with Chad Stoffer of Schenectady Municipal GC and Kevin VandenBerg of Bellevue CC.

“Joe is a really great guy from the Rochester area, hasn’t played in the State Am in probably 10 years and we gave both Rich and Joe an exemption to come back and play at Albany,” Moore said. “So we’re looking forward to visiting with them and then hopefully they’ll have a good week back in Albany.”

156 players qualified for the State Am at 11 different sites around the state. Tuesday morning, 143 players will show up to vie for the “Ganson Depew Cup” awarded to the winner.

“One thing we’re definitely trying to do is really keep an eye on the history of this association, bring back some of the players that have been great champions for us whose lives have changed,” Moore said on CapitalAreaGolf Radio on Friday (heard on Fox Sports 980AM from 5:00PM-6:00PM). “Joe Wilson, for instance, is someone who played a ton of golf in the ’80′s and early ’90′s and now he’s got three girls and lives in Rochester and works and isn’t someone who can easily take off four or five days and drive all the way to Albany and play and take an extra day to qualify.

“We thought it would be a really nice story to bring both those guys back, have them be a part of the week, whether or not they play well is insignifcant to us as long as they come back and enjoy another State Amateur. That’s really the goal.”

Yaroslav “Yarik” Merkulov is the defending champion. Last year, at 17, he was the youngest ever to win the State Am, doing so at Ravenwood GC. Heading into the final day of 36-holes, he birdied 9, 10, 11 & 12 to overcome an eight-shot deficit. Merkulov was one of just four players to finish under par. Merkulov of Webster GC tees off at 8:42AM off #1 with John Duthie of Cornell University and Ken Riter of Park CC, who won the 2009 NYSGA Mid-Am at Glens Falls CC last fall.

Loudonville’s Jeb Buchanan had the record low round of the tournament, shooting 65, last year.

Albany Country Club member Dick Dorgan, president of the NYSGA, brought the idea of hosting the State Am to the club’s board four years ago: “It energized the club then and it has again.”

Jay Gunning is the last Capital Area man to win the New York State Am, taking the title in 1986.

The Men’s Am is headed to famed Oak Hill in Rochester next year.

When the Duramed Futures Tour makes its season-ending stop in the Capital Area for the “$120,000 Price Chopper Tour Championship,” September 3-5, besides a trophy and LPGA Tour cards, it will be awarding its second Q-School scholarship grant.

The grant is funded by the family of the late Pete Lorentzen of Duluth, GA. An executive at UPS, Lorentzen once sponsored alumna Courtney Swaim Trimble of his hometown, who played on the Futures Tour from 2003-2005, before leaving to become a college golf coach. Trimble is now the head women’s golf coach at the University of Central Florida in Orlando, FL.

When Lorentzen died suddenly in December 2008, his family wanted to honor his memory by creating the inaugural “Pete Lorentzen LPGA Qualifying School Grant.” This year, the second annual grant is being offered, which pays the full entry fee, plus $1,000 for travel expenses, for one player into the Fall 2010 LPGA Qualifying Tournament. That $6,000 grant is offered only to current members of the Duramed Futures Tour.

Tour member Jennie Lee of Henderson, NV, was the 2009 grant recipient. The grant enabled the former Duke University All-American to go to the LPGA’s sectional qualifying tournaments in an effort to advance into the LPGA Final Qualifying Tournament.

“A lot of us are right out of college or high school and we’re still getting started in our careers,” said Lee. “Not everybody comes from a strong financial background and most of us are starting from scratch. It’s great to be out here and there are people who want to be a part of it.” Fortunately for members of the Tour, “there are people out there who are willing to help,” Lee added.

Lee participated in a November pro-am last year outside Atlanta that helped raise funds for the grant. It was there that she met members of the Lorentzen family and had a chance to thank them personally for helping her afford the entry fees and travel for LPGA Q-School.

“I think it was exciting for their family and very pleasing for Mrs. Lorentzen to still be involved in women’s professional golf,” added Lee.

The Duramed Futures Tour has distributed information to its players through the proper channels announcing the grant application process. Deadline to apply is August 15, 2010. An independent selection committee outside the Tour will review all applications and conduct interviews with grant candidates.

The winner of the 2010 Pete Lorentzen LPGA Qualifying Grant will be awarded on September 5 in Albany after the “$120,000 Price Chopper Tour Championship” to be played at Capital Hills @ Albany.

Capital Area Golf asked some local players to give us their assessment of the 88th NYSGA Men’s State Amateur Championship’s venue, Albany Country Club.

John Vaccaro of Wolferts Roost qualified for both the State Am and the State Open, which will be played the same three days at Bethpage Black. He chose to stay home: “Albany Country Club is a great track. It’s a fair track, I think, for everybody. It’s not super-long where it just crosses out the grizzled veterans and makes the long-hitting college players the favorites. It’s a good course for everybody…I like the tricky, fast greens…Yea, it’ll be frustrating at times. New York State Golf Association will be fair with most of the pins. Some of them will be in some crazy spots but it will be a lot of fun. It will be challenging and everybody’s playing the same track.”

Brandon Haase, 35, of Mohawk Golf Club, tees off at 9:00AM off #10 Tuesday with Matthew Stasiak of Fox Valley Club and Andrew DeForest of Rondout GC. Haase participated in the State Am in Troy (2006) and Pinehaven (2008) and has already played ACC five times this year: “I have a lot better feel for that course than this course” Colonie Golf & CC where he qualified. “Putting, it’s all about putting. You’ve got to hit it below the hole and you’ve got to putt well.”

Andrew Marler, 21, has qualified for the first time since high school. He is hosting his entire golf team from SUNY Binghamton this week. Three teammates won their sites. He played ACC twice as a junior but not recently: “I’m looking forward to it. My whole team is coming up.” He even got texts on July 6 from his buddies that said, “Big day today, you better not screw up.”

Matt Canavan, 21, played ACC in junior event eight years ago: “I know the greens are real fast and tricky…If they catch a good week there’s probably a handful of players around here that probably have a chance.”

Jimmy Welch, 41, of Winding Brook in Valatie: “Depending on how they set up the course, I think anywhere around par is going to be a real good score…When the greens are fast and firm that course is very difficult…It’s kind of like Troy. You’ve got to know where to miss it below the pins on all the holes and I don’t know that course as well as Troy.”

Dan Russo, 51, of Rolling Hills at Antlers: “I think that’s one of our better courses in the area, if not the best. Condition-wise it’s always great…If they jack it all the way back it’s going to play very, very difficult and higher scores. If they set it up shorter, then people will be able to score there…If they put it back and the wind blows a little bit, it’s a very difficult golf course.”

Jim Mueller, 53, reigning Schenectady County Am Champion, of Orchard Creek GC: “It’s pretty wide-open so the farther you hit it the better off you are at Albany. Those greens are so tiered you’ve got to be on the right spot on the greens. That’s the key to that place.”

Jim Cocca of Shaker Ridge CC: “It’s the greens. The greens are tough…If it’s firm it will play easier. If it’s soft it’ll play long.”

Joe Macaluso, 21, a former Shenendehowa H.S. player about to head to his senior year at Fairfield University in CT, on ACC: “A little more hilly.”

Andrew Weise of Town of Colonie GC: “I never played it.”