Victor Fox won state title with eagle on 18

FOX, MADSEN WIN NYS JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIPS

Stunning endings for both the boys’ and girls’ divisions in Cooperstown and when it was over, two NENY PGA player – Victor Fox of Delmar and Jessica Madsen of Voorheesville – were champs.

They captured their respective Overall Division Championships Sunday, May 13, in the 2012 New York State Junior PGA Championship at Leatherstocking Golf Course in Cooperstown.

Additionally, the NENY PGA won the Section Team Competition over the May 12-13 tournament.

Read the rest of this entry »

MATT KUCHAR NEEDED EXTRA HOLES IN 2009

We knew him when. Matt Kuchar talking about his round at 2009 Turning Stone Resort Championship with Capital Area Golf.com.

Back in 2009, Matt Kuchar needed extra holes and daylight on a Monday finish to beat Vaughn Taylor at the Turning Stone Resort Championship.

Kuchar came off of 18 and into a playoff with Taylor. They played a couple of holes but it was called for darkness and they had to come back on a frosty October morning to finish.

Click here to read the account from then.

Now, two and a half years later, Kuchar is the 39th PLAYERS Champion. He’s the first American since 2007 (Phil Mickelson) won the tournament.

Capitalareagolf.com brings you the biggest names in local golf and a peek in at the pros when we can connect them with the Capital Area.

Read the rest of this entry »

McGregor Links mascot

PRO: BEWARE HOLES #7 & #15
By John Craig

While sitting in the rain hut on one of several rain delays at Glens Falls Country Club last year, the USGA’s Mark Fitzgerald and the head pro at McGregor Links Country Club in Wilton were chatting.

“He said ‘That McGregor takes water pretty well, doesn’t it?’ so that’s kind of what started our conversation,” is how McGregor Links CC head pro Tom Oppedisano remembers the conversation going.

On Monday, May 14, McGregor Links will host 76 players looking for five spots in the U.S. Open Sectional. But, by the looks of things, the forecast is only slightly better than last year’s qualifying round – but it will still be raining.

“The club as a whole is very excited to host the tournament,” Tommy-O said. “We’re very much ready for it.”

Read the rest of this entry »

MCGREGOR LINKS SITE FOR FIVE SPOTS

On Monday, May 14, 18-holes, 76 players, five spots in a U.S. Open local qualifier at McGregor Links CC for a chance to advance to a 36-hole sectional two weeks later, June 4. The ultimate goal is the Olympic Club in San Francisco on Father’s Day weekend, June 14-17.

Golfers – both professionals and amateurs with a USGA Handicap Index not exceeding 1.4 – can file entries to compete. In 2012, local qualifying is at 109 sites from April 30-May 17. The number of available spots is determined by the number of players at the local qualifier.

TOUGH OPEN ROAD

Read the rest of this entry »

AUTHORS TO SIGN “BOGEY TEES OFF”

This weekend, Saratoga Springs’ native Dottie Pepper will have her headset and battery belt back on as she works as an analyst for NBC Sports at The Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, FL. But she didn’t get much of a break while CBS Sports had the PGA Tour over the past five weeks.

She’s been out promoting “Bogey Tees Off: Vol. 1 – A Lesson About Being Truthful.” It’s the story of a range ball that wants to “go pro.” She traveled up and down the East Coast and even made a trip to England the site of this year’s Open Championship – Royal Lytham & St Annes Golf Club – to promote the children’s book.

Read the rest of this entry »

NYS JUNIOR PGA CHAMPIONSHIP
By Mike Collar

The Capital Area will be well represented in the New York State Junior PGA Championship this weekend at the Leatherstocking Golf Course in Cooperstown.

The top 60 junior golfers from around the state tee off at 11:30AM Saturday with an 8:30AM shotgun start on Sunday. Eligibility is by invitation only – up to the top-10 boys and up to the top-5 girls from the four New York PGA Sections. This weekend’s tournament is 36 holes of individual stroke play.

Read the rest of this entry »

Tri County Match Play Trophy

THREE-DAY MATCH PLAY EVENT

This weekend, May 11-13, the 32nd Annual Tri-County Match Play Championship will be held at Colonie Golf & Country Club. Last year, both final matches ended on the 15th hole.

Dan Russo beat John Vaccaro in the Championship Flight and Tom Cooper topped John Donovan in the Senior Flight, each 4 & 3.

Semifinals: Russo def. Jim Welch 2 & 1; Vaccaro def. Justin Deitz in 21 holes.

May 11, 2012 Tee Times

7:30 Robby Bigley, Dave Mooradian,
7:40 Chris Comi, Chris Lyons, Steve Owens
7:50 Chad Stoffer, Rob Leonard, Chris Braman
8:00 Jim Welch, Ryan Caponera, Jeff Pachter
8:10 Stan Moore, Bob Cooper, David Arakelian
8:20 Chris Gilbert, Bill Paulsen, John Deitz
8:30 Mark Keegan, Todd Kletter, Moe Mroczkowski
8:40 Paul Hart, Mike McCarroll, Scott Hoerning
8:50 Ken Hall, Robert Couser
9:00 Bryan Barach, James Bologna, Andrew Pludrzynski
9:10 Chris Barach, Steve Quillinan Jr, Jay Gargiulo
9:20 Don Denyse, Justin Deitz, Jim Gifford
9:30 Peter Broderick, Jake Spitalny, Tom Robinson
9:40 Brandon Haase, Dave Pallas, Brad Bentley
9:50 Bill Moll, Joe Quillinan, Chuck Connolly
10:00 John Donovan, Steve Menhennitt, Jim Gardy
10:10 Jim Mannix, Ralph Maru, Mark Russ
10:20 Mike Wheeler, Tom Salmon, Mike Stefanik
10:30 David Huestis, EJ Cardish, Eric Wasserbach
10:40 Kevin Broderick, Peter Spitalny, Jim Mueller

AL MOTTAU REMEMBERED

One of the Capital Area’s longtime golf writers, Al Mottau, died April 28. He was 85. Mottau was a good player and good writer and loved the game.

A single-digit handicap, he usually played out at McGregor Links CC and Ballston Spa CC. He also loved skiing and maintained a membership with the Metropolitan PGA Golf Writers’ Association and occasionally wrote for CapitalAreaGolf.com. Here’s a sample of his work.

Read the rest of this entry »

CLIPS FROM THE RADIO, MAY 5

If you missed our radio show, here are some clips from our discussion. Tune in each Saturday morning on 104.5FM, The Team, ESPN Radio.

Bob Kennedy 5-5-12

Dick Bogden 5-5-12

Rob Lamy 5-5-12

Frank Michael 5-5-12

CRAGA NEARLY DOUBLES UP NENY PGA
By John Craig

NISKAYUNA – With nine new faces from last year’s Amateur team that got throttled by the Northeastern NY PGA, plus no-carts because of the Tuesday heavy rain, the Capital Region Amateur Golf Association won back the Gazette Cup, 35 ½ – 18 ½. CRAGA now trails in the all-time series, 6-4.

The 10th annual matches, held for the past four years at Mohawk Golf Club, featured 12 local pros and 12 top amateurs from area country clubs.

Read the rest of this entry »