Interest in the annual Capital Stroke Play golf tournament is so high this year that event organizers have decided to expand the field beyond the top 40 on the Capital Region Amateur Golf Association point list.
Approximately 45 of the best players in the area will tee it up Friday and Saturday at Schuyler Meadows Club for local bragging rights.
Through the most updated point list, Steve Quillinan Jr. of Colonie Golf & Country Club is the point leader with 227.46, just slightly ahead of perennial point champion Dan Russo (222.33), the Troy Invitational runner-up this year who now plays out of the host club after many decades at Rolling Hills at Antlers Country Club.
Rounding out the top 10 are Victor Fox (172) of Normanside Country Club, the former New York State Amateur runner-up who now competes at the University of Maryland; former champion Jim Welch (158.75) of Olde Kinderhook; Chad Stoffer (140.13) of Town of Colonie Golf Course; Louis Walsh (132.50) of Ballston Spa Country Club; Mike Wheeler (127.43) of Shaker Ridge Country Club); Justin Deitz (120.76) of The Edison Club; Jim Gifford (111.25) of Mohawk Golf Club; and former Gazette N.I.E. Junior champ Aaron Simone (98.91) of Pinehaven Country Club.
The second 10 consists of D.J. Tozier (95.35) of The Edison Club, Matt Clarke (83.50) of the Country Club of Troy, Dave Mooradian (79.75) of the Country Club of Troy, Dave Hayes (78.88) of Schuyler Meadows, Mike McCarroll (70.29) of Saratoga National Golf Club, Lance Hope (70.13) of Schenectady Municipal Golf Course, Austin Teal (66.28) of Schuyler Meadows, Mark Sabatino (60) of Mechanicville Golf Club, Corey Purcell (56.71) of Shaker Ridge Country Club and three-time Gazette County Amateur titlist Robby Bigley Jr. (53.75) of Pinehaven Country Club.
Gazette County Amateur champion Jerry Brescia (50) is 23rd on the list.
Russo, 56, is the defending champion after winning his fifth Capital Stroke Play crown last August.
MY TAKE
For anyone who finds hitting a 3-wood off the turf a little harder as they get older, try the new Adams Tight Lies 16-degree club.
I bought mine a few weeks ago at Northway Golf and it’s been a pleasant surprise. The ball comes off hot, and most importantly, gets airborne quickly. Absolutely love it. As the name implies, this club works off several different types of lies, even fairway bunkers.
CHIP SHOTS
The Edison Invitational, widely regarded as the best one-day scratch medal play event of the summer for many years, has been cancelled. Originally scheduled for today, Edison director of golf Mark Jorgensen said last Wednesday that the tournament most likely will return as a best-ball partners event next season.
The Gazette Senior County Amateur Golf Championship will be held Aug. 14-15 at Schenectady Municipal Golf Course. Net competition will be held in the 50-59, 60-69 and 70-plus age divisions, while the top 20 and ties overall advance to the second round. Competitors must be Schenectady County residents unless they receive special exemptions as past champions in either the Senior County Amateur of the regular County Amateur. Entry fee is $45. Watch for entry blanks this week in the Daily Gazette sports section. Paul Pratico is the three-time defending champion.
Speaking of Gazette tournaments, the Gazette’s Bryce Hume tournament, for employees, retirees and friends of the Daily Gazette, will be held Aug. 31 at Schenectady Municipal. Maximum field is 24. Entry fee is $50 and includes golf, cart, a buffet lunch after golf and prizes. Gazette employees will get entry preference.
The Peter Famiano Memorial Golf tournament, set for Sept. 7 at Schenectady Municipal, is already sold out.
The 59th annual New York State Elks Junior Golf Tournament returns to the Capital Region for the third time today at Orchard Creek. Sponsored by Rotterdam Elks Lodge #2157, the tournament features local players Derrick Brown (boys’ 17 -18 age division), Mike Ross (boys’ 17 -18), Tyler Popp (boys’ 15-16), Eddie Harasiemowicz (boys’ 15-16), Lucas Parisi (boys’ 12-14), Jason Cyr (boys’ 12-14), Christina Guidarelli (girls’ 17-18), Shauna Roth (girls’ 12-14) and Haley Waghorn (girls’ 12-14).
Tiger Woods is scheduled to head a star-studded field in the seventh annual Notah Begay III Foundation Challenge at Turning Stone Resort Casino’s Atyunote Golf Club Aug. 27. Also competing will be Jason Dufner, Jimmy Walker, Jonas Blixt, Angel Cabrera, Louis Oosthuizen and Begay, the host. The largest fundraising event across Indian country, the NB3F Challenge will put the proceeds toward reducing obesity and Type 2 diabetes among Native American youth. Tickets are on sale now and may be purchased by contacting the Turning Stone Box Office (315-361-7469) or visiting the Box Office, which is open 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily. Tickets are $50 for adults. Youth admission for youngsters age 16 and under is complimentary with purchase of an adult ticket.
Local pros from the Northeastern New York PGA will compete in the ALS Pro-Am Invitational Tuesday at Mohawk Golf Club.
Town of Colonie Golf Course hosts the next Eastern New York Golf Association tournament on Wednesday.
Joe Merendo’s Swing Fore Kids tournament, to benefit area golf teams Friday at Amsterdam Municipal Golf Course, has a few openings for players and flag sponsors. Entry fee for the noon shotgun start will be $90 and includes lunch, a prime rib dinner, golf, prizes, a Titleist hat, six Pro V1 golf balls and a valuables pouch. There will be gross and net flights. Contact Merendo at 669-2523 for more information.
Airway Meadows Golf Club will host its 11th annual Benefit Tournament Aug. 16. The event will benefit 9-year-old Thurman Skyler, who has been diagnosed with Ewing Sarcoma, a rare bone cancer. Entry fee is $85 and includes a four-player scramble, beer and soda all day, lunch at the turn and a barbecue picnic. Call 792-4144 for more information.
Cohoes High School graduate Ian Pingelski has been named the new head men’s golf coach at Sage College. A former team captain and MVP for the Gators, Pingelski was formerly an assistant pro at Van Schaick Island Country Club. He was the Cohoes High School MVP in both baseball and golf.
Saratoga National Golf Club hosts the seventh annual Teeing Off on Cancer Golf Classic, to benefit the Catie Hoch Foundation,
Aug. 25. There will be a 1 p.m. shotgun start. Entry fee is $250 per golfer and includes golf, beverages, lunch, cocktail hour and dinner. Call Darren Bennett at 580-5363 for more information.
HOLES-IN-ONE
Dan Smith posted his first-ever hole-in-one with a 5-iron on the 155-yard seventh hole at Hillcrest Golf Course.
At Briar Creek Golf Course, Tom Skelton aced the 170-yard 11th hole with a 5-iron.
Marty McCune recorded a hole-in-one on the 11th hole at Pinehaven Country Club while playing in the ROBs Senior Guest Day. He and his partner, Bill St. Denis, won the two-man event.
Jim Testo collected his third career hole-in-one with a 7-iron on the 124-yard 15th hole at the Country Club of Troy. It was his second ace on the same hole.
Joel Baker holed out with a 7-iron on the 150-yard third hole at Saratoga Lake Golf Club.
Tim Owens used a 6-iron for his hole-in-one on the 151-yard fifth hole at The Edison Club.
At Eagle Crest, Michael Kocher aced the 289-yard, par-4 opening hole with a driver.
EAGLES
Dennis Slechta eagled the fifth hole at Amsterdam Municipal Golf Course.
Peg Jones eagled the No. 1 handicap hole at The Edison Club, No. 22, by holing out with a 5-wood from 170 yards.
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