What began as a potential battle between two first-time RDGA Senior champions eventually turned into an epic battle between the two most recent District Senior champions, each vying for their second career Senior title.
Ultimately, it was 2020 RDGA Senior Champion Jim Scorse of Churchville (Stafford Country Club) who emerged as this year’s 55-and-over District Senior champ – narrowly getting past one of the strongest RDGA Senior fields in recent memory.
The final round of the 2022 RDGA Wilson Fitch Senior Championship got under way Wednesday, August 10, at the Links at Greystone in Walworth. By the end of the day, the overall 2022 RDGA Senior champion would be crowned, as well as the winners of each of the four age-based Divisions, including Senior (ages 55-59), Super Senior (60-64), Masters (65-69) and Legends (70-plus).
Coming into the final round on Wednesday, Michael Harris of Morgan’s Crossing and Jim Burns of Canandaigua were poised to fight for the 2022 RDGA Senior title – which would have been the first for either player – after posting rounds of 1-under-par 71 on Tuesday.
In Wednesday’s second round, however, two past Senior champions emerged from the field to set up a memorable finish to the 2022 Championship.
Oak Hill’s Ken Ogden – the defending RDGA Senior champion who began the final round 2 shots behind Harris and Burns – stumbled out of the gate with bogies on holes 4 and 5 – but quickly made up lost ground by posting birdies on holes 6, 12, 14 and 15. Ogden completed a second round of 71 to finish at even-par 144 for the Championship.
First round co-leader Harris also struggled on the front side Wednesday with three bogies but fought his way back with four birdies on the back to finish at 73 – eventually finishing tied with Ogden at 144 for the Championship.
As for Scorse, who began the final round 5 shots behind the leaders, the 2020 champion displayed his typical tenacity whenever a District title is on the line. On the front side, Scorse posted birdies on holes 1, 4 and 8 – then continued that effort on the back side with birdies on holes 12 and 15 (against just one bogey on the day at No. 14).
On the 18th hole, a par would have given Scorse a 36-hole total of 144 to set up a three-way sudden death playoff with Harris and Ogden. Instead, he stuck his second shot on 18 to within 4 feet of the hole, then sank the birdie putt to complete a near-perfect round of 5-under-par 67 – and claim his second RDGA Wilson Fitch Senior Championship title with a 1-under-par 143 total.While the first three age Divisions (Seniors, Super Seniors and Masters) were competing together from the Blue Tees, the Legends Division was playing from the White Tees and competing for the first of the four Division titles.
In the Legends Division, defending champion Bob Zeman of Sodus Bay Heights took control in Tuesday’s opening round with an even-par 72 to take a three-shot lead over Matt Haefele of Stafford. On Wednesday, Zeman kept his foot on the gas, completing a round of 1-under 71 – winning his second consecutive Legends championship title, along with shooting his age in the bargain.
Zeman now has two RDGA Legends Division titles to go with the three Overall RDGA Senior Championship titles he captured in 2011, 2013 and 2014.
In the other three Division races, Canadaigua’s Wade Sarkis won the Super Senior Division title in his first year of eligibility with scores of 75-74 for a 149 total; Ravenwood’s Mark Battle won the Masters Division title in a sudden death playoff with Jim Burns with scores of 77-72 – 149; and Scorse captured the Senior Division crown.
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