N Y S MEN’S A M ATEU R
THE Wykag y l Co un tr y Clu b
WYKAGYL COUNTRY CLUB
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Welcome
On behalf of the entire New York State Golf Association, welcome to the 100th New York State Men’s Amateur Championship at The Wykagyl Country Club.
The NYSGA is pleased to join with Wykagyl to conduct this historic championship. Hosting a competition of this scale requires tremendous support from club members and their professional staff and we have a terrific partner in Wykagyl.
This year’s championship marks the first time a Men’s Amateur, or any NYSGA tournament will be held at the club in New Rochelle. In fact, it’s been since 1986 at Knollwood Country Club - over 35 years - since the Men’s Amateur was hosted in Westchester County. We are proud to finally return to this golf-rich area, during our association’s centennial season and the 100th playing of our flagship event.
Wykagyl is celebrating their 125th anniversary this year. We are proud to band together and celebrate both of our milestones at this classic championship course shaped by Donald Ross, A.W. Tillinghast, and, most recently, Coore & Crenshaw.
As President of the NYSGA, I’d like to offer our appreciation to Wykagyl’s team for their tireless efforts in coordinating and conducting this championship with our staff. And a special thank you to the Wykagyl Board of Governors and the entire Wykagyl Country Club membership for their support of the championship.
Finally, I'd like to thank our NYSGA staff and fantastic team of tournament volunteers, who work tirelessly to provide a first-class experience and support the talented players that participate in our competitions.
We hope you enjoy this year’s championship, and we truly appreciate your support of our association.
Sincerely,
Henry W. Fust, President New York State Golf Association
The NYSGA Officers, Committee and Staff
NYSGA Officers
President Henry Fust, Onondaga G&CC
1st Vice President Jamie Miller, Crag Burn GC
2nd Vice President Doug Vergith Chautauqua GC
Secretary Iris Stanek Lancaster CC
Treasurer Robert Smith Highland Park GC
General Counsel Peter Jones Drumlins CC
NYSGA Executive Committee
Shawn Baker, Oak Hill CC
Lee Bearsch, Binghamton CC
John Burns, Niagara Falls CC
Joseph Enright, Lancaster CC
Ryan Gabel, Southern Dutchess CC
Jim Gifford, Mohawk GC
Megan Grehan, Hudson National GC
Brent Herlihy, Glens Falls CC
Lawrence Lessing The Creek
Christy Schultz, Oak Hill CC
Frank Suits, Cortland CC
Rich Weber, Brookfield CC
Brian Williams, Winged Foot GC
NYSGA Committee
Norm Amyot
Michael Aquino
Fred Arliss
Larry Arliss
Gary Assad
John Barry
John Bartholomew
David Beattie
Al Belair
Vic Bergsten
Marci Bevilacqua
Doreen Biviano
John Blain
Vincent Bonvino
Chris Boynton
Timothy Brady
David Braunscheidel
Gene Bullis
John Bullis
Ted Casey
Sue Chambers
Michael Chianelli
Cory Ciambella
Brian Clark
Matt Clarke
Andrew Conway
James Cook
Darrell Cornett
Thomas Cotter
George Cretekos
Jerry Danielski
John Davis
Garrett Davitt
Gordon Dewey
Todd Dischinger
Patric Donaghue
Renato Donato
Mike Donnelly
Dick Dorgan
Michael Drennen
Georgia Dusckas
Tom Eckert
Wayne Eckhardt
Joe Enright
Laurie Enright
John Ernst
Vie Evans
Karen Feldman
Mary Beth Fiore
Mark Fitzgerald
Michael Fitzgerald
Georgette Folley
Adrian Forzani
Tim Frank
John Gaffney
Richard Galvin
Bill Geider
Brad Griffin
Tom Hahn
Julie Hamm
David Hayes
Joe Hazard
Sherry Heath
Patrick Henry
Jeff Holmes
Braden
Houston
NYSGA Staff Listing
Bill Moore, Executive Director
Andrew Hickey, Assistant Executive Director
Dan Thompson, Director, Marketing & Partnerships
Jack Travers Assistant Director, Rules & Competitions
Deb Spilman Manager, Special Events & Operations
Michael Dirkes, Manager, Regional Associations
Mark Ackley, Manager, Course Rating
Chris Buerle, Communications Intern
Alexander King, USGA P.J. Boatwright, Jr. Intern
Damian Rodriguez, USGA P.J. Boatwright, Jr. Intern
Chrissy Van Allen, USGA P.J. Boatwright, Jr. Intern
John Hudacs
Al Huggard
Don Hurley
Ed Kaczor
Robert Kawa
Tim Kayes
Mary Ann Keeler
Stephen Keeler
Jeffrey Kennicutt
Edward Koslick
John Kulesa
Peter Lalla
Nan Lanahan
Tom Lanahan
Rod Lindstrom
Bill Loehr
Janis Luce
Ron Mack
Patrick MacRae
Susan Marsh
Robert Martin
Ronald Mason
Patricia Mayne
Jim McConnell
Theresa McGibbon
Thomas McGibbon
Pat McKenna
James McKillip
Patrick McNierney
Sean McPhee
Richard Meath
Brian Merritt
James Meyers
Gene Meyle
Ginny Meyle
Matthew Micheli
Bill Moore
Matthew Moran
Bill Moreland
Albert Mowery
Jack Mulvey
Art Munson
Jim Murrett
Thomas Oles
Thomas Owen
Rocco Palmieri
Brandon Payne
Mark Perry
Noah Poskanzer
Richard Prestopnik
Joe Pucello
John Quijano
Nick Raasch
John Raunick
John Reagan
Tom Reidy
Joseph Riccio
James Roff
Robert Rosen
Sean Rotella
Tony Scarpello
Chris Schmidt
Carl Schultz
Tim Schum
Dan Scott
Martin Siefka
Robert Simms
Sue Sims
Sarah Simson
Jaspal “Ricky” Singh, M.D.
David Smith
John Sniezyk
Ron Socash
Don Sommerville
Joseph Sorrento
Jerry Stahl
Edward Stanek
Tom Steele
Peter Stoj
Joseph Strykowski
John Sullivan
Levin Sullivan Gale Sutton
Thelma Taylor
David Vaneenenaam
Jerry Vereeke
Mona Wasserman
Rich Weber
Bryan Whooten
Loretta Whooten
Steve Wilber
Richard Wilson
Doug Young
Jon Zucarelli
Men’s Amateur Championship History
The New York State Golf Association’s first responsibility, upon its formation in 1923, was to conduct N.Y.S. Men’s Amateur Championship. Previously it had been noted by Grantland Rice that New York was the only state in the 48 without a state golf association, and thus no governing body to administer the state’s amateur golf championship.
Sherrill Sherman of Utica was voted the first president of the NYSGA at the association’s first meeting at the Yahnundasis Golf Club and he quickly approved Garden City Golf Club’s request to host the inaugural playing of the N.Y.S. Men’s Amateur Championship. In the finals at Garden City, Edmund Driggs of Cherry Valley Country Club defeated S. Clifton Mabon of Garden City Golf Club 8&7 in a 36 hole match to become the first champion.
Since this first playing, the championship’s format has changed three times. From 1923 until 1969, the championship was decided by match play. In 1970, the decision was made to go to 72 holes of stroke play, until it was switched back to match play in 1992. But in 2009 the format was once again changed to 72 holes of stroke play, as it remains today.
The number of participants who have attempted to qualify has increased immensely as golf’s popularity has grown. In 1923, 61 entries were fielded at Garden City as compared to 1992, when a record of 726 golfers registered to qualify to compete in the championship at Drumlins Country Club.
Throughout the years the NYSGA has been fortunate to witness the transformation of many amateur golfers from great players into champions. Included below you will find a brief description of some of these golfers whose wins in this championship have propelled them on to fruitful careers in the game of golf.
In 1935, a young Ray Billows of Poughkeepsie won in his debut Winged Foot Golf Club’s West Course. Billows’ was a true ‘rags to riches’ Cinderella story in golf. At the time he was 21 and worked as a printing clerk making $17 a week. He arrived at Winged Foot in a $7 car, slept on the clubhouse porch to save money for a caddie, and ended up winning over one of the greatest fields in state golf history. Billows went on to have a terrific amateur golfing career, winning a record seven N.Y.S. Men’s Amateur Championship titles, getting to the U.S. Amateur Championship finals three times, and representing the U.S. in the Walker Cup matches at St. Andrews in 1938 and at Winged Foot in 1949.
Another past champion who would make a name for himself in the amateur circuit was Rochester’s Don Allen. The former Colgate University golf captain defeated the defending champion John Konsek in 1961 at Onondaga G&CC to claim the first of his six titles. This first win was very meaningful to Allen, since he considered Konsek to be the most talented golfer he had ever seen. Allen would go on to represent the United States in two Walker Cup Matches, the first at Baltimore Country Club in 1965 and the second at Royal St. George’s Golf Club in 1967.
The majority of the past champions would play as amateurs for the entirety of their careers, although a select few would turn to the professional ranks and find success. Sam Urzetta, another successful Rochester golfer, won the 1948 championship at Buffalo’s Brookfield Country Club. Urzetta would win the U.S. Amateur Championship title in 1950, where he defeated renowned amateur Frank Stranahan in 39 holes at the Minneapolis Golf Club. Urzetta, not interested in tour golf, became an assistant golf professional in 1954 and in 1956 joined CCR as their head golf professional, where he would remain for the next 37 years.
In 1978, a young golfer named Jeff Sluman won the state amateur by four strokes over Radford Yaun at Jamestown’s Moon Brook Country Club. Sluman turned professional in 1980 upon graduating from Florida State University, but wouldn’t find immediate success on the PGA Tour. At the age of 30 he won his first tournament, the 1988 PGA Championship at Oak Tree Golf Club in Edmond, Oklahoma. Sluman went on to win five PGA Tour events from 1991-2001, and is now a enjoying a successful career on the PGA’s Champions Tour where he has won six times.
Another prominent PGA Tour player, Joey Sindelar, would etch his name on the Ganson Depew Cup in 1980 with a record breaking performance at Vestal Hills Country Club in Binghamton. Sindelar, a collegiate All-American at Ohio State University, fired a four-round total of 280 (8-under) to beat Jeff Sluman by seven strokes. Sindelar turned pro in 1980 and won the first of his seven PGA Tour events at the Greater Greensboro Open in 1985.
Sindelar’s record four-round total would stand until Dominic Bozzelli shot a blistering 277 (11-under) to claim his second consecutive title in 2012 at Elmira Country Club. It was broken again in 2022, when a 19-year-old Charlie Berridge fired 14-under in 72 holes at Onondaga Golf & Country Club during his championship debut.
Joey Sindelar with his son Jamie.
Ray Billows
Sam Urzetta
Edmund Driggs with Charles Blair MacDonald
Sherill Sherman
T h e B l a c k H e a r t F o u n d a t i o n
h a s a l o n g h i s t o r y o f s u p p o r t i n g i n i t i a t i v e s w h i c h c r e a t e
a n d i m p r o v e e d u c a t i o n a l a c c e s s , l e a r n i n g , a s p r a t i o n a n d a c h i e v e m e n t f o r u n d e r p r i v i l e g e d a n d u n d e r r e p r e s e n t e d p e o p l e a r o u n d t h e w o r l d I t s p r i m a r y
g o a l a n d f o c u s i s t o r e m o v e a n y a n d a l l b a r r i e r s t o t h e a s p r a t i o n a n d a c h i e v e m e n t o f t h e p e o p l e i t h o p e s t o s e r v e .
O u r S c h o l a r s h i p P r o g r a m m e
t e
s c h o o l n g a n d t h e b u r s a r e s c a n b e a p p l i e d t o t h e c o s t s o f f o r m a l ( c l a s s r o o m / s c h o o l ) e d u c a t i o n o r e x p e r i e n t i a l
e d u c a t i o n ( f i e l d / c o m m u n i t y ) .
Match Play Format (1923
Men’s Amateur Championship
Championship Records
Most Victories
7 | Ray Billows (1935, 1937, 1940, 1941, 1943, 1945, 1949)
6 | Donald Allen (1961, 1963, 1964, 1970, 1972, 1973)
4 | Tommy Goodwin (1932, 1936, 1946, 1953)
3 | Edmund Driggs (1923, 1933, 1934)
3 | John Konsek (1958, 1959, 1960)
3 | Billy Shields (1951, 1952, 1955)
3 | William Tryon (1962, 1965, 1968)
Youngest Champion
17 | Nick Raasch (1966)
17 | Yaroslav Merkulov (2009)
17 | Will Thomson (2018)
Oldest Champion
44 | Joe Gagliardi (1956)
– 1969, 1992 – 2008) Stroke
Play
Format (1970 – 1991, 2009 – 2023)
Most Times Hosted by a Member Club
6 | Oak Hill Country Club (1927, 1931, 1937, 1945, 1987, 2011)
6 | Yahnundasis Golf Club (1946, 1953, 1958, 1968, 1988, 2007)
4 | Country Club of Troy (1941, 1959, 1984, 2006)
4 | Elmira Country Club (1957, 1969, 1983, 2012)
3 | Dutchess Golf & Country Club (1956, 1972, 1997)
3 | Albany Country Club (1977, 1990, 2010)
3 | Bellevue Country Club (1936, 1975, 2014)
3 | Knollwood Country Club (1951, 1963, 1986)
3 | Moon Brook Country Club (1955, 1978, 1995)
3 | Onondaga Golf & Country Club (1940, 1961, 2022)
Edmund Driggs
Tommy Goodwin & Ray Billows
Ray Billows
Moon
Billy
Dutchess
Joe Gagliardi, Larchmont
1957
Jack Veghte, Gloversville 1958
John Konsek, Buffalo
Consecutive Victories
3 | John Konsek (1958, 1959, 1960)
2 | Don Allen (1963, 1964)
2 | Don Allen (1972, 1973)
2 | Ray Billows (1940, 1941)
2 | Dominic Bozzelli (2011, 2012)
2 | Edmund Driggs (1933, 1934)
2 | Kyle Hess (2002, 2003)
2 | Billy Shields (1951, 1952)
2 | Tim Straub (1987, 1988)
Most Walker Cup Appearances
2 | Donald Allen (1965, 1967)
2 | Ray Billows (1938, 1949)
2 | Sam Urzetta (1951, 1953)
1 | Tom Scherrer (1993)
1 | Ralph Howe III (1989)
1 | George Zahringer III (2003)
Most Masters Appearances
3 | Donald Allen (1965, 1966, 1967)
2 | Ray Billows (1939, 1940)
Winner of NYS Men’s Amateur & NYS Junior Amateur
Mark Balen (1973 Junior; 1979 Men’s Amateur)
Dominic Bozzelli (2007 Junior; 2011, 2012 Men’s Amateur)
Terry Diehl (1966 Junior; 1969 Men’s Amateur)
Tommy Goodwin (1932, 1933 Junior; 1932, 1936, 1946, 1953 Men’s Amateur)
John Konsek (1957 Junior; 1958, 1959, 1960 Men’s Amateur)
Leonard Lasinsky (1983 Junior; 1991 Men’s Amateur)
Yaroslav Merkulov (2008, 2009 Junior; 2009 Men’s Amateur)
Nick Raasch (1965 Junior; 1966 Men’s Amateur)
Ben Reichert (2015 Junior; 2019 Men’s Amateur)
Matthew Stasiak (2005 Junior; 2014 Men’s Amateur)
Radford Yaun (1972 Junior; 1976 Men’s Amateur)
Winner of NYS Men’s Amateur & Junior Amateur in Same Year
Tommy Goodwin (1932)
Yaroslav Merkulov (2009)
Jeff Sluman
Longest Championship Match
(During Match Play Era)
39 Holes | Ray Billows def. Johnny Ward (1949)
Sluman, Rochester
Joey Sindelar, Horseheads
William Boland,
Zahringer,
Knollwood
Jay Gunning, Colonie
Oak Hill
Tim Straub, East
Yahundasis
Don Allen
Vestal
Tim
Joe
Greg
Highest Winning Total (72 Holes)
298 (+10) |Donald Allen (1973)
292 (+8) | Alan Foster (1975)
295 (+7) | George Burns (1974)
Lowest Winning Total (72 Holes)
270 (-14) | Charlie Berridge (2022)
277 (-11) | Dominic Bozzelli (2012)
280 (-9) | Joey Sindelar (1980)
280 (-8) | James Allen (2021)
Lowest Consecutive
Rounds
65, 66 | Jason Lohwater (2022)
65, 67 | Charlie Berridge (2022)
66, 67 | Jeff Sluman (1980)
66, 67 | Jeffrey Peck (1992)
66, 68 | Ben Reichert (2021)
Lowest Final Round by Champion
66 | James Allen (2021)
67 | Mark Balen (1979)
67 | Dominic Bozzelli (2012)
67 | Will Thomson (2018)
Widest Margin of Victory
(During Match Play Era)
13 & 12 | Kevin Haefner def. Dan Ricci (2001)
13 & 11 | Joe Ruszas def. Steve Doctor (1944)
11 & 10 | Dirk Ayers def. Jason Piurkowski (1995)
Most Runner-up Finishes
4 | Ray Billows (1936, 1942, 1946, 1952)
3 | Donald Allen (1962, 1965, 1974) 3 | Tommy Goodwin (1937, 1938, 1955) 3 | Robert Hughes (1982, 1985, 2000)
3 | John Ward (1949, 1956, 1958)
2 | Chris Blyth (2018, 2019)
2 | Andrew DiBitetto (2004, 2007)
2 | Ralph Howe III (1987, 1988)
2 | Jake Katz (2010, 2011)
2 | Charlie Murphy (1977, 1985)
2 | Dr. Edward O’Keefe (1964, 1968)
2 | Lloyd Ribner (1948, 1950)
Reichert,
Dominic Bozzelli
Yaroslav Merkulov
Conditions of Play
The Field
The field is composed of approximately 144 players, including sectional qualifiers and exempt players. The field is cut after 36 holes of play to the low-40 players and ties, and anyone within 10 strokes of the lead.
Format and Ties
The championship will be conducted in two stages, at stroke play:
1. Sectional qualifying – 18 holes. Non-exempt players must qualify through one of the sectional qualifying sites.
2. Championship – 72 holes*
*If a tie exists at the end of 72 holes, the champion will be determined by a hole-by-hole playoff.
Ganson Depew Cup
The champion will be awarded possession of the Ganson Depew Cup for one year.
SECTIONAL QUALIFYING SCHEDULE
All non-exempt players must qualify to earn a spot in the Championship.
• Albany | Colonie G&CC | Mon, July 10
• Binghamton | Links at Hiawatha | Sun, July 9
• Buffalo | Lancaster CC | Mon, July 17
• Elmira | Elmira CC | Sun, July 2
• Finger Lakes | Wayne Hills CC | Sat, July 8
• Long Island | Bethpage - Yellow | Mon, July 10
• Mid-Hudson | Red Hook GC | Mon, June 26
• N. Country | Malone - East | Sat, June 24
• Rochester | Mendon GC | Mon, July 17
• Syracuse | Lakeshore Y&CC | Mon, July 3
• Utica/Rome | Yahnundasis GC | Fri, July 7
• Watertown | Thompson Park GC | Sat, June 24
• Westchester | Mahopac GC | Thu, July 13
• Westchester | Mansion Ridge | Tue, July 18
Players Exempt from Qualifying Players in the following categories are exempt into this year’s Championship.
• E1. Winners of the NYS Men’s Amateur Championship from the last 20 years
• E2. From the 2022 NYS Men’s Amateur Championship, the 20 lowest scorers and anyone tied for 20th place
• E3. Winners of the NYS Men’s Mid-Amateur Championship from the last 10 years
• E4. From the 2022 NYS Men’s Mid-Amateur Championship, the 10 lowest scorers and anyone tied for 10th place
• E5. Winners of the 2023 NYS Men’s Amateur Four-Ball Championships
• E6. From the 2023 NYS Boys’ 18U Amateur Championship, the 5 lowest scorers and ties
• E7. Winner of the 2023 NYS Boys 14U Amateur Championship
• E8. From the 2022 NYS NYS Men’s Senior Amateur Championship, the 5 lowest scorers and ties
• E9. Winner and runner-up of the 2023 NYSPHSAA Boys’ Golf Championship
• E10. Most recent (as of August 6, 2023) winner or low amateur (*professional events) of the following regional championships:
• Apogee Investment Management Championship
• BDGA Buffalo District Individual Championship
• CCR Invitational
• CRAGA Capital Region Amateur Championship
• Delaware County Amateur Championship
• Dutchess County Amateur Championship
• LIGA Individual Championship
• MGA Ike Championship
• MGA MET Amateur Championship
• MGA MET Open*
• NYC Amateur
• NYS Open*
• RDGA Rochester District Individual Championship
• SDGA Gerry Ashe Memorial
• TCGA Amateur Championship
• Ulster County Amateur Championship
• Watertown City Championship
• WGA Westchester Individual Championship
• E11. From the 2023 Monroe Invitational, the 20 lowest scorers and anyone tied for 20th place
• E12. From the 2023 Porter Cup, the 20 lowest scorers and anyone tied for 20th place
• E13. All actively ranked golfers in WAGR (World Amateur Golf Rankings) as of June 22, 2023.
• E14. Players qualifying for most current (as of August 6, 2023) USGA Championships
• E15. Host club exemptions
• E16. Special exemptions as selected by the NYSGA
SCHEDULE
Monday, August 7 – Round 1, 18 holes
Tuesday, August 8 – Round 2, 18 holes
Wednesday, August 9 – Rounds 3 & 4, 36 holes
Congratulations to the New York State Golf Association on the occasion of the 100th Men’s Amateur Championship.
As we celebrate our 125th year, Wykagyl Country Club and its Heritage Committee welcome you and all the competitors. We look back at our rich history with pride and salute our promising future.
With best wishes from The Heritage Committee
R. Neil Braid, Charles DelPriore, Jr., Walter D. Peek II, Martha P. Reddington
Early View of the Locker House
Original Course Architect, Lawrence Van Etten's, 1908 Plan for Wykagyl's Course
2022 NYS Men's Amateur Recap
FAYETTEVILLE, N.Y. - The 99th New York State Men’s Amateur Championship finished with a record-setting performance after the final day at Onondaga Golf & Country Club last August.
Newcomer Charlie Berridge (Wykagyl Country Club) broke the New York State Men’s Amateur record of lowest total score in the championship's history with a 14-under (70-65-67-68--270) performance throughout 72 holes of stroke play.
It also marked the 19-year-old Westchester County product’s first time competing in the state amateur championship.
Berridge entered the final day (36-holes) at the Walter Travis layout at 7-under and sat tied atop the leaderboard with Lansing native Nic Whittaker (RaNic Golf Club). Berridge pulled one stroke ahead of Whittaker after a 4-under 67 in round three on Thursday morning, recording seven birdies in the process.
“I didn’t play great on the front but played well on the back nine all day. The putter was working, and I was able to make a bunch of putts,” said Berridge after the victory.
During those final two rounds, nine of his eleven birdies dropped on the course’s back nine.
A couple of groups ahead, Jason Lohwater (Brook Lea Country Club) was also going low. He fired a 66 in round three to make it a tight race heading into the afternoon.
Lohwater, of Rochester, entered the fourth round just one stroke back of Berridge and took the outright lead after he birdied no. 3, while Berridge bogeyed no. 2.
The Villanova University transfer’s only major error came in the form of a double bogey on the 185yard par-3 eighth hole, and from that point on he would never regain the lead.
Berridge, a member of the University of California men’s golf team, chalked up four impressive birdies on the back nine to pull away and win the championship comfortably by three strokes. His putts on no. 14 and no. 16 were both mid-to-long range.
He fired a 270 and broke the to-par record that stood for ten years after Pittsford’s Dominic Bozzelli’s record-setting mark in 2012 at Elmira Country Club. Lohwater would have tied Bozzelli’s record if Berridge had not shattered both.
Whittaker, a rising junior at Flagler College in Florida, was in contention for much of the day but could not keep pace with the onslaught of birdies that Berridge produced. Nor could past NYS Boys’ Junior Amateur champion, James Blackwell of Buffalo (River Oaks Golf Club), who was tied for third after 36 holes. The former Ball State University golfer finished the tournament tied for fifth place at 4-under 280.
Berridge is the second Scarsdale High School product in as many years to win this event, following James Allen in 2021.
“I was super proud of [Allen] when he won last year, and I came here thinking it would be nice to have back-to-back Scarsdale High School guys win,” Berridge said. “We have a little friendly rivalry, so it felt good having him hand the trophy to me.”
Lohwater finished at 11-under 273, four-strokes ahead of Whittaker, who finished in third.
“I worked really hard this summer and I haven’t
Charlie Berridge
Charlie Berridge
Nic Whittaker
Jason Lohwater
always played that great in these events,” Lohwater said. “This is one that you look forward to at the end of the year. It’s a really prestigious event and it feels good to play the way that I know I can.”
Alden resident Shane Broad (Crag Burn Golf Club) remained in the mix on the final day as he fired a 68 in round three. But the Canisius College men’s golf standout turned in a 2-over 73 in his final round to fall to fourth place for the tournament.
Tied with Blackwell was Croton on Hudson native Matthew Ferrari (Metropolis Country Club). The Siena college player fired rounds of 71 and 70 on Thursday to finish in fifth place.
Jiarong Liu (Irondequoit Country Club) finished tied for seventh. In the morning, the University of Rochester golfer posted one of the low rounds of the tournament with 65 to surge up the leaderboard, but followed it up with a 76, for a 1-under 283 total.
Also finishing at 283 was 2021 champion Allen of Scarsdale Golf Club.
For the final 36 holes of the championship, the course played at 6,638 yards and to a par of 71 on the classic Walter Travis layout in Syracuse.
After Tuesday’s rainy opening round, two players managed to post 4-under 67 including Kingston’s Donte Groppuso (Wiltwyck Golf Club), and Centerport’s Patrick Healy (Huntington Country Club) to share an early lead over the field. Groppuso finished T13 at 1-over, while Healy finished at T33 and 8-over.
The low-20 golfers and ties earned an exemption into the 100th NYS Men’s Amateur Championship at Wykagyl Country Club in New Rochelle.
Jiarong Liu
Congrats to all of the participants of the 100th New York State Men's Amateur Championship and especially our friend and defending champion Charlie Berridge. We also congratulate and thank all of our friends and staff at Wykagyl Country Club, celebrating its 125th anniversary for hosting this prestigious event.
The Sules Family
(914)-216-7630
john t sules@goosehead com goosehead.com/John-Sules
(914)-997-2525
steve@stevesules com stephensules.com sulesfoundation.org/donate
Wishing all participants a wonderful tournament experience. The Maier Family
Wykagyl Welcome
Welcome to Wykagyl.
On behalf of our members, our employees, our Board of Governors, and the Metropolitan area, we are thrilled to host the 100th playing of the New York State Men's Amateur Championship. This year’s Championship coincides with the 125th Anniversary of our club, a milestone achieved by few golf clubs in America. We are excited to host the top golfers in New York State, joining a long list of accomplished amateurs and professionals who have competed at Wykagyl and contributed to our long history. We recognize and appreciate the effort every golfer has made to be here, and we look forward to hosting a memorable event.
Wykagyl Country Club’s Golf Course Superintendent Daniel Rogers; Tournament Chairman Daniel Prunty; Head Golf Professional John Deigan, PGA; General Manager Robert J. Kasara, CCM CCE; Club President Philip Moran; Assistant General Manager Lisa Cashman All
Since 1898, Wykagyl has hosted 37 Professional Exhibitions and Tournaments, played by such storied players as Alex Smith, Bobby Jones, Sam Snead, Ben Hogan, Nancy Lopez, Beth Daniels, Annika Sörenstam, and Lorena Ochoa, among others. In addition, this year's “State Am” represents the 32nd significant Amateur event held at Wykagyl, including several tournaments won by our own members Walter A. Peek and Walter D. Peek II, Jimmy Fisher, Greg Rohlf, and Charles DelPriore, Jr. Wykagyl is proud and honored to host the 100th NY State Men's Amateur, adding to our legacy of contributing to golf in New York State.
The golf course at Wykagyl has changed over time, as golf has evolved and our membership has invested in its enhancement. Member Lawrence Van Etten laid out our first routing. Both Donald Ross and Arthur Tillinghast made significant contributions to the course in the early 20th century. More recently, in 2006, Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw restored and updated Wykagyl to its current state, preserving our routing while opening up our fairways, expanding our greens, and reintroducing strategic bunkering.
We thank the participants, families, NYSGA officials and volunteers who have provided their time and effort to make this year's tournament a wonderful event. We welcome you all and hope you feel at home at Wykagyl. We are excited for a great competition, adding to golf history in New York State and at the club we call home. Good luck to all of the competitors!
Sincerely,
Wykagyl Board of Governors and Management Team
Officers
Philip Moran President
Christopher Byrnes Vice President
Christopher Healy Secretary
Wole Coaxum Treasurer
Board of Governors
Eric Berridge
Christopher Harshman
Patrick Jennings
Larry Lawrence
Maura Bleichert Lee
Richard Pace
Brian Song
HOLE 1
Par 5 | 513 Yards
A drive down the left center of the fairway drive is ideal. The approach shot to an elevated, three tiered green requires precision. The left green side bunkers should be avoided. Scoring from above the hole can be challenging.
Please note that the competitors will be playing the course with the nines reversed i.e. Wykagyl’s regular routing begins on championship hole #10 and ends on championship hole #9.
Par 3 | 161 Yards
The most picturesque Par 3 at Wykagyl. Judging the wind and adjusting the yardage for downhill will be key on this hole. The green is well protected by three bunkers.
A drive down the right center is the preferred play. Longer hitters can challenge the left fairway bunkers for a chance to reach the green in two. Approach shots missing the green will face an extremely challenging up and down. A false front protects this elevated green.
HOLE 4 HOLE 5
Par 3 | 209 Yards
The second of three par 3s on the opening nine at Wykagyl. A ridge bisects the green, making for a difficult two putt if above the hole. Par is a good score.
Par 4 | 399 Yards
A mid-length par 4 that requires accuracy off the tee. A drive down the right center of the fairway will set up a scoring iron into the green. With a false front and subtle slopes, this is one of the more difficult greens to read on the golf course.
Par 4 | 341 Yards
The shortest par 4 at
tested around
The final par 3 on the front 9 at Wykagyl, which can play the longest. Four bunkers guard one of the biggest greens on the course. On this multi-tiered green, putts played from above the hole location demand respect.
Wykagyl, but one of the most dangerous. Short games will be
this two tiered green.
Par 4 | 356 Yards
A shorter length par 4, that falls downhill to the left. Longer players may opt for driver to set up a birdie opportunity. The traditional play is three wood or long iron off the tee. The fairway bunker on the right should be avoided.
Par 4 | 422 Yards
A semi-blind tee shot to one of the widest fairways at Wykagyl concludes the front nine. Proper distance control into this elevated and well protected green is key. Approach shots that go long will face extremely challenging up and downs.
HOLE 10 HOLE 11
Par 5 | 537 Yards
Par 4 |
Strategically placed fairway bunkers will challenge the tee shot. The approach shot plays uphill to one of the larger greens at Wykagyl. Below the hole is the preferred play.
A well placed tee shot down the left center will provide longer players a chance to go for this par 5 in two. The green is guarded by three bunkers and a small stream.
The longest par 4 at Wykagyl demands two of your best. The green is sloped from back to front and demands respect.
Tee shots require pin point accuracy to this well guarded green. A front pin presents a great birdie opportunity.
HOLE 14 HOLE 15
Par 4 | 397 Yards
A left center tee shot is best for this slight dog leg right. The green is guarded by a deep bunker on the right. Well measured approach shots are rewarded.
Par 5 | 525 Yards
Reachable in two shots for medium to long players. A well placed fairway bunker on the left collects errant tee shots. Approach shots are played to an elevated green guarded by a deep bunker on the left. Getting the correct read on the green can be extremely challenging.
Par 3 | 171 Yards
A mid-iron to a green that slopes from left to right. Birdie opportunity for players who carry the false front left of the pin. Gauging the wind will be a tough task.
A slight dog leg left that demands a well struck tee shot. The green is guarded by a large bunker on the right. A subtle green that is hard to read. A back left pin will make for a well earned birdie.
HOLE 18
Par 5 | 494 Yards
A great birdie opportunity to finish the round. Perfect drives will carry the top of the hill or be placed on the left side of the fairway. The blind approach plays slightly downhill. Deep greenside bunkers left of the green will present challenging up and downs for birdies and pars.
Wykagyl’s History
Wykagyl Country Club has a long and storied history of both amateur and professional golf. This week’s participants in the 100th New York State Amateur Championship will compete on the same challenging and beautiful course as many of the game’s all-time great players. This year’s winner will add his name to an impressive list of Wykagyl champions including Byron Nelson, Sam Snead, Bobby Locke, Lloyd Mangrum, Roberto De Vicenzo, Pat Bradley, JoAnne Carner, Nancy Lopez, Betsy King, and Annika Sörenstam.
This year, Wykagyl is celebrating its 125th anniversary. The Club’s origins date back to 1898, during the formative years of golf in America and played an interesting role in its early development and growth. The first U.S. Open Championship (1895) was won by Horace Rawlins, who was Head Professional at Wykagyl in 1905 and 1906. Jerry Travers, who joined Wykagyl in 1912, won the Met Amateur in 1906, 1907, 1911, 1912, 1913, the National Amateur Championship in 1907, 1908, 1912, 1913, and the US Open Championship in 1915. Genevieve Hecker Stout won the Women’s Met Championship in 1900, 1901, 1905, 1906, and the US Women's Amateur Championship in 1901 and 1902. She was elected to the MGA Hall of Merit 118 years later.
Originally a nine hole course, Wykagyl moved to its current location in 1905. Architect Lawrence Van Etten crafted the front nine in a matter of months for a total cost of $2,100. The full 18 hole
layout was completed later that season and earned critical acclaim.
Harry Vardon, the great English professional golfer and winner of one United States Open and six British Open Championships said, after playing the old 18th several times, that it was one of the greatest golf holes he had ever tackled.
Wykagyl’s reputation as a fine course grew such that by 1919, the Club’s membership grew to 450 regular members.
From its early days, the layout of the course has been changed and improved by some of the greatest golf course architects in the history of the game, including: Walter Travis, Robert Trent Jones, Stephen Kay, and Arthur Hills. Three of the major renovations took place in 1919 by Donald Ross, then in 1930 by A.W. Tillinghast and most recently, in 2006, by Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw.
Donald Ross was introduced to golf in Scotland at Royal Dornoch and St. Andrews where he worked with Old Tom Morris. He moved to the United States in 1900. Ross was prolific and designed or redesigned over 400 golf courses, including: Pinehurst No. 2, Aronimink, East Lake, Seminole, Oak Hill, Glen View, Memphis, Inverness, Miami Biltmore, and Oakland Hills. In 1919 Ross came to Wykagyl primarily to update the front nine routing.
According to an article in the New York Times on July 20, 1920, Wykagyl was transformed from
Wykagyl was a favorite LPGA tour stop. Beth Daniel, who won at Wykagyl in 1980 and 1994, said of Wykagyl:
"I love this course. It's very distinctive with a personality of its own. But it's very, very difficult. If you mishit shots, the penalties are severe, but if you play well, you'll do well. You have to hit every club in the bag, which is a sign of a geat course."
an “ordinary links, nothing more,” into one of the longest “and most exacting courses in the metropolitan district…(and is) of thoroughly championship caliber,” (with) “an abundance of natural beauty.”
In 1930, A.W. Tillinghast (Tilly) was contracted to do the next major renovation at Wykagyl. Another of the great architects of the early 20th century, Tilly worked on more than 265 different courses including some of the greats that have hosted numerous amateur and professional tournaments and championships including six PGA Championships and nine US Opens. Among them are: Winged Foot Golf (NY), San Francisco Golf Club (CA), Bethpage Black (NY), Baltusrol Golf Club (NJ), Somerset Hills Golf Club (NJ), Quaker Ridge Golf Club (NY), and Baltimore Country Club (MD).
The first and second holes were taken out of play, which became Wykagyl's driving range and adjacent short game area, as well as the former tenth hole, which stretched from North Avenue to the current tenth tee. He added the fourth, fifth, sixth, and eleventh holes and redesigned the current tenth, seventeenth, and eighteenth holes.
Horace Rawlins, US Open Champion
Harry Vardon
Second Clubhouse and old 18th fairway
In 1966 and 1967, Golf Digest included Wykagyl as one of the 200 most difficult golf courses in the country.
In the early 2000s, it was determined that the course’s irrigation system was in need of replacement. The Green Committee, at the time, saw that this was also an opportunity to take on course renovations. In 2004 the Green Committee, chaired by Paul McEvoy, accepted proposals from preeminent golf course architectural firms. Martha Reddington, a member of the Green Committee and friends with Ben Crenshaw and Bill Coore, called Bill Coore and asked if he and his firm, Coore & Crenshaw (C&C) would be interested in the Wykagyl project. While C&C preferred original design and construction work, Bill came to Wykagyl and walked the course and took on the project along with his colleague, James Duncan, and their talented crew.
Ran Morrisett, in his profile of Wykagyl on his Golf Club Atlas website, said:
"Coore & Crenshaw's work lends the course continuity with a single voice that any course would benefit from. It is Van Etten's backbone and Ross and Tillinghast's modifications that give the course its flavor. Its overall design appears Golden Age without reminding one of a particular architect. And that's very neat."
Also found in Morrisett’s profile, is the following quote from Coore that sums up Wykagyl:
"A great routing has emerged over time with holes weaving over hills, through valleys, and across creeks. How they got all the holes in there is amazing and it is one of the most interesting designs I have ever seen on severe property. When I think of Wykagyl, the word 'interesting' always springs to mind -- interesting land, interesting hazards, and interesting holes. It is easy to make a course hard; it is a far greater challenge to make a course interesting and that's what they have done at Wykagyl."
The course presented for this 100th NY State Amateur Championship is the result of an ongoing relationship with C&C, James Duncan, Wykagyl Superintendent, Dan Rogers, and his hard-working and dedicated crew.
The cumulative impact of all the work on the course and Wykagyl’s commitment to superb conditioning has led to the inclusion of Wykagyl in Golfweek’s Top 100 Classic Courses and has brought accolades from golf course architecture expert, Ran Morrissett, who profiled the course on the Golf Club Atlas website in 2016.
See the full Golf Club Atlas feature about Wykagyl here:
We celebrate the 100th Anniversary of the NY State Men’s Amateur and the 125th Anniversary of Wykagyl in this heritage year!
Wykagyl Country Club Golf Club Atlas golfclubatlas.com
On behalf of 3 generations of the McEvoy family at Wykagyl:
Thomas M. McEvoy (in memoriam)
Thomas M. McEvoy, Jr. Paul McEvoy (in memoriam) Paul McEvoy, Jr.
Congratulations to all contestants!
Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw
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Dr. Bennie W. Chiles III, M.D., F.A.A.N.S., F.A.C.S. and Westchester Spine and Brain Surgery, PLLC are proud to support the 100th Annual New York State Men’s Amateur Golf Championship and Wykagyl Country Club!
Dr. Chiles has received the prestigious honor of being named a Castle Connolly Top Doctor in Neurosurgery/Spine Surgery four consecutive years from 2020 to 2023. He has also been recognized as one of the Top Neurosurgeons in the region by Westchester Magazine in their annual November Top Doctors issue each year from 2020 to 2022, and will again be featured in their upcoming November 2023 annual Top Doctors issue. Additionally, he has been named one of the Top Neurosurgeons in the entire New York Metro Area for three consecutive years from 2021 to 2023, and in this regard was featured in the annual July Best Doctors issue of New York Magazine for both 2021 and 2022, and will again be featured in their upcoming July 2023 Best Doctors issue.
W. CHILES III, MD,
Good luck to all the players!
Notable Professionals
Alex Smith: Wykagyl’s Carnoustie Connection
In the cozy clubhouse of the Carnoustie Club in Scotland, above the trophy cabinet are the logos of Carnoustie, Nassau Country Club (NY), Diablo Country Club (CA), and Wykagyl. The reason why, sits on display in the glass cabinet below.
Around the turn of the 20th century, golf was growing fast in the US and with it came a demand for greenkeepers, club makers, and teachers. Many young men from St. Andrews and Carnoustie headed for the US to find jobs in the burgeoning sport. Among them came Alex Smith in 1898. The first of his family to emigrate, he was followed by four brothers and his parents.
The brothers were among the best golfers of their day. Alex won the US Open Championship in 1906 followed by his brother, Willie, in 1909. At the time of his win, Alex was the golf professional at Nassau Country Club in Glen Cove, NY.
1909 predates Winged Foot, Quaker Ridge, and Westchester. Wykagyl was the preeminent club in the area. It had just relocated from Pelham and the members wanted to upgrade the golf course and its reputation and knew the man to do it.
Hiring Alex, the leading professional of the day, away from Nassau was no mean feat, albeit reportedly he became the highest paid pro in America. The club provided Smith with the house still standing at the far end of today’s range and upon winning the 1910 US Open Championship, the members rewarded him with an extension.
Upon his death in 1930 a column appeared in The Sports of the Times and said:
"There was always something flamboyant and picturesque about Alex. He played what one might almost call a dashing game on the links… on the green, he never bothered to sight along the line of a putt. ‘Miss ‘em quick’ was his motto, except that he didn’t miss many."
As a charter member of the PGA and one of the initial class of 12 inductees into the Golf Hall of Fame, Smith could be outspoken. He disliked the match play format of the PGA Championship believing the true test was to match up to the course. When Walter Hagen left the Wanamaker trophy in a cab in 1925, a new cup was commissioned. Once the old Wanamaker was returned, the substitute trophy was named the “Alex Smith Trophy” and presented to the winner of the 36-hole PGA Championship stroke play qualifier.
In addition to the two US Opens, Smith won two Western Opens and four Met Opens. His golfing reputation was further enhanced after Francis Ouimet won the US Open in 1913. Harry Vardon and Ted Ray toured the US playing exhibition matches. Their only defeat was at Wykagyl against Alex and his brother, Macdonald, (3 and 2 over 36 holes).
And all of those winners' medals and trophies are in the trophy cabinet at Carnoustie. Once a year they pay a visit to Wykagyl so that Its members can be reminded of the connection between the two clubs.
Bob Watson
Robert “Bob” L. Watson was born in Wichita Falls, Texas and was Wykagyl’s Head Golf Professional from 1962 - 1974. He played for the University of Texas golf team under the legendary coach, Harvey Penick, author of the best-selling "Little Red Book." Bob was the Southwest Conference’s individual champion in 1947 and 1949. On the PGA tour, he won the 1958 Panama Open, against a strong field, including Arnold Palmer, Roberto De Vicenzo, Don January, and Doug Ford. Watson also won the 1960 Colombia Open. Locally, he won the Met Open (1958), the Westchester PGA Championship (1959), the Westchester Open (1959), and the Westchester PGA Championship (1965). In 1960, he set the competitive course record of 64 at Westchester Country Club.
Harvey Penick’s teachings served him well. Watson was known as a superb golf instructor and striker of the ball, but his putter often let him down. During a PGA Senior Tour super senior event, he was quoted as saying, “I am hitting the ball great. I am one-putting everything … one putt left-handed, one putt right-handed, and one putt with the long putter!”
Cradle of the PGA
Robert White is the “father” and first President of the PGA. Born in St. Andrews, Scotland, Robert White moved to the US in 1884. As a golf professional, he wore many hats. As a club professional, he kept the shop, built clubs, and maintained the course. White studied to become the first true golf turf expert, working with many of the clubs throughout the East and Midwest. He also designed over 20 golf courses. It is believed that Robert White originally conceived the idea of the PGA in Wykagyl’s pro shop with associate, Alex Smith. White advanced the concept with his vast golf professional network, and the idea finally took hold with the support of department store tycoon, Rodman Wanamaker.
According to the book Seventy Years of Wykagyl, an early and informal organizational meeting of the fledgling PGA was held at Wykagyl in January 1916. The first PGA tournament was held that year and Wanamaker put up the money for the championship. He also funded the silver championship trophy which is still presented to the winner today and known as the Wanamaker Cup.
Robert White became Wykagyl's greenkeeper in 1921 and then head golf professional from 1922 through 1926.
Wykagyl's Carnousite Connection: The trophy cabinet at Carnoustie Golf Links in Scotland. Note the Wykagyl seal at the top right of the cabinet.
Alex Smith
Lloyd Monroe
In the modern era, Wykagyl’s most accomplished head professional was Lloyd Monroe. When he was a member of Colgate University’s golf team, he set the course record of 67 at the Taconic Golf Club, Williams College’s home course. He won two New Jersey State Amateurs in 1958 and 1962, respectively. Professionally, in his home state of New Jersey, he won the Dodge Open in 1974 and 1978 and the Toyota Open in 1977. He has played in five US Opens and both the 1975 and 1979 PGA Championships. Lloyd went on to win five tournaments in the Club Professional Tournament Series in Florida, the Westchester PGA Championship, and Westchester Senior Open.
However, Lloyd’s greatest achievement occurred during the 1982 US Open, a tournament best remembered for the improbable chip-in by Tom Watson during the final round, on Pebble Beach’s 17th hole, to beat Jack Nicklaus. Perhaps, more improbable, was that Lloyd Monroe not only qualified for this US Open as a full-time head professional, but also fired a 70 during Friday’s second round to better all but five players that day, including tying Jack Nicklaus and beating Tom Watson by two shots. But, Lloyd was not finished. On Saturday, he went out in 34 and, after 45 holes, was only three over par, lifting him into the top 15, and on the weekend leaderboard of the US Open at Pebble Beach!
Lloyd was Wykagyl’s head professional for 16 years, one of Wykagyl’s longest tenures. It would be impossible to overstate the respect Lloyd earned, not only of Wykagyl members, but also his peers, who voted him New Jersey’s PGA Player of the Year (1973), the Met PGA Professional of the Year (1986), and later President of the Met PGA Section.
After leaving Wykagyl, Lloyd joined the Senior PGA Tour and played in six majors, competing against many former PGA tour players.
More important than Lloyd’s record as a golfer was his infectious love of the game and ambassadorship of its rules, tenets, and spirit. While playing in a local Pro-Junior with Walter D. Peek II, after ducking from multiple errant shots from dangerously close adjoining fairways, Peek complained that the course was the worst in Westchester County. With that, Lloyd taught the privileged young golfer a valuable lesson, “there is no such thing as a bad golf course.”
Though a fierce competitor, it was always fun to play golf with him. During a PGA Senior Championship practice round, one of his playing partners asked, referring to his 80-plus yearold caddie, who was also his close friend and Wykagyl member, Rip Rohrs, “Where the heck did you find him?” Lloyd replied, with his signature dry wit, “Well, on the way to the course, I passed an old folks home and this guy was sitting in a wheelchair. I felt sorry for him and asked him to caddie for me!”
Lloyd leaves a lasting legacy at Wykagyl. Twentyeight years after moving on, Wykagyl was proud to honor him during its 125th anniversary Pro-Am earlier this summer.
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Notable Members
Thomas Valentine “Val” Bermingham
“Great Master of Champions"
One of Wykagyl’s favorite sons and, arguably, its greatest club player was Thomas Valentine “Val” Bermingham. From 1905 to 1932, he won 20 Club championships that stood as a USGA national record. However, his golfing prowess went beyond Wykagyl.
Val was born on Valentine’s Day 1884 in New Rochelle, NY. He began caddying at Pelham Country Club in 1898 where he immediately fell in love with the game and made his own clubs. Val became Pelham’s caddie master and, in 1904, he was invited to become a member of Pelham and subsequently became a member of Wykagyl when the Club moved to New Rochelle.
In 1900, Harry Vardon played at Pelham. Val studied his swing and grip, yet he never adopted the Englishman’s overlapping grip. Instead, he stuck to the old-fashioned baseball grip because Val said that his grip was not really a baseball grip since he held the club in his fingers and not his palms.
There are a number of interesting facts about Val and his outstanding achievement of winning 20 Wykagyl club championships beginning in 1905 when he was runner up. He competed for the next 28 years, until 1933. Only once, in 1928, was he beaten in the finals.
Shortly after Val won his 20th club championship, John Kiernan of the New York Times wrote:
"He could play with the best of them. Jerry Travers, Francis Ouimet, Jess Sweetser, and Bob Jones recognized his prowess, but golf was just a pleasant diversion to him. He refused to make work out of a game that he played for fun. So, he has gone on year after year, playing a fine game and having a lot of fun out of it. Somehow, it seems like a very sensible plan."
Val broke the course record many times. On the original course, he held the amateur record of 68 when Alex Smith’s professional record was also 68. On a slightly altered course, again, he held the record with a 68.
Val competed at the highest level beyond Wykagyl’s gates:
● 1905, Met Amateur at Fox Hills (Staten Island). Walter Travis, winner of three US Amateurs and a British Amateur, was the man to beat. The New York papers predicted an easy victory for Travis. In the first round, Val was one up on the 11th tee. Travis then fought back to win 2 and 1, but still Val had “arrived” as a top Met area player.
● 1911, U.S. Amateur at Apawamis. Considered a “major” at the time, he failed to qualify by a single stroke.
● In 1905, he passed up the Club championship and won the Brooklawn Cup in Bridgeport, considered a prestigious event at the time.
● He won other important invitationals at Apawamis, Siwanoy, and Sleepy Hollow where he faced the best of the Met area’s amateurs.
Jack, who caddied regularly for Val in his heyday, recalled that his game had very few flaws.
"He had every shot in the bag and his temperament was perfect. He had the ideal build for the game -- tall, lean, and willowy -- and he could have gone to the top if he had elected to give all his time to golf. He was a great one."
In recognition of his outstanding contributions to Wykagyl, in 1960 the Board of Governors commissioned a portrait of him. The portrait bears the inscription, “Great Master of Championships” and was unveiled on Briggs (Closing) Day on October 8, 1960.
Val’s written response included these sentiments after thanking all the members for “making an old golfer a very happy man:”
In the September 1954 edition of USGA Journal and Turf Management there was an article, A Champion of Club Champions and noted:
"We have recorded a series of achievements by individuals who have won the same championships over particularly long spans of years – and 39 years seems to be the longest span.
Now we come to a sub-division of this type of thing and present the case of T. Val Bermingham, who, starting in 1907, played in 26 consecutive club championships at Wykagyl Country Club in New Rochelle, NY, getting to the final 21 times and winning the championship 20 times."
What is remarkable is that Val only played on weekends. He rarely practiced, never took lessons and would show up around Memorial Day. He would warm up with a few shots and then head out and shoot in the low 70s. After Labor Day, he put his bag away (he only carried seven clubs) and called it another year. Plus, he was the father of nine children and commuted to New York City during the week.
● In September 1916, Jerome Travers, the 1915 U.S Open Champion, teamed with Bermingham at Wykagyl to defeat Chick Evans, who had just won the 1916 US Open Championship, and John G. Anderson of Siwanoy two up, in a match described by the great Grantland Rice as the finest four-ball amateur match played in the metropolitan district. Crowds rushed to New Rochelle to see Evans, the new Open champion, and Rice reported that the gallery crushed in so closely on the players that they hardly had room for their shots.
● In 1910 and 1911, Val teamed with Alex Smith and won the pro-amateur event that was the precursor to the Metropolitan Open.
Bermingham was a true gentleman golfer who played for the love of the game. In 1909 a golf authority, who wrote under the pseudonym “Runner-Up,” wrote in Town Topics magazine:
"If T.V. Bermingham could give time to the sport, he would soon rank with the greatest halfdozen American match play golfers."
Jack Petroni, Apawamis’ highly respected former pro who served Wykagyl many years as caddie and assistant pro, said that Val was “the greatest ‘unknown’ golfer in the history of the game.”
"One part of his happiness is certainly the knowledge that for years to come his forbidding countenance will look down on young golfers and make them wonder how he was so lucky at the game. But the other, and deeper part comes from the knowledge that so many would take the time and trouble to be so kind.
Any man would be grateful for being so honored at any time of his life – and that for doing a little more than playing a game with some degree of proficiency over a number of years. But my gratitude is keener because it has been 27 years since I won my last club championship and 53 since I won my first. Almost all of the members who played with me are gone and many who were at the dinner do not know me.
There is nothing I can do to reciprocate these things beyond thanking you all. I do recognize that the members were doing more than honoring a single individual. By virtue of longevity, I have perhaps become a symbol at Wykagyl of a shared experience, an appreciation of the game of golf, of the delight that follows the cleanly hit iron, three feet from the pin, and the despair that follows the missed putt."
Val died the following September. The portrait hangs in the main hallway of the Grill Room and Wykagyl still honors his memory as Opening Day is known as Bermingham Day.
Clare Briggs
Wykagyl has paid tribute to two of its favorite sons, Val Bermingham and Clare Briggs, by naming days for them in their memories. Today, the “official” golf season begins on Bermingham Day in April and closes on Briggs Day in October. Perhaps the choice of these days is fitting. Opening Day ushers in a new season, when golfers, with high hopes, set out to emulate the skills of Bermingham while Briggs Day, marking the end of the season, is the time to cast cares away and live it up in the manner of the jovial and ebullient Clare Briggs.
Bermingham made the name Wykagyl prominent by his golfing prowess and Briggs spread the name of Wykagyl through his series of golf cartoons which were published for years in the New York Tribune and later the Herald Tribune. Briggs made Wykagyl the setting for his humorous drawings and the names of many of Briggs’ cronies from the club were included in his cartoons.
Briggs joined the club in September 1914 and immediately became one of the popular “boys.” In tribute to him the Governors named a large room in the upstairs locker house the Briggs Room. In 1925 Briggs presented the club with 100 of his famous cartoons.
Bermingham and Briggs were good friends and each had a warm regard for each other. In an article in the Herald Tribune in October 1948, Bermingham described Briggs as a very warmhearted person who loved human companionship
and was respected by every Wykagyl member. In the same article, the reporter said:
"Briggs spread the name of Wykagyl to every corner of the country. Briggs’ talent lay in his ability to record the actual in a comical way that would bring all the elements of a particular situation more clearly to light."
During the 1920s, the New Rochelle Art Association commissioned its best known artists to create a series of signs on major roadways to mark the city’s borders including "New Rochelle: The Place to Come When a Feller Needs a Friend,” which was created by Briggs representing one of his major comics of the same name.
Briggs’ home in New Rochelle, known as Blue Anchor, can be seen from the 18th hole when the trees are dormant.
Briggs remained loyal to Wykagyl until his death on January 3, 1930.
The Harmons
“Dad joined Wykagyl when we were very young junior golfers so we wouldn’t be around Winged Foot. All the Harmon boys thoroughly enjoyed our time at the club. Last year, me, Billy and Butch returned to Wykagyl for a round of golf, 50 years later. We remembered every hole and enjoyed this great golf course. Congrats on hosting the 100th State Amateur"
Butch Harmon, Craig Harmon, and Bill Harmon
Claude Harmon, Sr. was the 1948 Master’s Champion and Winged Foot’s head professional from 1945 - 1978. During the 1960s, he was a member of Wykagyl and his four sons, Butch, Craig, Dick, and Billy, represented Wykagyl in numerous junior and amateur events.
Butch Harmon won the 1961 MGA Junior Championship and teamed with Jimmy Fisher to win the 1963 British Victory Tournament. Butch went on to be a winner on the PGA tour, and the instructor and/or golf coach to Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Ernie Els, Stewart Cink, Greg Norman, Davis Love III, Fred Couples, Justin Leonard, Rickie Fowler, Jimmy Walker, Dustin Johnson, Gary Woodland, and Nick Watney.
Craig Harmon, former head professional for 42 years at Oak Hill Country Club in Rochester, NY and site of this year’s PGA Championship, won the Westchester Amateur in 1965. Billy Harmon was runner up in the 1967 Met Amateur and Dick Harmon was runner up in the 1968 Met Amateur.
All four boys would grow up to be ranked by Golf Digest among the Top 50 teachers in America at one point in their careers. The Harmon legacy continues with Butch’s son, Claude Harmon III, serving as recent PGA champion, Brooks Koepka’s, swing coach.
Dave Ragaini
Between 1971 and 1988, Dave Ragaini was an eight-time Wykagyl club champion. He won the 1971 Westchester Open as an amateur. Ragaini may best be remembered for a bet he made to play all 18 tee shots from his knees. On the 207 yard par three 13th hole, he knocked his three wood into the hold for an ace. This remarkable feat was documented in Ripley’s Believe It or Not
Dick Harmon
One of Briggs’ Golf-Themed Cartoons
Clare Briggs
Walter A. Peek -
One of the more influential, and possibly, the most memorable member of Wykagyl was Walter A. Peek who was a member from the late 1930s - 2009. As a golfer, he was a threetime club champion at Wykagyl, club champion at Winged Foot, Cornell University’s champion and four-year team member, semi-finalist in the NYS Amateur, champion of the Eastern Army and Navy Championship, and winner of the first Ike Championship with partner, Howard Miller. Nationally, he was a quarter finalist in the North and South and medalist in both the Trans-Mississippi Amateur Golf Championship and Winged Foot’s Anderson Memorial.
He loved to compete and his favorite Wykagyl event was the Three-Day Member-Guest where he was a fixture as both a player and auctioneer. After his death in 2009, the tournament was renamed in his memory, The Walter A. Peek Memorial ThreeDay Member-Guest.
Walter was a natural showman with Broadway in his blood. His mother, and former Wykagyl member, Edna Peek, was a comedian for the Ziegfeld Follies. For 30 years, he sang barbershop semi-professionally. He wrote and recorded several songs, including “It’s Christmas All Over Town,” which received play over the air waves. As Wykagyl’s de facto master of ceremonies for decades, he led the very popular Christmas Carol Sing, turned the Three-Day Member-Guest pari-mutuel auction into a comedy show, fought back tears at every fourth of July lawn party while reciting the poem, “I Am the Nation,” and played leading roles in the annual club shows held in the maintenance facility.
In 1976, as a result of the poor economy, regular membership dwindled to 150 and the club had difficulty paying its bills. During a meeting of bondholders, there was strong support for a proposal to sell the club property to developers and merge with Tamarack Country Club in Greenwich. It was Walter who turned the tide of that meeting with an “impassioned” plea. Almost 50 years later, former member, Dr. John Byrne, recalled, “I still get shivers when I remember Walter’s speech that saved the club.” The vote never took place and a small group of members provided the necessary financial assistance to keep the club afloat.
Not only did he make history, but helped preserve
it for the Club for generations of members to follow.
In 1968, as chairman of the Historical Committee, he oversaw the publishing of Seventy Years of Wykagyl and, in 1998, as Centennial Co-Chairman with Charlie Del Priore, published Wykagyl’s 100 year history.
Mostly, he is remembered for his unique personality. He wore shorts to play golf in all weather conditions, be it sun, rain, and, even, snow. At the time, when players were not allowed to wear shorts at Winged Foot, he donned his out-of-date, high-water paisley bell bottoms in silent protest. He routinely serenaded the pro shop, putting green and ninth hole terrace from the first floor men’s locker room showers. He had a glass eye -- actually three; one for everyday use, an American flag for the fourth of July, and a shamrock for St. Patrick’s Day. His (one) eye for fashion led people to think he was color blind. He was not.
His “Stupor Bowl” parties at Färthaven were a favorite of Wykagyl members and provided material for NYC’s local television stations. One year, the party was filmed for CBS’s national news broadcast, but was pre-empted by the untimely death of former vice president and presidential candidate, Hubert Humphrey, after which he wryly quipped, “I never liked that guy.”
As Club President, he installed a suggestion box in the tree that was near the ninth hole terrace, easily accessible to any member with a 12-foot ladder. He cleaned his golf ball by putting it in his mouth and then swirled it around with his fingers. When he wanted to hit a long drive, he choreographed his set up and swing to “Casey at the Bat.” Always the last to leave any party, he finished the evening with a songfest around the grand piano.
It has been said that Walter A. Peek was a “character with character.” For decades, in many ways, it was his distinctive character that helped shape the Club’s unique personality. To many, he was simply regarded as “Mr. Wykagyl!”
Greg Rohlf, 1997 NYS Amateur Champion, also won the Wilson Cup, Nassau Invitational, NYC Amateur, Westchester Amateur (three times), the Ike Championship, the Ike Championship team prize with Wykagyl member Chuck Del Priore, the Met Amateur (twice), the MGA Mid Amateur, and the Anderson Memorial. He was the 1998 MGA Player of the Year. Greg qualified for the 1997 US Amateur, and was a US Open local qualifier 1991, 1995, 1996, and 1998. He qualified for the 1998 US Mid Amateur qualifier and was a ten-time MGA International Team Member.
Genevieve Hecker Stout
Mrs. Charles T. Stout joined Wykagyl in 1909. Born Genevieve Hecker in 1883 in Darien, CT, she became a very gifted player. In the opening years of the 20th century, she won the US Women's Amateur in 1901 (Baltusrol) and 1902 (The Country Club).
She was at the top of her game in the Met region where won the first Women's Met championship in 1900 and again in 1901, 1905, and 1906. When handicaps were first assigned in 1910, hers was recorded as plus-one.
As is the case with modern champions, she authored instruction articles. In 1904, she published Golf for Women. The book was the first golf primer for women at the time.
In 2020, Mrs. Stout was inducted into the MGA Honors Hall of Merit.
Howard Miller was an eight-time club champion from 1944-1956, and set the Wykagyl amateur record of 66 in 1941. He also teamed with Walter A. Peek to win the first Ike Team Championship in 1954.
Joseph Lelash won the 1960 NY State Senior Championship.
Jimmy Fisher teamed with Butch Harmon to win the 1963 British Victory Tournament. He then teamed with Wykagyl Head Professional Bob Watson to win the Westchester Pro-Am championship in 1964. And then in 1966 won both the MGA Amateur (match play) and Ike (stroke play) Championships. And he set the Wykagyl course record of 65 in 1968.
Chuck Del Priore is a five-time club champion, won the 2003 Westchester Amateur and qualified for the 2006 US Amateur and the 2010 US Mid-Amateur. He teamed with Greg Rohlf to win the 1997 Mittlemark, 1998 Ike Stroke Play Team Championship, and the 1998 Courville Memorial tournament.
Greg Rohlf with the New York State Amateur Trophy in 1997
Walter and Terri Peek
Notable Wykagyl Women’s Champions – Betty Loweth (12), Patricia Memoli (9)
Wykagyl’s Caddie Program
Since the early 1900s, caddies have played an integral role in golf at Wykagyl. In the 1920s, Clare Briggs (see profile on page 72) frequently used the perspective of the caddie in his humorous comic references to golf at Wykagyl and Val Bermingham was introduced to golf in 1898 as a caddie at Pelham Country Club (see profile on page 70).
Today, Wykagyl’s caddie program is as strong as ever and includes 70+ caddies with 35+ in the program for over 10 years. Their knowledge of the slopes and undulations of Wykagyl’s greens prove invaluable to players, particularly when the speed of the greens are typically rolling at 12+ on the stimpmeter. In recognition of our program and to support our caddies, Wykagyl members have been generous supporters of the MGA Caddie Scholarship Fund (MGACSF), formerly known as the Westchester Golf Association Caddie Scholarship Fund.
The MGACSF is a charitable nonprofit organization that provides financial support and need-based scholarships to college-bound high school applicants. The Fund was established in 1956 by local golfing great, Willie Turnesa, one of the most successful amateur golfers in US history and his close friend, Udo Reinach.
Their appreciation and love for the game of golf ignited their desire to give back to Westchester’s young caddies. Along with the generosity of Sally Francis of the Apawamis Club, the inspiration for the MGACSF’s mission was formed such that no qualified candidate with financial need to cover college tuition would ever be turned away. Sixtysix years later, MGACSF is proud that its mission remains strong and has, to date, over 2,900 caddie scholar alumni.
This past year, for the 11th time, Wykagyl was awarded the MGACSF Gold Club Award which is an honor bestowed on Westchester clubs whose members have donated more than $50,000 annually. Currently Wykagyl has eight high school students in its caddie program receiving scholarships. In addition to the MGACSF, Wykagyl has set up a separate endowment fund in memory of beloved member, John Pinto, who died from cancer in February 2020. John dedicated more than ten years of service to the MGACSF as Chairman of the Investment Committee and Treasurer before assuming the role as President, a position he held from 20022006. Between the MGACSF and The John Pinto Endowment Fund, Wykagyl members have contributed over $800,000 since 2005 resulting in 94 scholarships.
Professional & Exhibition Events
Event Date
The Metropolitan Golf Association Open
George Duncan, Alex Smith, Val Bermingham, MJ Condon
Alex Smith, George Widmer vs. Gil Nichols, Val Bermingham
Alex Smith and Mac Smith vs. Vardon and Ray
Walter Hagen, Tom McNamara vs Gil Nichols, Alex Smith
All Amateur Match
Gil Nichols, Alex Smith vs.Oswald Kirkby, Jerry Travers
Hagen and Barnes vs. Nichols and Smith
Mrs. Gavin vs. Travers
Gil Nichols vs.George McLean
Red Cross Match-Bobby Jones, Elaine Rosenthal
vs Perry Adair, Alexa Stirling
Alex Smith, Gil Nichols vs. Oswald Kirkby, Val Bermingham
Alex Smith, Gil Nichols vs. Jerry Travers, Tom McNamara
George Duncan, Abe Mitchell vs. Elijah Horton, Val Bermingham
Spalding Tournament
J.H. Taylor, Sandy Herd vs Fred Moore, Jimmy Reith
J.H. Taylor, Sandy Herd vs Jerry Travers, Val Bermingham
Bobby Jones, Cyril Tolly vs. Jim Barnes, Mike Brady
Metropolitan Golf Association Open
Westchester Open
Red Cross Event
Goodall Round Robin
Goodall Round Robin
Goodall Round Robin
Goodall Round Robin
Goodall Round Robin
Goodall Round Robin
Goodall Round Robin
Wykagyl Round Robin
Westchester Open
Westchester Open
Westchester Open
Westchester Open
Westchester Open
Metropolitan Golf Association Open
Winners
September 16 - 17, 1909 Alex Smith
October 29, 1911
August 21, 1911
Duncan/Bermingham vs Smith/Condon-Halved AM, Duncan def Smith PM
Nichols/Bermingham AM, Smith/Widmer PM
September 22, 1913 Smith and Smith
October 30, 1915 Hagen and McNamara
September 14, 1916 Jerry Travers and Val Bermingham
June 10, 1917 Nichols and Smith
September 2, 1917 Walter Hagen and Jim Barnes
September 23, 1917 Mrs. Gavin
June 9, 1918 Gil Nichols
July 20, 1918
November 24, 1918
Bobby Jones and Elaine Rosenthal
Alex Smith and Gil Nichols
June 22, 1919 Alex Smith and Gil Nichols
October 8, 1921 George Duncan and Abe Mitchell
June 19, 1922 Bobby Cruickshank
July 19, 1922 Taylor and Heard
October 8, 1921 Taylor and Heard
November 2, 1924 Barnes and Brady
May 25 - 27, 1927 Johnny Farrell, R-up Bobby Cruickshank
1932 Tony Manero
June 15 - 18, 1944 Byron Nelson (66 third round)
May 6 - 9, 1948
May 12 - 15, 1949
Herman Barron
Bobby Locke
June 15 - 18, 1950 Lloyd Mangrum
June 7 - 10, 1951
Roberto DiVincenzo
May 15 - 18, 1952 Sam Snead
June 7 - 10, 1956 Gene Littler
May 30 - June 2, 1957 Sam Snead
June 9 - 12, 1964 Miller Barber
1971 David Ragaini (Amateur)
1980 Gene Borek
1984 Bruce Douglass
2012 Mike Ballo, Jr
2017 Daniel Balin
2018 Andrew Svoboda, R-Up Jack Wall (a)
Adding to Wykagyl’s golf legacy …
Sam Snead putting on the 18th hole (Wykagyl 9th) at the 1950 Round Robin Tournament.
Ben Hogan, captured by photographer, Jules Alexander, on the par five 6th hole
Sam Snead, Sugar Ray Robinson, Ed Sullivan at Round Robin Celebrities' Day 1957
Lloyd Mangram
Lloyd Mangrum, Goodall Palm Beach Round Robin Champion 1950
Bobby Locke, defending champion Herman Barron, Byron Nelson, Sam Snead before 1949 Palm Beach Round Robin
Jimmy Demaret, Ben Hogan, Sam Snead, Jack Burke at 1950 Goodall Palm Beach Round Robin
Sam Snead putting on 9th Green at th 1952 Goodall Palm Beach Round Robin, which he won that year and in 1957
Ben Hogan playing from the bunker on 16 in 1950
Sam Snead on the chipping green
Women’s Professional Events
Event Date
Winners
Triangle Round Robin June 8 - 11, 1961 Mary Lena Faulk
Girl Talk Classic June 1 - 6, 1976 Pat Bradley
Talk Tournament June 2 - 5, 1977 JoAnne Carner
Golden Lights Championship May 26 - 29, 1978 Nancy Lopez
Golden Lights Championship May 31 - June 3, 1979
Golden Lights Championship May 29 - June 1, 1980
Chrysler Plymouth Charity Classic May 21 - 23, 1982
Nancy Lopez
Beth Daniel
Cathy Morse
MasterCard International Pro-Am August 16 - 19, 1984 Sally Quilnan
JAL Big Apple Classic August 16 - 19, 1990 Betsy King
JAL Big Apple Classic July 18 - 21, 1991 Betsy King
JAL Big Apple Classic July 16 - 19, 1992 Juli Inkster
JAL Big Apple Classic July 15 - 18, 1993
JAL Big Apple Classic July 14 - 17, 1994
Hiromi Kobayashi
Beth Daniel
JAL Big Apple Classic July 20 - 23, 1995 Tracy Kerdyk
JAL Big Apple Classic Oct 3 - 5, 1996
JAL Big Apple Classic July 17 - 20, 1997
JAL Big Apple Classic July 16 - 19, 1998
JAL Big Apple Classic July 1999
JAL Big Apple Classic July 2000
Sybase Big Apple Classic July 2001
Sybase Big Apple Classic July 2002
Caroline Pierce
Michele Redman
Annika Sӧrenstam
Sherri Steinhauer
Annika Sӧrenstam
Sybase Big Apple Classic July 2003 Hee-Won Han
Sybase Big Apple Classic July 2004
Sherri Steinhauer
Sybase Big Apple Classic July 2005 Paula Creamer
Sybase Big Apple Classic July 2006 Lorena Ochoa
HSBC Women's World
Match Play Championship July 16 - 22, 2007
Seon Hwa Lee
Annika Sörenstam, JAL Big Apple Classic Champion 1998 and 2000
Paula Creamer, Sybase Big Apple Classic Champion 2005 (First LPGA Win)
Nancy Lopez, LPGA Golden Lights Champion 1978 and 1979
Bobby D’s Provisions
Authorized Purveyor
160 N. Macquesten Parkway Mount Vernon, NY 10550 914-663-8402
Rod Dente
Amateur Events
Welcome to Wykagyl NY Men’s Amateur
Wykagyl’s Men Club Champions
1905 William K. Gillett
1906 Lawrence E. Van Etten
1907 T. Valentine Bermingham
1908 Martin J. Condon
1909 Clifford W. Inslee
1910 T. Valentine Bermingham
1911 T. Valentine Bermingham
1912 T. Valentine Bermingham
1913 T. Valentine Bermingham
1914 T. Valentine Bermingham
1915 T. Valentine Bermingham
1916 George Widmer
1917 T. Valentine Bermingham
1918 T. Valentine Bermingham
1919 T. Valentine Bermingham
1920 T. Valentine Bermingham
1921 T. Valentine Bermingham
1922 Henry V. Gaines
1923 T. Valentine Bermingham
1924 T. Valentine Bermingham
1925 Warren Bancker
1926 T. Valentine Bermingham
1927 T. Valentine Bermingham
1928 Ray Maxwell
1929 T. Valentine Bermingham
1930 T. Arthur Johnson
1931 T. Valentine Bermingham
1932 T. Valentine Bermingham
1933 T. Valentine Bermingham
1934 Dr. Josef Refsum
1935 Dr. Josef Refsum
1936 Dr. Josef Refsum
1937 Dr. Josef Refsum
1938 Dr. Josef Refsum
1939 Peter L. Forsman
1940 Peter L. Forsman
1941 Howard M. Miller III
1942 Dr. Josef Refsum
1943 Donna Fox
1944 Howard M. Miller III
1945 Frank Steven
1946 Howard M. Miller III
1947 Howard M. Miller III
1948 William A. Loock, Jr.
1949 Howard M. Miller III
1950 Howard M. Miller III
1951 Howard M. Miller III
1952 William A. Loock, Jr.
1953 Walter A. Peek
1954 Walter A. Peek
1955 James E. Fisher
1956 Howard M. Miller III
1957 Walter A. Peek
1958 Harvey Hoyt
1959 Dr. R.H. Capalbo
1960 Joseph Lelash
1961 Douglas Hoyt
1962 James E. Fisher
1963 William C. McCabe
1964 Douglas Hoyt
1965 James E. Fisher
1966 Charles Gordon
1967 James E. Fisher
1968 James E. Fisher
1969 Dr. R.H. Capalbo
1970 Dr. R.H. Capalbo
1971 David Ragaini
1972 David Ragaini
1973 Dr. R.H. Capalbo
1974 David Ragaini
1975 David Ragaini
1976 Dr. R.H. Capalbo
1977 David Ragaini
1978 David Ragaini
1979 David Ragaini
1980 Paul Petrarca
1981 Paul Petrarca
1982 Paul Petrarca
1983 Martin J. Connelly III
1984 Greg Rohlf
1985 Joseph Caracciolo 1986 Greg Rohlf
Louis Paolucci 1988 Dave Ragaini 1989 Paul Basmajian 1990 Walter D. Peek II 1991 Paul Baselice
1992 Walter D. Peek II
1993 Louis Cordasco, Jr.
1994 John S. Kulacz, Jr.
1995 Greg Rohlf
1996 Greg Rohlf
1997 Walter D. Peek II
1998 Charles Del Priore, Jr.
1999 Mark A. Corcoran
2000 Charles Del Priore, Jr.
2001 John S. Kulacz, Jr.
2002 Charles Del Priore, Jr.
2003 Frank Ciulla 2004 Charles Del Priore, Jr. 2005 Jerry Lynch
Jerry Lynch
Jerry Lynch 2008 Charles Del Priore, Jr.
Craig Leonard
Craig Leonard 2011 John Cesarz
2012 John Cesarz
2013 Robert Angelone 2014 John Cesarz
2015 Thomas M. Zottner
2016 Jared Haines
2017 George Roessler
2018 Charlie Berridge
2019 Edward McCann
2020 Charlie Berridge
2021 Vincent Schumm
2022 Vincent Schumm
Wykagyl’s Women Club Champions
1929 Mrs. L.F. Otten
1930 Mrs. E.B.W. Luce
1931 Mrs. A.B. Stoddard
1932 Mrs. A.B. Stoddard
1933 Mrs. E.S. Whitman
1934 Mrs. E.S. Whitman
1935 Mrs. R.W. Stewart
1936 Mrs. E.S. Whitman
1937 Mrs. E.S. Whitman
1938 Mrs. J.B. McGee
1939 Mrs. R.W. Stewart
1940 Mrs. J.B. McGee
1941 Mrs. J.B. McGee
1942 Mrs. R.W. Stewart
1943 Mrs. R.W. Stewart
1944 Mrs. R.W. Stewart
1945 Mrs. W.T. Van Winkle
1946 Mrs. R.W. Stewart
1947 Mrs. W.V. Schleicher
1948 Mrs. Sally Francis
1949 Mrs. Sally Francis
1950 Mrs. Sally Francis
1951 Mrs. Sally Francis
1952 Mrs. Sally Francis
1953 Mrs. R.W. Stewart
1954 Mrs. W.R. Loweth
1955 Mrs. R.W. Stewart
1956 Mrs. W.R. Loweth
1957 Mrs. W.R. Loweth
1958 Mrs. W.R. Loweth
1959 Mrs. W.R. Loweth
1960 Mrs. W.R. Loweth
1961 Mrs. C.A. DeNarvaez
1962 Mrs. W.R. Loweth
1963 Mrs. M.L. Steffen
1964 Mrs. W.R. Loweth
1965 Mrs. R.O. Slenker
1966 Mrs. J.E. Carroll
1967 Mrs. W.R. Loweth
1968 Mrs. W.R. Loweth
1969 Mrs. W.R. Loweth
1970 Mrs. W.R. Loweth
1971 Mrs. D.P. Jones
1972 Mrs. J. Fisher
1973 Mrs. J. Fisher
1974 Mrs. J. Fisher
1975 Mrs. J. Fisher
1976 Mrs. S. Suzuki
1977 Mrs. Beau Erbe
1978 Miss Lisa Cordasco
1979 Miss Lisa Cordasco
1980 Mrs. Beau Erbe
1981 Miss Lisa Cordasco
1982 Miss Lisa Cordasco
1983 Miss Sue Witters
1984 Miss Nancy E. Peek
1985 Miss Nancy E. Peek
1986 Miss Lisa Cordasco
1987 Miss Lisa Cordasco
1988 Mrs. Karen Gallin
1989 Miss Lisa Cordasco
1990 Mrs. Karen Gallin
1991 Mrs. Karen Gallin
1992 Mrs. Karen Gallin
1993 Miss Nancy E. Peek
1994 Mrs. Karen Gallin
1995 Mrs. Beau Erbe
1996 Ms. Pattie Memoli
1997 Ms. Pattie Memoli
1998 Ms. Pattie Memoli
1999 Ms. Pattie Memoli
2000 Mrs. Charlotte Monsell
2001 Ms. Pattie Memoli
2002 Ms. Pattie Memoli
2003 Ms. Pattie Memoli
2004 Mrs. Charlotte Monsell
2005 Mrs. Charlotte Monsell
2006 Ms. Pattie Memoli
2007 Mrs. Charlotte Monsell
2008 Mrs. Julie Hansen
2009 Mrs. Charlotte Monsell
2010 Mrs. Charlotte Monsell
2011 Alessandra Ricigliano
2012 Ms. Pattie Memoli
2013 Alessandra Ricigliano
2014 Candice Leonard
2015 Mrs. Julie Hansen
2016 Mrs. Julie Hansen
2017 Carly Haines
2018 Carly Haines
2019 Carly Haines
2020 Donna Coleman
2021 Catharine Lee
2022 Mrs. Julie Hansen
Legendary!
Past Presidents of Wykagyl Country Club are proud of …
Its 125-year history and contributions to the birth of golf in the New York Metropolitan Area Its timeless and historic golf course
Its welcoming spirit to all who love the game of golf and
The addition of the 100th New York State Men’s Amateur Championship to the list of PGA, LPGA, and Amateur tournaments hosted at Wykagyl!
Wykagyl Country Club Past Presidents
Charles J. DelPriore 1987-1988
George R. Steiner 1991-1992
Robert C. Lieber 2008-2009
Thomas Larkin 2010-2011
James R. Martell 2012-2013, 2016-2017
Gerald DeFeo 2014-2015
Robert Corwen 2018-2019
Mark C. Davis 2020-2021
Wykagyl Presidents
Martin J. Condon
1905-1909
Paul A. Heubner
1910-1911
William B. Randall 1912-1913
John M. Stoddard 1914-1915
Joseph C. Widner 1916-1917
Edward J. Rowe
1918
Henry V. Gaines 1919-1920
Lyman F. Gray
1921
George A. Nicol, Jr. 1922-1923
Louis Dempsey
1924
W. L. O’Brion
1925
R.R. Rennie
1926
Edward Reynolds 1927-1928
Robert M. Miller
1928-1931
R.R. Appleby 1932-1933
William J. Priestly 1934-1935
George A. Nichol, Jr. 1936-1937
Howard M. Miller, Jr.
1938
Walter Brown
1939
David A. Weir
1940-1941
Howard A. Miller, Jr.
1942
Arthur M. Alvord 1943-1945
J. Paul Sinnott 1946-1948
T. Merritt McEvoy 1949
Daniel F. MacNamee 1950-1951
Francis C. O’Keefe 1952
Walter D. Peek 1953-1954
Edward J. Cohan 1955-1956
Ben G. Symon 1957
Louis A. Bantle 1958
Nicholas R. Mayer 1959-1960
Elwood Wilkins
1961
Charles Juergens 1962
Edward Malaney 1963
Henry G. Waltemade 1964-1965
Gregory Cornell 1966
Raymond D. Porter 1967-1968
Joseph F. Jehle 1969-1970
Gaston I. Dallenbach 1971
Thomas M. McEvoy, Jr. 1972-1973
Raymond J. Rohrs 1974
Frank K. Ettari 1975
William R. Johnson, Jr. 1976
Francis M. Alter 1977-1978
William J. Bleichert 1979-1981
Douglas R. Hoyt 1982
Martin J. Connelly III 1983-1984
Walter A. Peek 1985-1986
Charles J. DelPriore 1987-1988
William C. Thompson 1989-1990
George R. Steiner 1991-1992
Frank R. Fazio
1993-1994
Donald E. Walsh 1995-1996
John J. Pinto
1997-1998
David O. Field 1999-2000
Franklin P. Chapman 2001-2002
Gerald H. Tankersley 2003
Steven Pires 2004-2005
Stephen J. DeGroat 2006-2007
Robert C. Lieber
2008-2009
Thomas Larkin 2010-2011
James Martell
2012-2013, 2016-2017
Gerald DeFeo 2014-2015
Robert Corwen
2018-2019
Mark Davis
2020-2021
Philip Moran
2022-2023
Hugh and Lisa Alexander
Mark and Carolyn Alter
Dominick and Ginny Azzaro
The Balachandran Family
The Baldassarra Family
The Barbaria Family
The Basso Family
Maureen and Richard Berger
The Berridge Family
The Bonalle Family
Chris and Vero Byrnes
The Charron Family
Michael and Elizabeth Chen
Dr. Bennie W. Chiles III
Bernard and Julia Chua
Neil Clark and Family
The Coaxum Family
The Coschigano Family
Jim and Kathy Daniels
The DeCicco Family
C. DelPriore, Sr. and Family
C. DelPriore, Jr. and Family
The Demarinis Family
The DeNigris Family
The Dente Family
The Farrell Family
Gino Forchetti
The Fullerton Family
The Galasso Family
The Gallucci Family
The Gjelaj Family
The Gonzalez Family
The Greaney Family
The Haines Family
The Hanna Family
Ernie Harris
The Harshman Family
The Healy Family
The Hicks Family
Patrick Jennings
The Jules Family
The Lavan Family
The Lawrence Family
Maura & Rich Lee and Family
Bob Lieber and Pepper Evans
The Lipp Family
Dr. & Mrs. L. Maffucci and Family
The Maier Family
The Marolda Family
The Marsallo Family
The McAskin Family
The McEvoy Family
The Messina Family
Gavin and Sylvie Middleton
The Miressi Family
The Mitrione Family
Phil Moran and Family
The Mrdelja Family
Adam Nielsen and Family
The O'Meara Family
Rich Pace and Family
Elliot and Julienne Park
Ankan Patel and Jeanna Wacker
The Peek Family
The Pellarin Family
The Powers Family
The Priaulx Family
The Prunty Family
The Riendeau Family
Alan L. Rivera and Family
M. Rivera and Family
The Rodriguez Family
Jay and Sue Romagnoli
The Ruggiero Family
The Russo Family
Tom Ryan and Family
The Sanchez Family
The Schaible Family
Brian and Amy Song
The Staudt Family
The Straface Family
The Sules Family
The Summers Family
The Trotta Family
The Vaccaro Family
The Van Buren Family
The Vernace Family
The Walker Family
The Zottner Family
The Braid Family
The Bryant Family
The Bryce Family
The Corwen Family
Mark Davis
The DeFeo Family
The Del Guercio Family
John and Leslie Deming
The Devine Family
Dr. Theodore Diktaban
The Dreyer Family
Robert L. Forsyth, Jr. and Family
Anthony and Josephine Guarino
The Hans Family
The Langone Family
The Larkin Family
Catharine Lee
The Littlejohn Family
Maz, Mahha, Marzia & Liyla Malik
The Martell Family
William and Kenia Mayer
Rishav Mehra
The Morrissey/Shelley Family
Martha P. Reddington
The Steiner Family
The Swedenburg Family
Michael and Jacqueline Wepp ner
Wykagyl’s Club Thank Yous
Special Thank You to Wykagyl Country Club
Thank you to all of those involved who helped the NYSGA organize the 100th New York State Men’s Amateur Championship.
Robert J. Kasara, CCM CCE General Manager
Dan Prunty Tournament Chairman
John Deigan PGA Professional
Daniel T. Rogers Golf Course Superintendent
Lisa Cashman Assistant General Manager
Lisa DeMelo Member Relations Director
Victor Honrath Executive Chef
PGA SECTIONS AMATEUR GOLF ASSOCIATIONS
Rochester
Syracuse Buffalo
Westchester Long Island
United States
Triple Cities
Captial District
Grossman & Schole LLP is proud to support The 2023 NYS Men’s Amateur Golf Championship Ellenoff Grossman & Schole LLP is a New York City‐based law firm comprised of over 125 professionals, offering its clients legal services in a broad range of business‐related matters. Founded in 1992, the Firm specializes in many areas of commercial law: Corporate, Securities, Real Estate, Broker‐Dealer Regulation, Private Investment Funds, Intellectual Property, Litigation, Labor, Employment, ERISA, Executive Compensation, Tax and Estate Planning.
