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2006
Otesaga Hotel Seniors Open &
Pro-Am News
2006 Otesaga Hotel Seniors
Open Champion Bobby Heins of White Plains is presented a check for
the $20,000 first-place purse by (left to right) Edward Shafer,
Pathfinder Village chief executive officer; John Irvin, general
manager of the Otesaga Hotel; Eric Straus, president of the
Leatherstocking Corporation; and Daryl Forsythe and Dan Spooner,
tournament co-chairs. (Photo courtesy of the National Baseball
Hall of Fame & Museum, Cooperstown).
Bobby Heins Wins 24th
Annual
Otesaga Hotel Seniors Open at 12-Under Par
--
First-time winner earns five-stroke victory in Cooperstown;
Takes home $20,000
first-place prize --
COOPERSTOWN, NY , September 8, 2006
... Trailing
by one stroke entering the final round,
White Plains
resident Bobby Heins shot a four-under-par 67 on
Friday to win the 24th Annual
Otesaga Hotel Seniors Open in Cooperstown, capturing a first-prize
purse of $20,000. In the three-day, $100,000 tournament, Heins shot
individual rounds of 69-65-67 to finish 12 under par (201). Heins’
second-round 65 was the low round of the tournament.
“It was a completely different course this year because it was
soft,” Heins said. “Usually it plays faster. It was harder in some
ways and easier in others. I’ve been around the top five in the
past, but usually someone else plays pretty good. This year I was
able to keep it going.”
Heins, participating for the sixth time and coming off a
fourth-place finish in 2005, finished five strokes ahead of Roy
Vucinich. Vucinich matched Heins’ final-round 67 to finish seven
under par, 206. Last year's
winner Darrell Kestner placed third with a five-under-par 208. Paul
Parejackas, the 2000 champion, and James Becker tied for fourth at
four under, 209.
The traditional post-Labor Day competition is hosted by the Otesaga
Hotel and its Leatherstocking Golf Course, and presented by sponsors
NBT Bank and Coca-Cola Bottling of New York. Proceeds from the
Seniors Open benefit Pathfinder Village in nearby Edmeston, a
residential community dedicated to children and adults with Down
syndrome. Annually, the tournament raises more than $50,000 for
scholarships and endowments at Pathfinder, and directly helps the
village’s 80-plus residents. The tournament also contributes to the
National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum endowment, a recently
created fund that enables the world-famous institution to fulfill
its educational mission and care for its priceless collections.
The
complete list of former champions: 2005: Darrell Kestner; 2004: John
Gentile; 2003: Lonnie Nielsen; 2002: Dan Wood; 2001: John Traub;
2000: Paul Parjeckas; 1999: Marty Bohen; 1998: Tony Perla; 1997:
John Gentile; 1996: Austin Straub; 1995: Tom Joyce; 1994: Tom Joyce;
1993: Ray Montgomery; 1992: Dave Philo; 1991: Tom Joyce; 1990: Jim
Albus; 1989: Dick Sarta; 1988: Pete Hessemer; 1987: Doug Dalziel;
1986: Bob Bruno; 1985: Richard Howell; 1984: Rolland Stafford;
1983: Donald Hoenig.
2006 Otesaga Seniors Open -
Final
Round Scores
-30-
Bloomfield CT’s
Becker Leads After Second Round of 24th Annual Otesaga
Hotel Seniors Open at 9-Under Par
-- Three golfers within five strokes of leader after Day Two
of Three-Day, $100,000 event in Cooperstown --
COOPERSTOWN, NY, Sept. 7 ...
The second round of the 24th annual Otesaga Hotel Seniors
Open golf tournament concluded Thursday evening with Bloomfield,
Connecticut’s
James Becker holding a one-stroke lead after shooting an opening round
67 and a second round 66, totaling nine under par, after two days of
competition. Three golfers are within five shots of Becker and overall
10 golfers remain under par in the three-day, $100,000 senior golf
event with proceeds benefiting two local non-profit organizations,
Pathfinder Village and the
National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum.
Becker began the day in second position, one stroke behind Roy
Vucinich who dropped into fifth place after a second round 73. Bobby
Heins of White Plains, NY, sits one stroke back after shooting the low
round for the tournament thus far with a 65. Last year’s winner,
Darrell Kestner of Glen Cove, NY, remains in third position tied with
another former tournament champion, Paul Parajeckas (Woburn, MA); both
are five strokes off the leader.
The 24th annual
tournament will play through Friday, Sept. 8, with 126 senior golf
professionals from throughout the country competing for a first-place
purse of $20,000. The traditional post-Labor Day competition is hosted
by the Otesaga Hotel and its Leatherstocking Golf Course, and
presented by sponsors NBT Bank and Coca-Cola Bottling of New York.
Play concludes at Leatherstocking late Friday, followed by an awards
ceremony at the clubhouse with a check presentation to this year’s
champion.
Proceeds from the Seniors Open benefit Pathfinder
Village in nearby Edmeston, a
residential community dedicated to children and adults with Down
syndrome. Annually, the tournament raises more than $50,000 for
scholarships and endowments at Pathfinder, and directly helps the
village’s 80-plus residents. The tournament also contributes to the
National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum
endowment, a recently created fund that enables the world-famous
institution to fulfill its educational mission and care for its
priceless collections.
Overlooking picturesque Otsego
Lake, the Otesaga Hotel’s Leatherstocking Golf Course is
considered one of the East’s most scenic and historic par-72 layouts.
Designed by the legendary Devereux Emmet in 1909, Leatherstocking has
been rated “four stars” by Golf Digest’s “Places to Play.” For
more information, on the Seniors Open, please contact the
Leatherstocking Golf Course at 607.547.9931.
-30-
2006 Otesaga Seniors Open -
Second
Round Scores
24th Annual Otesaga Hotel Seniors Open
Returns to Cooperstown Today
126 Pros to Compete for
$100,000 Purse Beginning Wednesday;
Pro-Am Benefits Pathfinder Village, Baseball Hall of Fame
COOPERSTOWN, NY, September
6, 2006 .... In an annual post-Labor Day tradition, 126
professional golfers will return to Cooperstown today to participate
in the 24th Annual Otesaga Hotel Seniors Open, a 54-hole
tournament at the Leatherstocking Golf Course.
Following a Tuesday Pro-Am
Golf Tournament featuring more than 100 golfers, including Hall of
Fame pitcher Robin Roberts, served as Master of Ceremonies, the
senior golfers will compete for a $100,000 purse, including a
$20,000 first-place prize. The tournament’s proceeds will benefit
Pathfinder Village, a residential community in nearby Edmeston,
dedicated to children and adults with Down syndrome, along with the
National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum’s annual fund, which
provides resources for educational outreach activities.
“We usually net $50,000 to
help our scholarship fund, which has given well over $1 million in
scholarships since the tournament’s inception to help people
continue to live at Pathfinder Village,” said Edward Shafer, chief
executive office of Pathfinder Village. “It also provides Pathfinder
a profile that allows us to build friends, helping us to get the
message out regarding the needs of individuals with Down syndrome
and the work we do with them.”
Pathfinder Village, which
opened in 1980, houses more than 80 residents, some of whom will
assist with tournament preparations. Shafer said that The Otesaga
Hotel, Clark Estates and National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum
have all proven great supporters of Pathfinder Village and this
event showcases that unity. Proceeds beyond $50,000 will be donated
to the Museum’s educational endeavors.
The tournament itself will
feature a high level of competition, said Dan Spooner, tournament
co-chair and golf pro for the Leatherstocking Golf Course. Spooner
cited the success of past winners such as Darrell Kestner (2005) and
Lonnie Nielsen (2003), who are among several to compete at least
part-time on the Champions Tour.
“From what the players tell
me, it is the largest, most-popular independent event that they play
in the United States,” Spooner said. “Most tournaments are run by
the USGA or some PGA section or some other regular tour. Outside of
the Champions Tour, this is the most money that they play for
outside the tour, but still in the country.”
The Pro-Am portion of the
event, which features 31 teams comprised of four amateurs and a
professional, is similarly popular. Spooner said that amateurs often
sign up as foursomes. Entry fees paid by the amateurs
constitute the biggest portion of the fundraising effort.
For more information about the
upcoming Seniors Open, call the Leatherstocking Golf Course at
607.547.5275; for more about the Pro-Am, call Pathfinder Village at
607.965.8377.
-- 30 --
Syracuse-area Foursome Shoots 26 Under
Par to Capture
24th Annual Seniors Open Pro-Am in Cooperstown
Pro Gorman Leads Team in Pre-Cursor
to Three-Day Tournament Beginning Wednesday
COOPERSTOWN, NEW YORK,
September 5, 2006 ...
Senior Pro Tom Gorman from Pompey, and four Syracuse-area players
combined to shoot a 26 under par 118 on Tuesday afternoon, capturing the Pro-Am
title as the four-day 24th Annual Otesaga Hotel Seniors Open
Tournament opened play at the Leatherstocking Golf Course. The Pro-Am
and Seniors Open is sponsored by NBT Bank and Coca-Cola Bottling of
New York. During the event banquet Tuesday evening at the Otesaga
Hotel, Pathfinder Village was presented with a check for $50,000 for
its ongoing efforts. Additionally, the National Baseball Hall of Fame
and Museum received a $10,000 check for its endowment fund.
Gorman was joined by four teammates in the victory: Steve Cambareri,
John Centra, William Fitzpatrick and John Kirwan. For their winning
efforts, the four amateurs each received a $600 gift certificate to
the Leatherstocking Golf Course Pro Shop. As the pro in the
five-some, Gorman received $500 in cash. The names of the
first-place team will be engraved on the Joseph P. Franzese Memorial
Trophy, named after the tournament’s founder.
In all, 31 five-somes (124 amateurs and 31 professionals) took to
the famed Leatherstocking Golf Course to raise funds for Pathfinder
Village Scholarship Fund, a residential community in nearby Edmeston
for children and adults with Down syndrome. Proceeds from the
tournament also benefit the National Baseball Hall of Fame and
Museum Annual Fund, a recently created opportunity that enables the
world-famous institution to fulfill its educational mission and care
for its priceless collections.
Baseball Hall of Fame pitcher Robin Roberts served as master of
ceremonies and played in the tournament. Pro Cotton Dunn of Plano,
Tex., aced number 12 in the Closest to the Pin contest.
The second place team, fronted by pro Jack Tindale of Rochester,
N.Y., finished with a 20 under par, 124. Team members Gordon
Clarkson, Fran Phelps, Dave Sanford, Eric Straus were each awarded
with a $450 gift certificate to the Leatherstocking Golf Course Pro
Shop, while Tindale took home $350. Three teams finished in a
virtual tie for third place with a 19 under par, 125. Pros Bob Joyce
of Southampton, N.Y, Roger Kennedy of Stuart, Fla., and Ralph
Montoya of Staatsburg, N.Y., each guided their teams to the
third-place score.
Competition in the Seniors Open begins Wednesday morning with 7:30
a.m. tee times and continues through Friday, with 126 Senior Pros
expected to vie for the first-place purse of $20,000. In all,
$100,000 will be awarded in the tournament.
-- 30 --
For More
Information, Please Contact
the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum:
Jeff
Idelson, Vice President of Communications & Education, PH:
607.547.0215
Brad
Horn, Director
of Communications, PH: 607.547.0287
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