After coming close multiple times, PGA of America Golf Professional Michael Deuel finally broke through to win the Central New York PGA Senior Championship. The annual 36-hole tournament for Section players 50 and over took place July 22-23 at Green Lakes State Park Golf Course.

 

Deuel (En-Joie GC), who has four top five finishes the last four years, fired back-to-back rounds of 67 to claim the title over defending champion Dennis Colligan (Cazenovia GC).

 

“I’ve been close so it’s nice to get a victory,” Deuel said. “I probably hit it the best I’ve hit it in a long time from start to finish. If I could have made some putts I could have had something really low. But I shot a score low enough to win and that’s all that really matters.”

 

Deuel, who is also the reigning CNY PGA Section champion, said it was gratifying to place first against his peers. It was a grueling two days for Deuel, who made the 80-plus mile trek from Endicott to Green Lakes each day to compete.

 

FINAL RESULTS

 

“It’s great,” he said. “It’s very satisfying to have won three regular Section Championships and being close multiple times in the Senior division. So being able to cross the finish line feels pretty darn good.”

 

Deuel held a one-stroke lead over Colligan after the first round. The pair battled in the second round with Colligan grabbing a one-stroke lead after five holes. Deuel hit all 18 greens in regulation and reclaimed the lead for good with a birdie on No. 7. Deuel went on to finish at 8-under 134. Colligan finished at 4-under 138.

 

“Dennis birdied No. 4 then holed out a wedge on No. 5,” Deuel said. “That was a huge shift and he took the lead at that point. Then two holes later I made a birdie and he made bogey. That seventh hole is probably where the momentum switched back.”

 

“I holed out from 100 yards on 5 to take a one-stroke lead,” Colligan said. “But I bogeyed the next par 5 and Mike made birdie and I just couldn’t muster any more birdies the rest of the day. He didn’t miss a green. He shot solid and could have had a 64 pretty easy.”

 

Both Deuel and Colligan earned a spot in the Senior PGA Professional Championship which will take place at Sunriver Resort in Oregon on ​September 24-29.

 

“That’s the fun part, being able to go to nationals,” Deuel said. “The goal of this event is to finish in the top 3 and move on.”

 

2022 Senior Section champ Eric Manning (Elm Tree GC) also qualified for nationals. He earned the third spot after winning a three-hole playoff against Jay Turcsik (Mark Twain GC). Turcsik was the second-round medalist with a 5-under 66.

 

This year’s alternates (in order) are: Turcsik, Nick Serafino (Timber Banks), Mark Tucker (Cazenovia CC) and Jeff Reader (Cazenovia GC). Tucker got the third alternate spot in a playoff over Reader.

 

Mel Baum (Wa-Noa GC) shot rounds of 73 and 74 to win the Super Senior Division.

 

The Senior Section Championship was presented the Golf Channel.