PGA of America Golf Professional Mark Tucker entered the Central New York PGA Senior Section Championship July 20-21 with low expectations because he hasn’t played much golf in the last month. But to his surprise, Tucker carded rounds of 67 and 71 for a 6-under-par 138 total to repeat as champion at Mark Twain Golf Course.
“This was not expected,” Tucker said. “I’ve only played one 18-hole round of golf in the last five weeks.”
Besides his duties as Head Professional at Cazenovia Country Club, Tucker has been occupied with the health of his 92-year-old father, Eugene, who has been ill. Tucker’s first phone call after his win was to his dad.
“It was one of the best phone calls I’ve ever made to be able to tell him that I won,” Tucker said. “He was excited. He was getting updates from my wife during the day. He would have loved to have been there.”
Tucker fired a tournament-best 5-under 67 in the first round July 20 thanks to six birdies against one bogey. Tucker took a three-stroke lead into the second round and ended any suspense about who would emerge as the champion with four birdies and three bogeys for a 1-under 71 on Day Two.
“(Mark Twain) golf course is in phenomenal shape,” Tucker said. “But the greens are so difficult. You have to know where to hit it so the ball wound up where you needed it to be. You needed to be below the hole. I was able to do that the first day.”
2022 Senior Champion Eric Manning (Elm Tree GC) carded a 2-under 70 in the second round to move up the leaderboard and he finished second at 1-under 143.
It was Tucker’s sixth career Senior Section Champion which pulled him into a tie for second for most Senior titles all-time with Tony Saraceno. Jerry Steelsmith holds the record with seven. Tucker’s other Senior titles came in 2015, 2016, 2019, 2021 and 2025.
“I’m honored to be in that club,” Tucker said.
Tucker also punched his ticket to the national Senior PGA Professional Championship, which will be held Oct. 22-25 at Superstition Mountain, Lost Gold and Prospector Courses, in Gold Canyon, AZ.
Jay Turcsik (Mark Twain GC), Jeff Reader (Cazenovia GC), and Nick Serafino (Timber Banks) also qualified for nationals.
2008 Senior champion Bruce Martins (Elm Tree GC) won the Super Senior Division with a 154 total.
The CNY PGA would like to thank George LaBarr with PXG for their support of the Senior Section Championship.