Congratulations, 2024 RDGA Champions!

RDGA Men’s Match Play Championship – Clifton Springs Country Club

• YAROSLAV MERKULOV (Ridgemont CC). The 2024 Men’s Match Play Championship final saw Aiden Spampinato go head-to-head with one of the RDGA’s most consistent competitors in Yaroslav Merkulov, who entered this year’s Championship with three Match Play titles in the past four years. Facing a mid-length putt for birdie on 18, Merkulov drained it to win the Championship. With the victory, Merkulov now has Match play titles in 4 of the last 5 years – winning the Championship in four consecutive years that he has played in it (he did not enter the 2022 Match Play Championship).

CLICK HERE for a recap and bracket results from the 2024 RDGA Men’s Match Play Championship.

RDGA Senior Match Play Championship – Clifton Springs Country Club

• WADE SARKIS (Canandaigua CC). This year’s Senior Match Play bracket was stocked with veteran champions. The two Semi Final matches saw two-time Match play champion Jim Mason go up against 2021 RDGA Senior Championship titlist Ken Ogden, and 2022 RDGA Super Senior Champion Wade Sarkis go up against Doug Slattery of Brook-Lea. Ogden got past Mason, 2-and-1, in their match, while Sarkis defeated Slattery, 4-and-3 in their match to advance to the Senior Finals. In the championship, Ogden kept close to Sarkis, although never really got on track, as Sarkis pulled away for a 4-and-3 decision to win his first RDGA Match Play title of any kind.

CLICK HERE for a recap and bracket results from the 2024 RDGA Senior Match Play Championship.

RDGA Super Senior Match Play Championship – Clifton Springs Country Club

• JIM JOHNSON (Canandaigua CC). The inaugural Super Senior Match Play Championship turned out to be a battle between Canandaigua Country Club members – Jim Burns and Jim Johnson. In the bracket’s Semi Final matches, Burns – a past Men’s Super Senior Champion and Senior Match Play Champion – faced Kevin Webb, the 2019 RDGA Senior Champion, coming away with a hard-fought 1-up victory in 20 holes. Johnson faced past RDGA Senior and RDGA Senior Match Play champion Mark Battle in his Semi Final, coming out on top in another close, 2-and-1 contest. In the Super Senior Match Play Championship, Johnson bested his Canandaigua club mate Burns, 3-and-2, to win his first District Match play title.

CLICK HERE for a recap and bracket results from the 2024 RDGA Super Senior Match Play Championship.

RDGA Men’s District Championship John H. Ryan Jr. Memorial – Irondequoit Country Club

• AIDEN SPAMPINATO (Cobblestone Creek CC). The third and final round of the 2024 RDGA District Championship at Irondequoit Country Club opened with Spampinato holding a two shot lead with a 36-hole total of 5-under-par 139. Out of the gate, he carded a triple-bogey 7 on the first hole – but, just like his roller-coaster second round, Spampinato fought his way back to the top of the leaderboard. Over the next six holes, Spampinato carded four birdies – and by the end of the final round, he finished with his second consecutive 1-over 73 and a 1-shot victory over defending champion Jason Lohwater of Locust Hill.

CLICK HERE for a recap and final results from the 2024 RDGA District Championship.

WRDGA District Championship – Ridgemont Country Club

• JAN LAVIGNE (Ravenwood GC). Although not directly affiliated with the RDGA, and not an official RDGA Championship event, the RDGA recognizes and celebrates the District Championship for the Women’s Rochester District Golf Association. The WRDGA Championship also figures prominently in the final point totals for the RDGA Women’s and Senior Women’s Player of the Year points. Winning her first WRDGA District Championship title in 2024 was Jan Lavigne from Ravenwood Golf Club – who unseated 3-time defending WRDGA Champion Jenna Hoecker of Brook-Lea in an exciting final match at Ridgemont Country Club.

RDGA Junior Championships – Livingston Country Club

• Boys Junior: ALEX HILL (Cobblestone Creek CC)
• Girls Junior: SOPHIA CELLURA (Oak Hill CC)
• Boys Sub-Junior: JOHN PADDOCK (Monroe GC)
• Boys Pee Wee: LUKE WITMER (RDGA Junior Member)
• Girls Pee Wee: GABRIELLE IVY (RDGA Junior Member)

The 2024 RDGA Junior, Sub-Junior and Pee Wee Championships at Livingston Country Club featured five separate competitions – including individual championships for Junior (ages 15 to 18), Sub-Junior (12 to 14) and Pee Wee (7 to 11) divisions for both boys and girls – although there were no entries for the Girls Sub Junior Championship this year. This year’s competitions resulted in first-time winners in five of the six categories – Alex Hill in the Boys Junior, John Paddock in the Boys Sub Junior, Luke Witmer in the Boys Pee Wee, and Gabrielle Ivy in the Girls Pee Wee. Past Girls Sub Junior champion Sophia Cellura won the Girls Junior title this year.

CLICK HERE for a recap and final results from the 2024 RDGA Junior Championships.

RDGA Wilson Fitch Senior Championship – Penfield Country Club

• OVERALL: STUART HARRIS (Oak Hil CC)
• Senior (ages 55 to 59): Jim Scorse (Stafford CC)
• Super Senior (ages 60-64): Stuart Harris (Oak Hill CC)
• Masters (ages 65-69): Kevin Webb (Clifton Springs CC)
• Legends (ages 70-plus): Matt Haefele (Stafford CC)

Winning the overall RDGA Senior Championship title at Penfield Country Club (by posting the low 36-hole score between the Senior (55-59), Super Senior (60-64) divisions) and Masters divisions (ages 65-69), was Super Senior Stu Harris of Oak Hill Country Club. Harris outlasted Senior Flight winner and 3-time RDGA Senior Champion Jim Scorse by two shots to become the 2024 RDGA Wilson Fitch Senior Champion.

CLICK HERE for a recap and final results from the 2024 RDGA Wilson Fitch Senior Championship.

RDGA Mid Amateur Championship – Mendon Golf Club

• AARON YOUNGMAN (Irondequoit CC). Hosted by Mendon Golf Club, the 2024 RDGA Mid Amateur Championship featured two former collegiate players – Irondequoit Country Club’s Aaron Youngman and Midvale’s Joseph Feeney. With the competition getting tighter over the the last few holes, the two competitors came to the 18th hole tied for the lead. With each player parring the last hole, Youngman and Feeney went to extra holes to decide the title. In the playoff, a clearly exhilarated Youngman came out on top, clinching his first RDGA Championship title of any kind at age 35.

CLICK HERE for a recap and final results from the 2024 RDGA Mid Amateur Championship.