Tri-County golf play from Troy
Friday, 09 May 2008
Mike DyerThe RecordVOORHEESVILLE – It was
hit-and-run time Friday for
Siena College junior Jim Gif¬
ford.Gifford carded a 3-over-par
75 to make the cut in the 28th
annual Tri-County Golf Associ¬
ation match play champi¬
onship. Then the 21-year-old
Clifton Park resident dashed
out of Colonie Golf & Country
Club to take finals exams in
accounting and business law at
Siena. Mike DyerThe RecordVOORHEESVILLE – It was
hit-and-run time Friday for
Siena College junior Jim Gif¬
ford.Gifford carded a 3-over-par
75 to make the cut in the 28th
annual Tri-County Golf Associ¬
ation match play champi¬
onship. Then the 21-year-old
Clifton Park resident dashed
out of Colonie Golf & Country
Club to take finals exams in
accounting and business law at
Siena.His grasp of anti-trust laws
and business planning should
have matched his knowledge
of the fairways and greens at
Colonie. Gifford helped the
Siena golf team to a fifth place
finish in the MAAC this spring.Gifford’s last final exam in
computer sciences takes place
Monday. He won the Saratoga
County amateur championship
in 2006.Edison Club president Mike
Gifford, Jim’s father, fired a 77
and also made the cut to the
Tri-County match play.It’s the fourth time the elder
Gifford, 49 and a graduate of
University of Miami (Fla.), has
advanced to the second round
of match play.The field is loaded with
standouts for today’s two
rounds of match play. The
finals will be held Sunday after¬
noon at Colonie.Mike McCarroll, 39-year-old
Clifton Park resident, was
medalist with a 72. The Edison
Club member knocked in three
birdies on the 6,981-yard
Colonie layout. It’s the second
time he has qualified for match
play.Two-time defending champi¬
on Jim Welch of Winding Brook
Country Club will be seeking
back-to-back titles. Welch, 40,
had two birdies for 76. “I’ll be
ready,” said Welch, a two-time
Troy Invitational winner.Defending Saratoga County
champion Aaron AuBuchon
(Saratoga Golf & Polo Club)
had a 73 to make the cut. Five-
time Schenectady County
champ Jim Mueller of Orchard
Creek Golf Club also
advanced.AuBuchon, 39, birdied the
first, third and 13th holes for a
73. “I’ll play more aggressively
in match play,” he said.Others in the group include
John Lawrence, Bob Gennarel¬
li and Jon-Michael Socaris, all
members of Capital Hills at
Albany. Gennarelli chipped in
from 25 yards on the fourth
hole for his 76 and Lawrence is
coming off a third-place finish
in the Albany County champi¬
onship.Five-time Tri-County champi¬
on Dan Russo (Antlers Golf
Club) is in the fold after a 74.
Shenendehowa High School
senior Justin Deitz, 18, of Half¬
moon had four birdies to make
the cut.  Watervliet lefty Jim Cocca
(Shaker Ridge Country Club),
Schuyler Meadows Club cham¬
pion Dave Hayes and defend¬
ing Edison Invitational champ
Robby Bigley (Pinehaven
Country Club) are in the hunt.
Chad Stoffer of The Edison
Club and Tom Robinson of the
host club complete the field.   “I’m happy I got in,” said
Russo, who had only one
birdie in his 74.Eight senior golfers are com¬
peting for another title this
weekend.Shaker Ridge’s Al Stranahan
and Bob Cooper of Orchard
Creek Golf Club each fired 72
to tie for medalist laurels.
Cooper is a two-time Tri-Coun¬
ty champion.Bill Moll (Ballston Spa Coun¬
try Club), Mark Russ
(Sycamore Country Club),
John Donovan (Antlers Golf
Club), Chuck Connolly (Hiland
Golf Club), Ralph Maru (Van
Patten Golf Course) and Bob
Jordan (Colonie) will battle it
out for senior honors.Here are Friday’s results:COLONIE GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB(Par 72)Mike McCarroll 72; Aaron
AuBuchon 73; Jim Mueller 73;
Justin Deitz 74; Dan Russo 74;
Jim Cocca 75; Jim Gifford 75;
David Hayes 75; John
Lawrence 75; Rob Bigley 76;
Bob Gennarelli 76; Jim Welch
76; Mike Gifford 77; Chad Stof¬
fer 77; Jon-Michael Socaris 77;
Tom Robinson 77. Failed to
qualify: Steve Owens 77; John
Vaccaro 78; Dave Mooradian
78; Mike Wheeler 79; Nick Bra¬
man 79; Jeff Pachter 79; Chris
Comi 79;  Eric Wasserbach 80;
Greg Bennett 80; Kevin Cas¬
sidy 80; Dick Field 81; Chris
Gambacurta 81; John Bogar¬
dus 81; Tim Zilka 82; David
Fizer 82; Andrew Marler 82;
T.J. Hesnor 82; Scott Delisle
82; John Andrews 82; John
Mendrysa 83; Dave Arakelian
84; Chris Lyons 84; Jake Spi¬
talny 84; Peter Spitalny 87;
Neil Manasse 87; Clark Smith
89;  Bill Burrill 90; David
Huestis 91.   Seniors:Bob Cooper 72; Al Strana¬
han 72; Chuck Connolly 75; Bill
Moll 77; Mark Russ 77; John
Donovan 77; Ralph Maru 78;
Bob Jordan 78. Failed to
Qualify: Neil Golub 79; Joe
McCoy 80; Peter Meckler 80;
Bill Kent 80; Jim Gardy 80;
Dave Charnock 80; Don Maki
81; Frank Carrk 81; Gary
Grimaldi 82; Rocky Cocca 83;
Jim Mannix 83; Ron Trischetta
85; Bob Couser 85; Craig Mur¬
ray 87.