Craig Thomas Captures 2015 Otesaga Seniors Open title

Craig Thomas of White Plains, N.Y. rallied on the back nine at the 33rd Annual Otesaga Hotel Seniors Open in Cooperstown, N.Y., carding his third consecutive 68 for a three-day total of 204, nine-under-par, to win the tournament by one stroke.

Tim Conley of Braselton, Ga., who captured the first-round lead Wednesday with a 65, finished one stroke back with a three-day total of 205. Alan Schulte of Fisher, Ind., placed third with a score of 206, followed by Jerry Courville of Stratford, Ct. with 207. Three golfers – Dick Mast (Lynchburg, Va.), Javier Sanchez (Fayetteville, Ga.) and Mark Tucker (New Hartford, N.Y.) tied for fifth place with 208.

While his score remained exactly the same all three days, the winner Thomas admitted that each of those rounds were anything but ordinary.

“The score of 68-68-68 looks consistent, but in truth none of the rounds were that consistent,” Thomas said after his round Friday. “For the week I was five-over on the front nine, and 14-under on the back nine. Today I birdied six out of the last seven holes. After I hit a good drive on the 18th hole, I’m trying to calculate in my head if I’m up or am I behind. I had no idea.”

Thomas wound up on the right side, earning a $6,500 check for the tournament victory. He donated $2,500 of those winnings to the tournament’s main beneficiary, Pathfinder Village, a residential community located in nearby Edmeston, N.Y., that is dedicated to children and adults with Down syndrome. As it turned out, Thomas had a sort of personal connection with the community.

“I recently joined Facebook and posted a picture from here at the Leatherstocking Golf Course,” Thomas explained. “A girl I went to high school in 1981 with commented on the photo and said how the Village was a great place and that her son spent two years there as a resident.

“Next year when we come back, I would love to spend some time over at the Village,” Thomas added.

The 33rd annual tournament concluded Friday, with 83 senior golfers from throughout the country competing for a total purse of $65,000. The traditional post-Labor Day event is hosted by the Otesaga Hotel and its Leatherstocking Golf Course, with NBT Bank the presenting sponsor.

Annually, the Seniors Open raises more than $50,000 for scholarships for Pathfinder Village. Proceeds also benefit the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum educational programs, which enable the world-famous Museum to fulfill its educational mission and care for its collections.

For more information on the Seniors Open and a complete list of scores, please visit www.otesagaseniorsopen.com.