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Brown Shoots a Final Round 71 to Capture 36th Annual Otesaga Hotel Seniors Open

2018-09-07

(COOPERSTOWN, NY) – After his first week at the Leatherstocking Golf Course, Mark Brown is going to want to return to Cooperstown as often as possible.

In his debut appearance at the Otesaga Hotel Seniors Open, Brown captured the tournament title on Friday after shooting an even par 71 in the final round, finishing six strokes ahead of Craig Thomas with a nine-under par 204.

Brown, who entered Friday’s final round of the 36th Annual Otesaga Hotel Seniors Open leading by seven strokes, played it cautious but still found scoring opportunities on the venerable course overlooking Otsego Lake.

“I’ve never had a seven-shot lead before, so I tried to be careful even though that’s really not my game,” said Brown, who took home $6,500 of the total purse of $64,575. “I managed my golf ball very well this week, and I really putted well yesterday.

“This course is a gem. I’ll definitely be back.”

Brown learned about the tournament from his friend Thomas, the 2015 Seniors Open champion from White Plains, N.Y. Thomas carded a 68 on Friday for a three-day total of 210. Geoff Sisk of Marshfield, Mass., and Roy Vucinich of Moon Township, Pa., each finished with an even-par total of 213.

Dan Olsen of Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., and Skip Taylor of Flat Rock, N.C., finished 10 strokes off the lead at 214.

A total of 83 senior golfers participated in the traditional post-Labor Day event that is hosted by the Otesaga Hotel and its Leatherstocking Golf Course, with NBT Bank the presenting sponsor.

Proceeds from this event benefit Pathfinder Village, located in nearby Edmeston, N.Y., a residential community dedicated to children and adults with Down syndrome. 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.

Mark Brown (second from left), the winner of the 36th Annual Otesaga Hotel Seniors Open, receives his winner's check from (center) Pathfinder Village's Eric Mackiewicz and (second from right) Leatherstocking Golf Course PGA pro Dan Spooner on Friday, Sept. 7. At far left is Daryl Forsythe and at far right is Jim Miles, both members of the Seniors Open tournament committee. (Craig Muder/National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum)