Smith, Naton, Young Claim Senior Stroke Play Championship Titles

David Smith claimed the SDGA Senior Stroke Play Championship with a bogey-free final round. The Tuscarora member shot three-under for the tournament to win by three shots at Cortland Country Club.

Related: Results

Smith got off to a rough start on day one with three bogeys on the first six holes. Three birdies on the back nine allowed him to get back to even par through 18 holes. Drumlins Golf Club member John Wessels shot an opening round of 69 with an eagle on 12 to take the lead on day one. Eric Deuble (Beaver Meadows Golf Club) and Joe Babcock (Oswego Country Club) both shot 71, one under, to share second place. Smith would exit round one tied for third with three other players.

Smith got off to a consistent pace in the second round. He parred all of the first 11 holes. Smith then eagled the 12th hole, a par 5, to share the lead with Wessels at two-under. A couple holes later, Smith birdied the 16th hole to take the lead. A couple bogeys from Wessels meant that Smith was in the clear. 

Smith parred the final two holes to finish the final round with a score of 69; one eagle, one birdie, no bogeys. With the other contenders struggling to keep up, Smith claimed the 2026 SDGA Senior Stroke Play Championship.

Deuble and Wessels split second place after both finishing at even par for the tournament. Jack Weinerth (Highland Park Golf Club), Tom Knych (Onondaga Golf & Country Club), and Joe Babcock (Oswego Country Club) tied for fourth at three-over. 

In the Super Senior division (65+), Michael Naton of Tuscarora Golf Club had an incredible first round, posting a score of 68. He recorded seven birdies including three on par 3s. Naton finished the first round up three strokes with only one other contestant (Robert Hughes) in red figures. 

Naton picked up where he left off to begin round two with a birdie on the first hole. Two bogeys on the front nine took him to three-under for the tournament, still comfortably ahead. Even with four more bogeys on the back nine, no one would pull ahead of Naton who finished the tournament at one-over. After a dominant first round, he claimed the 2026 SDGA Super Senior Championship. 

Thomas Fletcher of Tuscarora finished in second, going two over for the tournament and missing out by one stroke. Fellow Tuscarora-member Tim McDermott finished in third at three over. Ed Mazza (Newman Municipal Golf Course) and Hughes (Thompson Park Golf Course) shared fourth place at five over par for the championship. 

In the Legends Division (75+), Randy Young, of Bellevue Country Club, and Donald Lalonde, of Stonehedges Golf Club, were tied after 36 holes. Young trailed by seven strokes after 18 holes but shot 73 on the final day to force a playoff. It took Young and Lalonde three holes to separate until Young emerged victorious on the third playoff hole. It was the third consecutive win the event for Young, who has won each year the event has been around.