Congratulations To All The 2024 RDGA Player Of The Year Winners!
The RDGA is proud to announce our Players of the Year for the 2024 season! Players in each point category will be honored as part of our annual Holiday Party on December 3 at Irondequoit Country Club.
This year, there were SEVEN individual Player of the Year races, based on points earned in RDGA Tournaments, as well as selected other tournaments throughout the year. Players of the Year were announced for Men, Women, Men’s Senior, Men’s Super Senior (for players ages 65 and above), Women’s Senior, Boys Junior and Girls Junior.
The race for the RDGA Player of the Year awards begin each May, with the opening of the RDGA Tournament Schedule, and conclude with the end of the active playing season in October.
2024 RDGA Men’s Player of the Year – Kyle Downey
In the 2024 RDGA Men’s Point Standings race, it was Kyle Downey of Locust Hill Country Club who earned RDGA Men’s Player of the Year honors for the second time in as many years. Downey – who captured the prestigious New York State Men’s Amateur Championship in 2023 – added a new accomplishment to his resume in 2024: finishing in a tie for first in the Monroe Invitational, playing against nationally-ranked collegiate players. Although he ultimately finished second following the playoff, Downey still picked up 650 points for the event, which contributed to his 505-point finish ahead of Men’s POTY runner-up (and RDGA District Champion), Aiden Spampinato.
The Rochester District Golf Association began its Player of the Year Award in 1997 as an extension of the RDGA Match Play Championship – as a way of determining a seeding order, as well as a qualifying process, for the Championship.
A schedule of point values were determined for a number of competitive championships, whereby players would accumulate point totals for the entire season. Today, the RDGA Player of the Year Points Schedule consists of more than 20 events – from RDGA tournaments to State, local and USGA® Championships – at which RDGA players can earn points towards the Player of the Year Award. To be considered for the Men’s RDGA Player of the Year award, golfers must play a minimum of 5 events on the published Points schedule with an additional requirement that 3 of those events must be RDGA events.
Throughout it’s first 20 years, the Men’s RDGA Player of the Year was dominated by Stafford Country Club’s Jim Scorse. Scorse – one of the most consistent competitors in RDGA tournament history – earned RDGA Player of the Year honors 15 times between 1997 and 2018 – including eight years in a row between 2007 and 2014.
In 2023, it was Kyle Downey of Locust Hill Country Club who earned RDGA Men’s Player of the Year honors for the second time in as many years. Downey – who captured the prestigious New York State Men’s Amateur Championship in 2023, added a new accomplishment to his resume in 2024 – finishing in a tie for first in the Monroe Invitational, playing against nationally-ranked collegiate players. Although he ultimately finished second following the playoff, Downey still picked up 650 points for the event, which contributed to his 505-point finish ahead of Men’s POTY runner-up, Aiden Spampinato.
The race for the RDGA Men’s Player of the Year begins each May, with the opening of the RDGA Tournament Schedule. In addition to Player of the Year, the top-32 point winners for the 2024 season also earn invitations to the 2025 RDGA Men’s Match Play Championship and the top-40 point winners (and ties) earn exemptions into the 2025 RDGA District Championship John H. Ryan Jr. Memorial.
The Men’s RDGA Player of the Year Past Winners
- 2024 Kyle Downey
- 2023 Kyle Downey
- 2022 Christian Chapman
- 2021 Yaroslav Merkulov
- 2020 Tom Linehan
- 2019 Chris Blyth
- 2018 Jim Scorse
- 2017 Adam Condello
- 2016 Jim Scorse
- 2015 Adam Condello
- 2014 Jim Scorse
- 2013 Jim Scorse
- 2012 Jim Scorse
- 2011 Jim Scorse
- 2010 Jim Scorse
- 2009 Jim Scorse
- 2008 Jim Scorse
- 2007 Jim Scorse
- 2006 John Kircher
- 2005 Jim Scorse
- 2004 Andrew DiBitetto
- 2003 Jim Scorse
- 2002 Jim Scorse
- 2001 Jim Scorse
- 2000 John Kircher
- 1999 Kevin Haefner
- 1998 Jason Piurkoski
- 1997 Jim Scorse
2024 RDGA Women’s Player of the Year – Jan LaVigne
In the 2024 RDGA Women’s Point Standings race, Jan LaVigne of Ravenwood Golf Club outpaced her two nearest competitors – past Women’s Player of the Year Julia Zigrossi and Julie Hamm of Sodus Bay Heights – by 200 and 205 points, respectively to win her first RDGA Women’s Player of the Year Award. LaVigne notched an impressive SIX victories during the 2024 campaign – including five team titles in RDGA Two Person events, along with winning the prestigious 2024 WRDGA Women’s District Championship.
The Rochester District Golf Association began its Women’s Player of the Year Award in 2015 as a way of honoring the most consistent championship-level women’s player of the season.
Designed to recognize women’s skill in the game of golf, the Player of the Year award is presented each year. This recognition is open to all women in the RDGA and is based on gross scores only. To be considered for the Women’s RDGA Player of the Year award, golfers must play a minimum of 5 events on the published Points schedule with an additional requirement that 3 of those events must be RDGA events.
Winning this year’s RDGA Women’s Player of the Year honors was Jan LaVigne of Ravenwood Golf Club.
LaVigne outpaced her two nearest competitors – past Women’s Player of the Year Julia Zigrossi and Julie Hamm of Sodus Bay Heights – by 200 and 205 points, respectively to win her first RDGA Women’s Player of the Year Award. LaVigne notched an impressive SIX victories during the 2024 campaign – including five team titles in RDGA Two Person events, along with winning the prestigious 2024 WRDGA Women’s District Championship.
The race for the RDGA Women’s Player of the Year begins each May, with the opening of the RDGA Tournament Schedule.
The Women’s RDGA Player of the Year Past Winners
- 2024 Jan LaVigne
- 2023 Deb Wood
- 2022 Ellen Weeks / Deb Wood
- 2021 Jenna Hoecker
- 2020 Julia Zigrossi
- 2019 Tammy Blyth
- 2018 Jenna Hoecker
- 2017 Deb Wood
- 2016 Jenna Hoecker
- 2015 Jenna Hoecker
2024 RDGA Men’s Senior Player of the Year – Jim Scorse
In the 2024 RDGA Men’s Senior Point Standings, Jim Scorse of Stafford Country Club emerged with the 2024 RDGA Men’s Senior Player of the Year Award in one of the most hotly contested points races of the year. Scorse battled Ken Ogden of Oak Hill neck-and-neck throughout the season – but came out on top by 145 points with victories in the New York State Men’s Senior Amateur Championship and in the Senior Division of the Brook-Lea Amateur Invitational, as well as in one of the RDGA Two Person events. Scorse also solidified his position as the year’s top RDGA Senior player by earning one of two qualifying positions in the local U.S. Senior Amateur qualifier.
The Rochester District Golf Association began its Senior Player of the Year Award in 2018 as a way of honoring the most consistent championship-level men’s senior player of the season.
Designed to recognize and celebrate consistent excellence in the game of golf over the course of a single season, the RDGA Senior Player of the Year is recognized annually. This recognition is open to all male golfers, ages 55 and above, in the RDGA and is based on gross score results only. To be considered for the RDGA Senior Player of the Year award, golfers must play a minimum of 5 events on the published Points schedule with an additional requirement that 3 of those events must be RDGA events.
Winning the 2024 RDGA Men’s Senior Player of the Year Award was Jim Scorse of Stafford Country Club – who emerged with the 2024 RDGA Men’s Senior Points champion in one of the most hotly contested points races of the year.
Scorse battled Ken Ogden of Oak Hill neck-and-neck throughout the season – but came out on top by 145 points with victories in the New York State Men’s Senior Amateur Championship and in the Senior Division of the Brook-Lea Amateur Invitational, as well as in one of the RDGA Two Person events. Scorse also solidified his position as the year’s top RDGA Senior player by earning one of two qualifying positions in the local U.S. Senior Amateur qualifier.
In the end, Scorse emerged as the 2023 RDGA Men’s Senior Player of the Year, earning 1212.5 Player of the Year points – outdistancing Ogden’s 1067.5 by 145 points.
In addition to Player of the Year, the top-16 Senior point winners for the 2024 season also earn invitations to the 2025 RDGA Men’s Senior Match Play Championship and the top-10 point winners (and ties) earn exemptions into the 2025 RDGA District Championship John H. Ryan Jr. Memorial.
The Men's Senior RDGA Player of the Year Past Winners
- 2024 Jim Scorse
- 2023 Jim Scorse
- 2022 Mark Battle
- 2021 Ron Plummer
- 2020 Jim Scorse
- 2019 Rich Luther
- 2018 Jim Mason
2024 RDGA Women’s Senior Player of the Year – Jan LaVigne
In the 2024 RDGA Women’s Senior Point Standings race, Jan LaVigne of Ravenwood Golf Club became the latest player to win both the Women’s AND the Senior Women’s Players of the Year in the same year – following Deb Wood of Hickory Ridge, who accomplished the same feat in 2022 and 2023. In 2024, LaVigne enjoyed a career year, winning a whopping eight times in 50-and-over competitions, including the WRDGA Senior Championship, as well as the NYS Women’s Senior Amateur Four Ball Championship, along with her other tiles in the WRDGA District Championship and five titles in RDGA Two Person events. LaVigne finished 505 points ahead of Sodus’ Julie Hamm to win top Women’s Senior honors.
The Rochester District Golf Association began its Women’s Senior Player of the Year Award in 2020 as a way to honor the year’s top female players – ages 50 and above – based on points earned from local, regional and national women’s senior tournaments throughout the season.
To be considered for the RDGA Women’s Senior Player of the Year award, golfers must play a minimum of 5 events on the published Points schedule with an additional requirement that 3 of those events must be RDGA events.
Winning the 2024 RDGA Women’s Senior Player of the Year Award was Jan LaVigne of Ravenwood Golf Club, who became the latest player to win both the Women’s AND the Senior Women’s Players of the Year in the same year – following Deb Wood of Hickory Ridge, who accomplished the same feat in 2022 and 2023.
In 2024, LaVigne enjoyed a career year, winning a whopping eight times in 50-and-over competitions, including the WRDGA Senior Championship, as well as the NYS Women’s Senior Amateur Four Ball Championship, along with her other tiles in the WRDGA District Championship and five titles in RDGA Two Person events. LaVigne finished 505 points ahead of Sodus’ Julie Hamm to win top Women’s Senior honors.
The Women's Senior RDGA Player of the Year Past Winners
- 2024 Jan LaVigne
- 2023 Deb Wood
- 2022 Deb Wood
- 2021 Kitty Colliflower
- 2020 Tammy Blyth
2024 RDGA Men’s Super Senior Player of the Year – Jim Burns
In the 2024 RDGA Men’s Super Senior Point Standings race, Jim Burns of Canandaigua Country Club earned his second Super Senior Player of the Year honors in as many years of the category, finishing 142.5 points ahead of Ravenwood’s Mark Battle. Burns won two RDGA Two Person Senior Division titles in 2024, as well as claiming top-5 finishes in 5 events – including runner-up in the RDGA Super Senior Match Play Championship, 3rd in the RDGA Wilson Fitch Senior Championship and 3rd in the 2024 NYS Men’s Super Senior Amateur Four Ball Championship.
The newest entry among the annual Rochester District Golf Association Player of the Year Awards began earlier this year, with the creation of the RDGA Super Senior Player of the Year Award.
Designed to recognize and celebrate consistent excellence in the game of golf over the course of a single season, the RDGA Super Senior Player of the Year will be recognized annually, open to all male golfers, ages 65 and above, based on gross score results only. To be considered for the RDGA Super Senior Player of the Year award, golfers must play a minimum of 5 events on the published Points schedule with an additional requirement that 3 of those events must be RDGA events.
Winning the 2024 RDGA Men’s Super Senior Player of the Year Award was Jim Burns of Canandaigua Country Club, who earned his second Super Senior Player of the Year honors in as many years of the category, finishing 142.5 points ahead of Ravenwood’s Mark Battle.
Burns won two RDGA Two Person Senior Division titles in 2024, as well as claiming top-5 finishes in 5 events – including runner-up in the RDGA Super Senior Match Play Championship, 3rd in the RDGA Wilson Fitch Senior Championship and 3rd in the 2024 NYS Men’s Super Senior Amateur Four Ball Championship.
The Men's Super Senior RDGA Player of the Year Past Winners
- 2024 Jim Burns
- 2023 Jim Burns
2024 RDGA Boys Junior Player of the Year – Alex Hill
In the 2024 RDGA Boys Point Standings race, Alex Hill of Cobblestone Creek Country Club earned his first RDGA Boys Player of the Year Award by finishing with a lead of less than 100 points by the end of the season. In addition to becoming a first-time champion in the RDGA Boys Junior Championship at Livingston Country Club in August, Hill – a member of the winning RDGA Williamson Cup team in 2023 – remained competitive and in contention throughout the 2024 campaign to win his first Boys Player of the Year honors.
The Rochester District Golf Association began its Junior Player of the Year Award in 2006 as a way to honor the year’s top junior players – Boys AND Girls ages 12 through 18 – based on points earned from local, regional and national junior tournaments throughout the season.
Now in its 17th season, the RDGA Junior Player of the Year Award has been presented to several outstanding Junior players who have since gone on to become top amateurs at the national level – such as Yarik Merkulov – as well as professional tour golfers, including Dominic Bozzelli and Gavin Hall.
In 2018, a separate category was created for an annual RDGA Girls’ Player of the Year Award, thus making the previous Junior Player of the Year the annual RDGA Boys’ Junior Player of the Year Award. Any junior girls who had previously won the Junior Player of the Year still appear on the past winners list.
In the 2024 RDGA Boys Point Standings race, Alex Hill of Cobblestone Creek Country Club earned his first RDGA Boys Player of the Year Award by finishing with a lead of less than 100 points by the end of the season.
In addition to becoming a first-time champion in the RDGA Boys Junior Championship at Livingston Country Club in August, Hill – a member of the winning RDGA Williamson Cup team in 2023 – remained competitive and in contention throughout the 2024 campaign to win his first Boys Player of the Year honors.
The Boys’ Junior RDGA Player of the Year Past Winners
- 2024 Alex Hill
- 2023 Brody Burgess
- 2022 Owen Corby
- 2021 Jack Berl / Matt Carpentier
- 2020 John Mittiga
- 2019 Jeremy Summerson
- 2018 Jeremy Summerson
- Season Junior Player of the Year
- 2017 Danny Gianniny
- 2016 Christian Chapman
- 2015 Gunnar Doyle
- 2014 Will Thomson
- 2013 Jack Gianniny
- 2012 Danielle Fuss
- 2011 Danielle Fuss
- 2010 Gavin Hall
- 2009 RDGA Williamson Cup Team
- 2008 Dominic Bozzelli
- 2007 Yarik Merkulov
- 2006 Andrew Kay
2024 RDGA Girls Junior Player of the Year – Harper Dittman
In the 2024 RDGA Girls Point Standings race, Harper Dittman of the RDGA Junior Membership club, finished first in the tightest points race of any of the RDGA POTY categories this year. Dittman finished second to 2022 RDGA Junior POTY, Sophia Cellura, in the RDGA Girls Junior Championship in August – then wrapped up the year with a win in the Monroe County High School Girls Tournament of Champions and a second place finish in the Girls Section V High School Championship.
The Rochester District Golf Association began its Girls’ Junior Player of the Year Award in 2018 as a way to honor the year’s top female junior players – ages 12 through 18 – based on points earned from local, regional and national junior tournaments throughout the season.
In the 2024 RDGA Girls Point Standings race, Harper Dittman of the RDGA Junior Membership club, finished first in the tightest points race of any of the RDGA POTY categories this year.
Dittman finished second to 2022 RDGA Junior POTY, Sophia Cellura, in the RDGA Girls Junior Championship in August – then wrapped up the year with a win in the Monroe County High School Girls Tournament of Champions and a second place finish in the Girls Section V High School Championship.
The Girls’ Junior RDGA Player of the Year Past Winners
- 2024 Harper Dittman
- 2023 Emily Ferguson
- 2022 Sophia Cellura
- 2021 Julia Zigrossi
- 2020 Julia Zigrossi
- 2019 Jayden Ford
- 2018 Mikah McDonnell