Goldstein, Scialabba Earn POY Honors
ELMSFORD, N.Y. (November 20, 2020) - After recording outstanding seasons on the course, Darin Goldstein of Deepdale and Dave Scialabba of Meadow Brook have been name the Long Island Golf Association's Player of the Year and Senior Player of the year, respectively, for the 2020 season.
Related: Player of the Year Points | Senior Player of the Year Points
The LIGA Player of the Year award, established in 2012, identifies the top Long Island amateur competitor in a given season. This year’s recipient, Darin Goldstein of Deepdale Golf Club, has consistently been one of the game’s top players year after year. Goldstein, who in the past has excelled both locally and nationally, has earned Player of the Year honors for a record fifth time.
The COVID-19 pandemic and a shortened season presented several challenges to the players this year. Despite these challenges, Goldstein was able to cement himself atop the points list by playing some great golf throughout the summer and early fall. At the MGA Ike Stroke Play Championship, held at the Country Club of Darien in early August, he finished T-14, securing 125 points. Entering the fall, the points race begin to tighten as Kyle Ritchie of Cherry Valley, the Michael Hebron Champion, and 2019 Player of the Year Prescott Butler of Meadow Brook had accumulated points of their own.
At the LIGA Mid-Amateur in October, hosted by Inwood, Goldstein was one of only two players to shoot under-par for the Championship. He earned a solo second finish and a massive 170 points, pushing the Player of the Year points race down to the wire.
Goldstein, Ritchie and Butler were all in the field for the 96th Long Island Open at Sands Point Golf Club in mid-October. During the three-day event Goldstein played some of his best golf of the year, finishing T-7 and earning Low Amateur honors for the Championship. His play at Sands Point earned him 308 points, vaulting him past Ritchie and Butler to secure the top spot in the points race. He concluded the 2020 season with 703 points, nearly 80 points ahead of Butler. Butler recorded top ten finishes in this year's Ike, Met Open, Long Island Open, and advanced to match play at the Long Island Amateur, earning him 625 points for the season,
Meadow Brook's Dave Scialabba had a great season of his own to earn him his first LIGA Senior Player of the Year award. During a challenging, shortened season, Dave played incredibly consistent golf while earning top finished in several championships.
Scialabba began the season by qualifying for the Met Open at Mountain Ridge Country Club, earning his spot in the field that included the top professionals and amateurs in the Met Area. Following the Met Open, Dave finished 3rd at the Long Island Senior Open at Cold Spring Harbor Country Club. His strong play in this event earned him Second Low Amateur Honors and 260 points towards the Senior Player of the Year points race.
Scialabba arguably played his best golf down the stretch during the month of October. To begin the month, he finished 3rd at the MGA Senior Amateur Championship at the Mill River Club. The following week, Dave earned himself a top-10 finish at the Long Island Mid-Am Championship at Inwood.
Heading into the final LIGA event of the season, Dave needed a strong finish to best Dennis Lynch of the Nassau Players Club and Jay Sessa of Cherry Valley Club for the Senior POY title.
Dave closed out his season in style, coming from behind to win the Arthur Weber Senior Am at Old Westbury. He shot a total score of 148 (+4) over two days and earned an additional 300 points. Capping off a great season with a win, Dave finished the year with 851 total points.
The 2020 Player of the Year Awards were announced during the LIGA's virtual Annual Meeting on November 19, 2020. During the meeting, the LIGA Nominating Committee announced David Mattana of Fresh Meadow as the next president of the Association, for the 2021-2022 term. Daniel Goldstein of Wheatley Hills was elected to serve as Secretary of the Association.