• Dan Russo of Schuyler Meadows won his sixth Tri-County Golf Association Match Play Championship on Sunday, May 13, 2018, at the Colonie Golf and Country Club. (Pete Dougherty/Times Union)
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Dan Russo of Schuyler Meadows won his sixth Tri-County Golf Association Match Play Championship on Sunday, May 13, 2018, at the Colonie Golf and Country Club. (Pete Dougherty/Times Union)
Dan Russo of Schuyler Meadows won his sixth Tri-County Golf Association Match Play Championship on Sunday, May 13, 2018, at the Colonie Golf and Country Club. (Pete Dougherty/Times Union)
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010: Brandon Haase of Mohawk takes a shot during the championship match of Tri-County Golf Association Match Play Championship on Sunday, May 13, 2018, at the Colonie Golf and Country Club. (Pete Dougherty/Times Union) less
010: Brandon Haase of Mohawk takes a shot during the championship match of Tri-County Golf Association Match Play Championship on Sunday, May 13, 2018, at the Colonie Golf and Country Club. (Pete ... more
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Brandon Haase of Mohawk follows his fairway shot as opponent Dan Russo of Schuyler Meadows watches in the final of the Tri-County Golf Association Match Play Championship on Sunday, May 13, 2018, at the Colonie Golf and Country Club. (Pete Dougherty/Times Union) less
Brandon Haase of Mohawk follows his fairway shot as opponent Dan Russo of Schuyler Meadows watches in the final of the Tri-County Golf Association Match Play Championship on Sunday, May 13, 2018, at the Colonie ... more
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Brandon Haase, left, of Mohawk congratulates Dan Russo of Schuyler Meadows on winning the Tri-County Golf Association Match Play Championship on Sunday, May 13, 2018, at the Colonie Golf and Country Club. (Pete Dougherty/Times Union) less
Brandon Haase, left, of Mohawk congratulates Dan Russo of Schuyler Meadows on winning the Tri-County Golf Association Match Play Championship on Sunday, May 13, 2018, at the Colonie Golf and Country Club. (Pete ... more
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Dan Russo of Schuyler Meadows takes his birdie putt on the 17th and final hole, as opponent Brandon Hayes of Mohawk looks on, Sunday, May 13, 2018, in the final of the Tri-County Golf Association Match Play Championship at the Colonie Golf and Country Club. He missed the putt, but Haase conceded the par putt as Russo recorded a 2-and-1 victory. (Pete Dougherty/Times Union) less
Dan Russo of Schuyler Meadows takes his birdie putt on the 17th and final hole, as opponent Brandon Hayes of Mohawk looks on, Sunday, May 13, 2018, in the final of the Tri-County Golf Association Match Play ... more
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Frank Mellet, left, head pro at the Colonie Golf and Country Club, presents the Tri-County Golf Association Match Play Championship trophies to Dan Russo of Schuyler Meadows on Sunday, May 13, 2018. Russo won his sixth Tri-County Match Play title. (Pete Dougherty/Times Union) less
Frank Mellet, left, head pro at the Colonie Golf and Country Club, presents the Tri-County Golf Association Match Play Championship trophies to Dan Russo of Schuyler Meadows on Sunday, May 13, 2018. Russo won ... more
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Voorheesville

Early-season golf can be survival of the fittest, and the area's most decorated amateur player was that over the weekend at Colonie Golf and Country Club.

Dan Russo of Schuyler Meadows won his sixth Tri-County Golf Association Match Play Championship on Sunday with a 2-and-1 victory over Brandon Haase of Mohawk.

After earning co-medalist honors in the Friday qualifier, Russo, who lives in Hagaman, won four matches en route to his 19th Capital Region major title.

"You have to be lucky when you play in match play," Russo said. "You can play well and play against somebody that just had a better 18 holes. I got lucky all four rounds because nobody played all that great."

Russo was taken to the 18th hole only once, in a 2-up quarterfinal victory Saturday against Jerry Brescia of Albany National.

He never trailed against Haase, a first-time finalist, although the match was all square through 11 holes. Russo pulled ahead when Haase three-putted from 18 feet on 13 and found a fairway bunker on 14.

"I had my chances," Haase said. "I had a couple of loose swings at the end."

Both players won semifinal matches Sunday morning, but surviving Saturday may have been more of a feat. Temperatures dipped into the 40s, and the players had to deal with rain, especially during the afternoon.

"I've played in cold, and I've played in rain," Russo said, "but the combo was just nasty. I had the chills. I was shaking. Everybody's playing the same thing, but it was really hard."

It didn't help that neither golfer, as well as most of those in the tournament, hadn't played much beforehand. Blame spring's late arrival for that.

"The golf was so bad (Saturday)," Haase said, "at least the guys I played. We weren't winning a lot of holes with birdies. For me, I just haven't played a lot this year. I got it going in the middle there a little, I got in a groove, and then I got tired and lost my groove a little bit. Dan's always grooved."

There were only two birdies in the match. Russo took an early lead with a deuce on the par-3 second, and both players birdied the short par-4 eighth.

A key to the match may have been the par-3 15th. Haase's tee shot hit a tree, but he put his approach shot from 120 yards to within four feet of the hole.

Russo was on the back fringe, 45 feet from the hole, and hit the pin on his chip, leaving the ball inches away. Both made par.

"I never leave the stick in," Russo said. "Ever. That's the first time in 20 years I left the stick in, and I probably should have taken it out."

Russo continues his busy schedule Monday as he plays the U.S. Open local qualifier at Stockbridge (Mass.).

Bob Cooper of Orchard Creek won the senior division with a 3-and-2 victory over Tim Flanigan of Frear Park.

OPEN DIVISION

First round

1-Jim Welch (Olde Kinderhook) def. 16-Kevin Harrington (Glens Falls), 1-up, 20 holes

8-Brandon Haase (Mohawk) def. 9-Nick Brooks (Colonie), 4 and 2

4-David Hayes (Schuyler Meadows) def. 13-Dave Mooradian (Mohawk), 1-up.

12-Pete Lindner (Pinehaven) def. 5-Chris Comi (Shaker Ridge), 7 and 6

2-Dan Russo (Schuyler Meadows) def. 15-Dan Ireland, 4 and 3

7-Jerry Brescia (Albany National) def. 10-Nick Braman (Olde Kinderbook), 4 and 2

3-Mike Wheeler (Shaker Ridge) def. 14-Chris Gilbert (Albany), 3 and 2

11-Greg Bennett (Edison) def. 6-Chad Stoffer (Town of Colonie), 6 and 5

Quarterfinals

8-Haase def. 1-Welch, 1-up, 20 holes

12-Lindner def. 4-Hayes, 3 and 2

2-Russo def. 7-Brescia, 2-up

3-Wheeler def.11- Bennett, 3 and 2

Semifinals

8-Haase def. 12-Lindner, 2 and 1

2-Russo def. 3-Wheeler, 3 and 2

Final

2-Russo def. 8-Haase, 2 and 1

SENIOR DIVISION

Quarterfinals

1-Bob Cooper (Orchard Creek) def. 8-Jim Gardy (Town of Colonie), 4 and 2

4-Joe Quillinan (Burden Lake) def. 5-Stan Moore (Pinehaven), 5 and 4

2-Tim Flanigan (Frear Park) def. 7-John Mendrysa (Shaker Ridge), 3 and 1

6-David Arakelian (Troy) def. 3-Paul Hart (Pinehaven), 2 and 1

Semifinals

Cooper def. Quillinan, 1-up, 22 holes

Flanigan def. Arakelian, 1-up

Final

Cooper def. Flanigan, 3 and 2

pdougherty@timesunion.com • 518-454-5416 • @Pete_Dougherty