Two days and 36 holes were not enough to decide the 2026 Long Island Senior Open at Rockville Links Club in Rockville Centre. When the field finished Wednesday, October 21, three players stood at 6-over-par 150, and the championship went to a three-hole aggregate playoff on holes 2, 17 and 18.

Bob Rittberger, a PGA member, made par on all three playoff holes to take the title, beating two amateurs, Bryan Pendrick of Meadow Brook Club and Amit Sharma of Nassau Players Club, according to the Metropolitan Golf Association, which runs the championship.

How the 36 holes played

Rittberger opened with an even-par 72 on Tuesday, then carded a 6-over 78 on Wednesday as the wind picked up over the Rockville Centre course. He said afterward that the course itself played much the same both days and that the weather made the difference in the second round. He did not check a leaderboard until the 14th or 15th hole of his final round, and was surprised to learn on the 18th that he had made a playoff at all.

Pendrick posted rounds of 74 and 76, and Sharma went 73 and 77 to join him at 150. The two shared low-amateur honors for the championship.

The local leaderboard

The chase pack was thick with Long Island clubs. Charles Bolling of Engineers Country Club and Jim Smoot of Huntington Country Club tied for fourth at 7-over 151. Scott Wise of North Hills took sixth at 8-over 152, and Steve Donnelly of Santapogue Creek Golf Club tied for seventh at 9-over 153 with amateur David Boccia of Huntington Country Club. Kirk Oguri of Pete's Golf Shop finished ninth at 10-over 154, and Philip Cardwell, the host club's own entry from Rockville Links, was in a four-way tie for tenth at 11-over 155.

The event

The Long Island Senior Open, sponsored this year by Steve Madden, brings together senior professionals and amateurs from across the Island for 36 holes of stroke play. Rockville Links Club in Rockville Centre hosted the field October 20 and 21. Full scoring and the final leaderboard are posted by the Metropolitan Golf Association.

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