Trumbull, Connecticut (July 15, 2024) – For the second straight week Yvette O’Brien went low in the first round of a CSGA event. Last week she rode her stellar first round to a victory at the 3rd Connecticut Girls’ Junior. This week she hopes to do the same at the 59th Connecticut Women’s Amateur.
On a hot and steamy day at Tashua Knolls Golf Course O’Brien (Greenwich CC) overcame a slow start to card a 5 under 67 and take a two-shot lead over Maisie Filler (-3).
Even through seven holes following a birdie, bogey start O’Brien moved into the red for good with her second birdie of the round on No. 8.
After making the turn in 1 under 35 the TCU commit found another gear on the back nine beginning with two tap-in birdies on Nos. 9 and 10 thanks to flagged approaches.
Another birdie dropped on the par-5 16th and then O’Brien capped off her day with a 30-foot bomb for birdie on the closing par-4 18th.
“I definitely got it rolling on the back nine,” Yvette O’Brien said of her second nine 4 under 32. “I gave myself a lot of opportunities for birdie and then down the stretch I was able to roll in a few.”
However, with 36 holes of golf still to be played and a talented leaderboard hot on her heels, O’Brien knows there is a long way to go.
“It isn’t the longest course so even if my drives start to go astray for any reason, it’s always an option to hit a long iron-in and then only have a short iron into the green,” O’Brien said. “As long as I keep putting myself in positions to reach the green, I should just stay patient and keep hitting putts.”
Maisie Filler (Hartford GC) turned in a 3 under 69 and she will begin day two in second place. Filler, now the 46th-ranked player in the World Amateur Golf Rankings, signed a scorecard that included five birdies and two bogeys. Her birdies dropped on Nos. 3, 5, 6, 13, and 14.
Highlighted by her first career ace on the par-3 17th, defending champion Arabella Lopez (Redding CC) shot a 2 under 70 and will begin the second round in third place. Even-par as she stepped to the tee on No. 17, Lopez selected 9 iron and then watched as her shot from 135 yards dropped into the bottom of the cup.
Two players – Annie Dai (CT PGA Junior Golf Association) and Juyeon Paek (Lyman Orchards GC), and Maya Robilio (EClub of Connecticut) – share fourth place at 1 under.
Play at the 59th Connecticut Women’s Amateur will continue on Tuesday morning with the final round to follow on Wednesday.
About the Connecticut State Golf Association
The Connecticut Women’s Amateur is one of 20 championships conducted by the Connecticut State Golf Association. The CSGA functions as an extension of the USGA and provides stewardship for amateur golf in Connecticut. Founded in 1899, it is the country’s oldest state golf association and conducts over 60 Championships, Qualifiers, and One Day Tournaments throughout the year.
