CSGA (December 12, 2020) If Ben Day is in the field, you can bet that he has a chance at winning. In 2020, Day once again showed why he is one of the top players in Connecticut year in and year out.
The 2019 Mid-Amateur Champion played in six tournaments during the 2020 Connecticut State Golf Association season, and didn’t finish worse than his T9 showing at the Connecticut Mid-Amateur at Madison Country Club. The 39-year-old, former professional began his season at the 118th Connecticut Amateur with a run to the semifinals, his best career finish in the event.
In August he nearly won his second Russell C. Palmer finishing T2, after holding the lead for much of the final round at his home course, the Country Club of Waterbury. Day did pick up a victory in 2020, capturing the Stonington Country Club One Day title.
After playing collegiately at Xavier, Day entered the work force for a brief time before deciding to give professional golf a two-year try. In 2009 he was reinstated as an amateur and his career took off. Since regaining his amateur status, Day, the Executive Vice President of Summit Plating, has won the 2015 Russell C. Palmer Cup, the 2019 Connecticut Mid-Amateur and played in 10 USGA events, including the U.S. Four-Ball three-times with his younger brother Dan.
We recently had a chance to talk with Day, discussing among other topics how he started playing golf, his college and professional careers, and how he finds time to play golf at a high level while balancing family time and work.
How did you start playing golf?
Golf in the Day family is kind of a family thing. My dad played in college, and my grandfather played, my older brother played, my cousins play, and my little brother plays as well. I was actually a little more interested in the other sports until I was 12 or 13 years old and then decided that I would try it out.
A funny story that I like to share, is I remember my older brother Ed, he was a good golfer and he won a junior tournament and he was in the newspaper. He was probably 14 or 15 years old. I remember the newspaper laying on our dinner table and my mother was there and I said, ‘mom what is this? And she said Eddie was in the newspaper for winning his golf tournament.’ And I remember saying, ‘well if he can get in the newspaper I can get in the newspaper.
In addition to playing in Connecticut you play in a lot of national events, you have played in 10 USGA events throughout your career, what stands out from those opportunities?
So the USGA events for me are the most fun thing in golf and if you are lucky enough to play in one you know what that means. The USGA to me doesn’t get enough credit for what a great organization it is. The events are class events with the best players, it is just an honor to play.
How would you rate your 2020 season?
The 2020 season for me, I am still trying to figure out how I feel about it. It is definitely a glass half full or half empty approach. I am trying to make it full. Now the Palmer Cup, I fee like I kind of let it get away. Now Rick played great, he is a fantastic player and he deserved to win, congratulations to him.
But I felt like I was playing really well and there were just a few things that I could have managed a little bit better. It was a long day, we had a really quick turnaround from the first to the second 18 [holes] and I felt like I just let it slip a little bit.
I am just considering it something that I am going to work on for next year, just an opportunity to improve my mindset and how I approach a tournament with a big lead.
For the complete interview click on the video above to listen! Our interview with Ben Day was the latest in our series, 15-Minutes With. To listen to additional interviews click here.
