The 2017 season marked the introduction of the CSGA’s Women’s Player of the Year award, which was established to recognize Connecticut’s top female amateur golfer, and it is only fitting that Jen Holland of Lyman Orchards Golf Club is the inaugural recipient.
The 2008 Connecticut Women’s Amateur Champion put together an impressive 2017 season that was marked by high finishes in virtually every event she played. Holland won the SNEWGA (Southern New England Women’s Golf Association) Championship, SNEWGA Senior Championship, and the Women’s Tournament of Champions, and finished 11th at the New England Women’s Golf Association Championship. She nearly captured her second Women’s Amateur title, finishing second at the Connecticut Women’s Amateur Championship.
But her season was no doubt highlighted by a trip to Portland, Oregon for the U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur Championship. She qualified for the championship at Forest Hill Field Club in Bloomfield, New Jersey, and successfully advanced to match play by earning the #56 seed. She lost her first round match to Judith Kyrinis of Canada, who would go on to capture the title.
Holland also represented Connecticut in the final USGA State Team Matches in September, a team she also played on in 2013 and 2015. She helped Connecticut to finish best of all New England states (22nd place).
The Women’s Player of the Year award is named after Liz Janangelo Caron, who captured five consecutive Connecticut Women’s Amateur Championships (1997-2001), three consecutive Connecticut Women’s Open Championships (2003-2005), played on the 2004 U.S. Curtis Cup team, and qualified for three U.S. Women’s Open Championships (2000, 2002, 2003) during her amateur career. The 2000 Connecticut Female Athlete of the Year, Janangelo Caron captured nine American Junior Golf Association titles, with five of those wins coming in 2001.
Upon graduating from Duke in 2006, Janangelo Caron claimed her fourth consecutive Connecticut Women’s Open Championship in her professional debut. She went on to compete on both the LPGA Tour and Symetra Tour capturing two wins as a professional on the Symetra Tour, both in 2007. Currently, Janangelo Caron shares her expertise and experience as a teaching professional at The Mill River Club on Long Island.
Final Points Standings
| 1 | Jen Holland, Lyman Orchards GC | 755 |
| 2 | Lisa Fern-Boros, Highland GC | 456 |
| 3 | Mercedese Large, Wampanoag CC | 391 |
| 4 | Debbie Johnson, Oronoque CC | 313 |
| 5 | Autumn Serruta, GC of Avon | 300 |
| 6 | Maisie Filler, Hartford GC | 260 |
| 7 | Julia Kemmling, Timberlin GC | 222 |
| 8 | Sarah Houle, Rock Ridge CC | 172 |
| 9 | Jean Sennett, Wampanoag CC | 130 |
| 10 | Lynda Foster, Madison CC | 120 |
| 11 | Pacharada Treekul, Lyman Orchards GC | 115 |
| 12 | Mim Schreck, Oronoque CC | 110 |
| 13 | Nora Noël Nolan, Shorehaven GC | 107 |
| 14 | Alexandra Sazhin, Golf Performance Center | 102 |
| 15 | Vienna Winalski, Rockledge GC | 97 |
| 16 | Lisa Lavoie, Stanley GC | 85 |
| 17 | Joyce Curran, CT Women’s Golf Association | 75 |
| 18 | Mia Landegren, Unaffiliated | 75 |
| 19 | Nikki Liucci, Farmington Woods CC | 75 |
| 20 | Priscilla Wago, Heritage Village CC | 75 |
