Madison, Connecticut (June 3, 2022) – Dave Jones has been the Dick Siderowf Senior Player of the Year, he has played on CSGA state teams, he has won team events, he has won One Day Tournaments, but on Friday morning at Madison Country Club he accomplished something he had never done in his career. He won a CSGA individual title.
On a cloudy and at times wet final day at the 16th Senior Match Play Championship presented by Middlesex Health Jones played steady golf to defeat Hugh Duffy 3&2 and capture the elusive CSGA individual title.
“Before you play tournaments you don’t think about winning them you just want to play well,” Jones said. “Now that I have won I haven’t really processed what it means. I am very proud to have won it. I have played in CSGA events for a long time and to actually win one with the strength of the field that we have is very, very special.”
Jones, a late addition to the field because of recent vertigo problems, took control early and then never relinquished his stranglehold on the match. Jones and Duffy went back and forth on the first two holes however once Jones (Mohegan Sun GC) took the lead with a par on No. 4 he wouldn’t look back.
The victory on No. 4 was the first in a string of three consecutive hole victories for Jones who in a blink extended his lead to 3 up. Duffy, playing on his home course, did win the par-4 seventh with a nifty up and down from the greenside bunker but that would be the final hole he won.
On the par-4 eighth, Duffy missed the green left and would need to try and scramble for par while Jones found the center of the green. When Duffy couldn’t save par Jones was able to win another hole with a par and restore his lead to 3 up.
“Going into the round I was hoping to get off to a good start and to build a lead,” said Jones. “Once you build a little bit of a lead you have the honor off the tee and you are able to hit fairways and greens. I was able to do that today. I just kept going middle of the fairway, middle of the green and taking my two putts. If you do that you put a lot of pressure on your opponent.”
Duffy hung tough on the second nine and had chances to chip into the deficit but he could never break through. His best chance came on the difficult par-4 12th. After missing the fairway to the left Duffy hit a wonderful approach shot to 15-feet while Jones found a greenside bunker.
However, when Duffy missed the birdie putt Jones, who saved par, was able to escape with a tie and his 3 up advantage intact.
“It is bittersweet. It was a great week,” Duffy said after the match. “I enjoyed it thoroughly and playing here at my home club was a lot of fun. I have not been on this stage before and it kind of showed on the front nine but on the back nine I came to life. There will be other CSGA events so I am looking forward to it.”
The lead was still 3 up as the match continued to the par-4 16th. Jones piped a drive down the middle leaving himself 139 yards into the green. Duffy’s drive went short and left into the rough. It appeared as if Jones was in the driver’s seat. That is until out of an extremely difficult lie Duffy played a brilliant approach shot to 20-feet while Jones pulled his approach shot long and left.
Once again Jones needed to scramble. Taking his 60-degree wedge and opening it as much as he could Jones produced a brilliant flop shot that came to rest 10-feet from the hole. Playing next Duffy missed his birdie try giving Jones a chance to end the match. Jones did just that rolling in the 10-footer for par and then in a rare show of on course emotion pumped his right fist. Dave Jones had finally won a CSGA major championship.
About the Connecticut State Golf Association
The Senior Match Play 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.
