Trumbull, Connecticut (July 6, 2022) – One year ago Meghan Mitchell was sidelined with a bad back. Following the Hartford Women’s Open in June of 2021 she was diagnosed with bulging disks and facet joint impingement in her back and she was forced to stop playing golf for six months. Now just over a year later Mitchell is finally feeling like herself again and following a 1-over 73 at Tashua Knolls Golf Course she finds herself atop the first round leaderboard at the 57th Connecticut Women’s Amateur.
“I just focused on one shot at a time. I had a lot of confidence over the ball” said Meghan Mitchell the 2019 Connecticut Women’s Amateur winner. “I have been mentally struggling through the past year so today I really went out there and played with a lot of confidence.”
Following a bogey on the par-5 first Mitchell recorded her first of four birdies on the par-3 third and then added a second birdie on No. 5 on her way to an even-par 36 front nine.
“My irons were really great today,” said Mitchell. “I was hitting my numbers the best I have hit them in a year or two. I have my distance back and I really just felt comfortable with the yardage I had in. I was comfortable picking the right club.”
Mitchell continued her fine play on the back nine rolling in a 25-foot birdie putt on the par-4 11th and then following a bogey jarred her final birdie of the day on the par-5 16th to return to 1-under. Two bogeys plagued Mitchell on the way to the house but the late slip-up did nothing to diminish Mitchell’s excitement about her round.
“For a long time nothing really great was happening with my golf game and my back was hurting,” Mitchell said. “It was super frustrating but today really felt good and I had my confidence back.”
Violet Robbins (EClub of Connecticut) who has only been playing golf for two years shot a 3-over 75 and will begin the final round two shots off the pace. Maggie Kennedy (Rockledge CC) is 4-over in third while Mia Grzywinski (CC of Farmington), Sydney Nethercott (EClub of Connecticut), and Kate Hong (Greenwich CC) will begin the final round 5-over in a tie for fourth.
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.
