Article by CSGA Volunteer Patrick Murphy
(January 22, 2026) – Shortly after winning the 2025 Connecticut Mid-Amateur, we got a chance to have a chat with Thomas McCarthy. Let’s hear what he had to say regarding his most recent victory and how he keeps his game sharp with four kids at home.
CSGA: Congratulations on your latest victory! What were your initial thoughts on breaking through at the Connecticut Mid-Amateur?
Thomas McCarthy: Two come to mind pretty quickly – one being that I was relieved to have pulled through after building a little bit of a lead there at the start of the last nine holes, despite my inopportune three-putt on 18. The second was that I was happy with how I hung in there mentally despite a horrible start to the final day, which could have easily knocked me out of the tournament early on.
CSGA: Coming down the stretch at Golf Club of Avon, what’s your mindset when you have great players like Brian Kehoe and others trying to chase you down?
TM: I was just trying to play smart and not force anything, especially off the tee. I was watching the leaderboard and when I saw that Brian had caught me when I was on the 16th tee, I was just focused on trying to give myself good looks for birdie on Nos. 16-18. If I was able to make one or two, I knew I would be tough to beat.
CSGA: You’ve now captured trophies at the Connecticut Mid-Amateur, Connecticut Public Links, and the Russell C. Palmer Cup. What does that mean to you and your amateur career?
TM: When I take a second to think back on those other wins, it makes me appreciate how I’ve been able to compete at a pretty good level consistently for more than 15 years. I haven’t won that often, but to now have a win in three different decades is cool – and to still be able to play some good golf occasionally while working and chasing now four little kids around is all I can ask for.
CSGA: Are there any CSGA tournaments out there that you still have your sights set on winning for the first time?
TM: I think the obvious answer is the Connecticut Amateur and Connecticut Open, which would be great to compete in again (it’s been a while since I last did in those events). But a little off topic, I really want to get that second Russell C. Palmer Cup after my close calls the last two years.
CSGA: You played your college golf at Yale. What can you pull, if anything, from your time in New Haven that translates into competitive golf now?
TM: Honestly, with how drastically my life has changed from those days, I don’t really pull from my time at Yale much. I have such fond memories of playing there, and it certainly provides me with some confidence over certain shots at times – but I’m a much different, much less-practiced golfer now – and have found that I play much better golf nowadays when I don’t try to play like I would have back then. I can accept, nowadays, that I should play a bit more conservatively.
CSGA: How has your golf game changed since competing at the collegiate level?
TM: Generally, my swing and game is the same – but I kind of hit it earlier – it’s changed in the sense that I am just less consistent shot to shot than I was before. The good shots come off the same, but the bad ones are a lot more frequent and a lot worse! I try to (when I put my ego aside) just play boring golf and err on the safe sides of targets to give myself a bit more room to make a mistake.
CSGA: How and when did you get interested in the game? Have you gotten your kids out on the course yet?
TM: I have two brothers, and my parents introduced us to golf when I was about 10. They signed us up for a junior summer membership at Twin Hills Country Club in Coventry. We would get dropped off on early mornings and just play with a group of friends day after day. Not a lot of formal instruction to start and we would just figure it out. I have gotten my oldest two kids putters, but when I take them to the putting green nearby at Sterling Farms, they are a lot more interested in the playground next to the practice area than the golf itself!
CSGA: It’s all about exposure, right? How do you balance a full-time career, a growing family, and all of your golf endeavors?
TM: It’s hard. I have four little kids now, and at times a job that can have pretty long hours. I obviously would like to play in all the tournaments that I used to, all while practicing a few times a week, but it’s just not possible. I pick my spots for tournaments when I think I can make it work with my schedule and understand going in that I may end up showing up to an event without playing much the week or two leading up to it.
CSGA: What are your goals as an amateur competitor after winning the Connecticut Mid-Am? Have they changed at all?
TM: *laughs* I don’t think they’ve really changed with the win, but I’d say that I have two unique sets of goals these days with vastly different achievability thresholds. The “lower” bar goal is simply to just somehow play well enough each year to be exempt into as many events as possible so I can avoid having to allocate time in the schedule for qualifiers. The goal with a much higher and maybe unrealistic bar is to one day get back to the U.S. Amateur and make match play.
CSGA: We would love to see that happen. What’s one thing you think all amateur golfers can do to get better?
TM: I kind of touched on it before, but mindset is key. I think a lot of players (including myself) press and think they need to make all these birdies to compete. The truth is that par is often good enough, it’s just hard at times to remind yourself of that during a tournament.
CSGA: Now for some fun ones… What’s your proudest accomplishment in the game of golf?
TM: I’m dating myself a bit, but probably winning the Ivy League Championship as a team my senior year (2011) at Yale. It was a blast finally breaking through with a bunch of your friends after three years of close calls.
CSGA: What’s your favorite course you have played anywhere and why?
TM: Augusta National. I was lucky enough to have played it three times in college. I think the why is obvious! *laughs*
CSGA: Top three bucket list courses you haven’t gotten to yet?
TM: Cypress Point, Oakmont, and Shadow Creek.
CSGA: Lastly, what’s in the bag? What weapons won you the Connecticut Mid-Amateur?
TM: Titleist GT4 9* Driver w/ Ventus black X shaft; Titleist TSi 15* 3 wood w/ Ventus black X shaft; Titleist H2 21* hybrid; 4-PW T150 irons; 50*, 54*, 58* Vokey wedges; Spider Tour black putter.
CSGA: Thank you for your time, Thomas, and best of luck in 2026!
About the Connecticut State Golf Association
The Connecticut State Golf Association 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.
