Sherman, Connecticut (June 24, 2024) – Following a weekend marked by intense heat, Eric and EJ Ashworth (Orange Hills CC) clinched the 5th Parent Child Championship held at The Club at River Oaks, finishing with an impressive 3-under 69.
The Ashworths got their day off to a good start on the par-4 first hole with a par before jump starting their round on the par-5 second hole. After finding the green with their second shot they converted the eagle putt which moved them to 2-under early in their round.
“EJ drives the ball a very long way,” Eric said. “And then I hit the ball on the green and we made the putt. So it wasn’t like it was anything dramatic.”
The Ashworths parred the next four holes as they held their spot atop the leaderboard at 2-under. Despite a few setbacks, including a bogey on the par-5 seventh, another on the par-4 14th, and lastly one on the par-5 No. 18, the Ashworths remained resilient. In addition to their early eagle, they added birdies on Nos. 12 and 13 and on two challenging par-3s in Nos. 15 and 17.
“We made a couple of bogeys here and there,” Eric said. “We went into this saying if we make four 3s in the par-3s, it’ll be perfect. And we ended up making two birdies. So we played the par-3s, in 2-under which we never expected. But we hit some good shots and made some really good putts. I think that was probably the difference.”
EJ shared his perspective on their performance, saying, “I thought the round went great today. We birdied a bunch of holes. Today I think we played just above expectations. Tournament conditions are tough with the nerves and just playing through it. It went really well.”
Their victory was a culmination of years of effort and perseverance in the tournament. EJ reflected on their journey saying, “We finished in second place two or three years ago and we were in contention last year. And then this year we finally pulled it off.”
For Eric, winning alongside his son EJ was a memorable experience. “Well, that’s the good part is we’ve worked for years to get to this point. And it’s just fun. I think this event is great. Usually, the people you play with are just fantastic. The guys we played with were awesome. And it’s fun winning with a family member.” In agreement, EJ concluded, “Couldn’t ask for anything else.”
Second place was shared by Pete/Kurt Myers (Hop Meadows CC), Jack/Daniel Szabo (Highland Club), Michael/Joe Gianatti (Hunter GC) at even-par while Sarah/Ethan Cramer were fifth at 1-over.
In the Net Division Wade/Andrew Harshaw (TPC River Highlands) earned the title at 7 under while Jim Clark (Farmington Woods CC)/Dan Clark (Blue Fox Run GC), Charlie Stuhr/Leila Stuhr (Redding CC) shared second at 6-under. Six teams finished in a tie for fourth with a 5-under tally. The group included Mark/Matthew Schuman (Tumble Brook CC), Jack/Daniel Szabo (Highland Club), Sal Sabia/Sal Sabia, Jr. (Griff Harris Mens Club), Branden/Luke Strileckis (Pequabuck GC), Michael/Joe Gianatti (Hunter GC), and James/Maris Branyan (Tashua Knolls GC).
About the Connecticut State Golf Association
The Parent Child Championship 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.
