July 31, 2023 (Madison, Connecticut) – Ben Conroy was among the four players to earn a spot in the field at the 42nd U.S. Mid-Amateur. This year the U.S. Mid-Amateur will be played from September 9-14 at Sleepy Hollow Country Club.
“It is a really big deal (to qualify for the U.S. Mid-Amateur),” said Ben Conroy. “It feels good. I haven’t been playing great the last couple of seasons. I felt like I have been underachieving but to qualify for a USGA event is great.”
Conroy, playing in the final group of the day, needed some late heroics to punch his ticket to the U.S. Mid-Amateur for the second time in his career. After turning in 2-under 33 at Madison Country Club, the same course he won his second Connecticut Mid-Amateur title in 2020, Conroy knew he needed a strong second nine.
However, the back nine for Conroy (Cromwell, Connecticut) got off to a bumpy start with bogeys coming on Nos. 11, 12, and 17 to fall to 1-over. Knowing that he needed a birdie on the long and challenging par-4 18th Conroy made his best two swings of the day. His drive on the 460-yard closing hole ended up in a perfect spot up the left side of the fairway. With a wedge in hand, Conroy went pin-seeking and nearly holed the shot leaving himself just a foot and a half left for a tap in birdie.
Moments later Conroy brushed in the birdie, signed for an even-par 70, and was off to the tee of the 352-yard par-4 eighth for a 4-for-2 playoff.
“As soon as we signed (our scorecards) we turned around and we were ready to go which was good because I had just got off the golf course and I was feeling dialed in,” the 2018 Connecticut Amateur winner said.
With a steady rain falling for the first time all day and playing the same hole he defeated Cody Paladino in a playoff to win the Connecticut Mid-Amateur, Conroy stuffed his second shot to 15 feet and with two other players in trouble a two-putt par was good enough to clinch his spot.
Also surviving the playoff was Nicholas Solimene. The Naples, Florida resident earned his spot in the playoff thanks to an up-and-down round that included an eagle on the 485-yard par-5 sixth and four birdies.
Medalist honors were shared by Conor O’Brien (Boston, Massachusetts) and Antonio Grillo (Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts) both of whom shot 1-under 69s.
O’Brien recorded six birdies against five bogeys in his round while Grillo put together a four birdie, three bogey day.
Dr. Matt Burroughs (Manchester, New Hampshire) and Henry Hall (Weston, Massachusetts) earned the alternate spots.
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.
