Hebron, Connecticut (August 1, 2022) – The 37th playing of the Connecticut Public Links Championship is slated for August 8-9 and will be played for the first time at Blackledge Country Club.
“It has been a while since we hosted a tournament of this prestige and we are excited to show off our course and our new state of the art practice facility that opened at the end of July,” said Director of Operations Kevin Higgins.
Blackledge CC features two 36-hole courses with the Public Links set to be contested on the 1963 Geoffrey Cornish designed Anderson Glen Course. A par-72 layout that can be stretched to nearly 6,800 yards will require players to be sharp from tee to green.
“It is an old-style New England golf course with no hidden tricks,” Higgins said. “Everything is pretty much right in front of you but I think it will be a good challenge for everybody.”
The key stretch for the field will be Nos. 14-16. Beginning with the 410 yard par-4 14th players will need to be accurate off the tee in order to find the narrow fairway lined by trees on both sides. If players find the fairway they will still have to navigate a blind approach shot into the green. Accuracy off the tee will again be crucial on the 420 yard par-4 15th. Once the player reaches the green they will have to conquer the two-level putting surface. The stretch concludes with a long downhill 217 yard par-3 where bogey is very much in play.
If players can survive that stretch they will have a chance to pick up some strokes on the last two holes, a 448 yard par-5 and a straightaway 394 yard par-4.
Nick Waddington will enter the tournament as the defending champion. Last year Waddington rallied on the final day to win the title at H. Smith Richardson Golf Course.
“What I remember most from last year is having a lot of fun with my caddies, Mike Kennedy then my dad. I also remember having a two-shot lead on 18 and basically forgetting how to swing a golf club,” said Waddington.
So far 2022 hasn’t gone as planned for Waddington in tournament play but a recent shift in his mental approach has him feeling good about his chances to defend, “I’ve been struggling in bigger events this year so my mentality is to just try to enjoy myself and not get down when things aren’t going my way. In general, I’m working on having more fun on the course and not putting too much pressure on myself.”
The 37th Connecticut Public Links will begin on Monday, August 8 at 7:30 a.m. Following the completion of the first round, the top-30 players and ties will advance to Tuesday’s final round.
Notes on Field:
Number of Players: 101
Past Champions (3): Nick Waddington (2021), Chet Hrostek (2015), Derek Waddington (1999)
Players to Watch:
Chris Ayers (Goodwin GC): The runner-up at the 2020 Connecticut Public Links, Ayers is putting together a strong season with a second place finish at the Russell C. Palmer Cup and a quarterfinal appearance at the Connecticut Amateur.
Kyle Bilodeau (Blackledge CC): For a better part of the last decade Kyle Bilodeau has been one of the best players in the Connecticut Section PGA. He has played in two Travelers Championships and in 2019, his final season as a professional, he was the Connecticut PGA Player of the Year. Fast forward to 2022 and he has regained his amateur status and he is ready to compete right away.
Jason Goshdigian (Goodwin GC): In June Goshdigian made a run to the Round of 16 at the Connecticut Amateur. Last year he won the Al Acker One Day Championship.
Dave Jones (Mohegan Sun GC): It has been another stellar year for the 2021 Dick Siderowf Player of the Year. In June he won the Senior Match Play title and in July he medaled at U.S. Senior Amateur Qualifying.
Mike Kennedy (Great River GC): So far this year the 2017 Connecticut Mid-Amateur winner has reached match play at the Connecticut Amateur, finished T14 at the Russell C. Palmer Cup, and recorded a T4 showing at the Two Man Championship.
Ashton Lewis (EClub of Connecticut): A junior on the Eastern Connecticut State University golf team Lewis is having a breakout CSGA season. He finished T3 in the stroke play qualifying at the Connecticut Amateur and in One Day Tournaments he has won at Tumble Brook Country Club and placed third at Glastonbury Hills Country Club.
Daniel Murphy (H. Smith Richardson GC): Each of the last two years Murphy has been in the mix at the Public Links. In 2020 he finished in the top-10 and last year he finished fourth. This year he won the Two Man Championship and reached the quarterfinals of the Connecticut Amateur.
Nick Waddington (Manchester CC): This year Waddington will look to become the first player to defend a Connecticut Public Links title since Joe Dennis in 2003 and 2004.
About the Connecticut State Golf Association
The Connecticut Public Links 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.
