Madison, Connecticut (October 1, 2026) – Two of the best in the state. Bob Murphy, Jr. and Dave Jones. In a playoff at Madison Country Club. On the line: the title of the 81st Connecticut Senior Amateur.
Bob Murphy, Jr., the defending champion and winner of two of the last three Connecticut Senior Amateurs, began the final day 1-under and three shots clear of Dave Jones (Mohegan Sun GC). However, by the end of the final round both were tied at 2-over, and a playoff was needed to determine the outcome.
With a large gathering behind the final green, both players returned to the tee of the 460-yard par-4 18th. Off the tee, Murphy, Jr. (Brownson CC) found the fairway. However, when Jones, a four-time winner of the Dick Siderowf Senior Player of the Year award, missed the fairway to the left, the door was open for Murphy, Jr.
But first Jones was up. With one foot in a fairway bunker, he pulled his approach shot into a greenside bunker. Knowing where Jones ended up, and with a wedge from 140 yards out, Murphy, Jr. aimed for the center of the green and gave himself 30 feet for birdie.
Playing first and on a similar line to the birdie putt he had from 20 feet on the final hole of regulation, Murphy, Jr. learned from his putt just 20 minutes earlier and nearly jarred the try, leaving it on the lip. Murphy, Jr., poised to celebrate if the putt had dropped, came forward and tapped in for par.
Now it was Jones’ turn. The winner of the 2022 Senior Match Play Championship at Madison CC, Jones faced a short-sided bunker shot for his third shot and did well to give himself 20 feet for par. Needing to make the putt to send play back to the tee, the par try slid by, giving Murphy, Jr. his third Connecticut Senior Amateur title in the last four years.
“I’m really proud of (myself),” Bob Murphy, Jr. said. “I practice a lot. I stay in shape. I’m 67, so I’m playing against the 55-year-olds. Some of the guys that I’m hitting it by aren’t too happy about that, but I’ll do it as long as I can.”
Speaking about facing Jones in the playoff, Murphy, Jr. added, “I couldn’t have been happier to play Jonesy in the playoff. We’re really good friends. We play in a lot of four-ball events together. We play in the Tri-States together. We’ve known each other forever. It kind of stunk to play against a great friend in the playoff, but we are both great competitors.”
Murphy, Jr. opened the 81st Connecticut Senior Amateur with a 1-under 69, the only under-par score of the week to carry a two-shot lead into the final round.
Through the first twelve holes, Murphy, Jr. bogeyed twice and birdied once, and as he stepped to the tee on the par-4 12th, he was even-par but now ahead by three shots. Lurking in case Murphy, Jr. slipped up were Jones and Timothy Murray (Quinnatisset CC).
Murphy, Jr. parred No. 12, but after he couldn’t get up and down for par from short left on the par-3 13th, a hole that Jones birdied in the group ahead, the advantage was trimmed to one shot. Murphy, Jr. was now 1-over with Jones 2-over. Murray was 3-over.
None of the three could birdie the par-5 14th, but a bogey on the par-4 15th by Murphy, Jr. dropped him back to 2-over and into a tie with Jones. Murray was still one back at 3-over.
With three holes remaining, all three players, Murphy, Jr., Jones, and Murray, had birdie looks, but when no putts dropped, regulation ended with Murphy, Jr. and Jones headed for extra holes.
“Honestly, I can’t believe it’s over,” Murphy, Jr. said. “Winning again hasn’t sunk in yet. It honestly hasn’t.”
Jones, at 2-over, ended up in second place while Murray, who had a birdie try from just off the green to join the playoff, finished in third place at 3-over. Dean Godek (Cedar Knob GC) and Bill Hermanson (Black Hall Club) rounded out the top-five in a tie for fourth at 8-over.
About the Connecticut State Golf Association
The Connecticut Senior 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.
