Catherine McEvoy Wins 51st Women's Amateur

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Defending Champion Catherine McEvoy of Innis Arden Golf Club fired a final round 71 for a three round total of 218 (-1) and a six stroke victory at the 51st Connecticut State Women’s Amateur. The state’s most prestigious women’s amateur championship was contested over 54-holes of stroke play at the 5,593 yard, par-73 layout at Heritage Village Country Club in Southbury, Conn.

McEvoy made headlines in Tuesday’s second round with a remarkable four under-par round of 69 that catapulted her from five strokes behind to six strokes ahead. History proves that starting the final round with a large lead can sometimes prove to be more difficult. A string of missed fairways or greens can lead to costly bogeys that give chasers hope of catching the lead. McEvoy was able to stay focused on the front nine, making just one bogey in windy conditions and standing on the 9th tee, she had maintained her six shot advantage.

“Going into today, I really didn’t want to put too much pressure on myself but I knew if I was able to hit fairways and greens, I’d be pretty successful,” said McEvoy. “My goal was to make the turn at even-par or one over-par at the most, and I was able to birdie #9 to get back to even-par going to the 10th tee. I felt like once I turned in even-par, I was able to put it on cruise control and play my own game on the back nine.”

With a commanding lead and just nine holes to play, McEvoy still had to navigate some of the most difficult holes on the back nine at Heritage Village Country Club, including the par-4 16th, a hole she had bogeyed the first two rounds. However, McEvoy stuck to her game plan, hitting fairways and greens and making three birdies on the back nine, including a birdie on #16, to finish with a final round score of 71 and a six shot victory.

Her win on Wednesday marks the eleventh time in the fifty-one year history of the event that a player has successfully defended their title. At just eighteen years of age and already a two-time Women’s Amateur Champion, McEvoy has established herself as a dominant force in Connecticut women’s golf. After an opening round of 78, McEvoy played the final 36-holes at six under-par, an extraordinary accomplishment given that the scoring average for the field on the challenging par-73 layout was 85.7.

“It means a lot for sure,” said McEvoy. “All of the previous winners are tremendous players so to have my name on the trophy with them is really special.”

The Women’s Amateur Championship marked the final event of the summer before McEvoy leaves for Michigan State University, where she will be competing on their Division I Women’s Golf Team. The Spartans were ranked #45 in the nation last season, and McEvoy certainly proved that she can compete against players of all ages.

“This is definitely a momentum booster for me going into Michigan State,” said McEvoy. “It’s obviously going to be really competitive there, but being able to win today against a really solid field proved to myself that I’m capable of playing at the next level.”

Finishing runner-up was 2015 CWGA Junior Champion Maisie Filler of Hartford Golf Club, who began the day seven strokes behind the lead and was able to close the gap to within five early on the back nine. Despite coming up short in the overall division, she shot the low tournament round of her career with a final round 70 and took home Junior Division trophy.

“My putting was definitely a little off the first two days, but today everything seemed to go in,” said Filler. “It was in the back of my mind that I might be able to catch Catherine, but I was seven shots back and I just wanted to make some ground up.”

First round leader Ellen Nighbor of Great River Golf Club finished in third place with a final round score of 76. Nighbor, who earned NEC Conference Player of the Year honors this past spring, will begin her senior year at nearby Sacred Heart University in Fairfield, Conn. MacKenzie Hawkes of Madison Country Club, the reigning CWGA Champion, finished alone in fourth place with a three round total of 235 (+16), and Jen Holland of SNEWGA and Sarah Houle of Rock Ridge Country Club rounded out the top five at nineteen over-par.

McEvoy’s win also marked the first time in history that a single club can lay claim to both the Connecticut Women’s Amateur and Women’s Open trophies in the same year. Earlier this year, Jessica Carafiello of Innis Arden GC won the Women’s Open title at Round Hill Club, an event where McEvoy finished tied for eighth place and earned low amateur honors.

The CSGA championship season continues with the 18th Father & Son Net Tournament on Thursday, August 18th, followed by the 35th Senior Four-Ball Championship on Monday, August 22nd. Full results and coverage will be available for both events at csgalinks.org.

Division Results

Overall Division

1st: Catherine McEvoy, Innis Arden Golf Club – 78-69-71—218 (-1)

2nd: Maisie Filler, Hartford Golf Club – 77-77-70—224 (+5)

3rd: Ellen Nighbor, Great River Golf Club – 73-80-76—229 (+10)

Junior Division (17 and Under)

1st: Maisie Filler, Hartford Golf Club – 77-77-70—224 (+5)

2nd: Sarah Houle, Rock Ridge Country Club – 82-77-79—238 (+19)

Senior Division (50-59 years of age)

1st: Jen Holland, Southern New England Women’s Golf Assoc. – 82-77-79—238 (+19)

2nd: Lisa Fern-Boros, Highland Golf Club – 83-82-81—246 (+27)

Super-Senior Division (60+ years of age)