Newington, Connecticut (June 20, 2024) – On a hot and steamy morning at Indian Hill Country Club David Baker only trailed briefly on his way to a 1-up victory at the 18th Senior Match Play Championship. The victory was Baker’s first CSGA major title.
“It is just sinking in to be honest with you,” said David Baker speaking shortly after his victory. “I’m super excited about this win. It just hasn’t hit me yet, but I feel amazing.”
Facing Indian Hill CC member and top-seed Brian Hedstrom, Baker only trailed for one hole after Hedstrom won the par-3 11th with a par to take a 1-up lead. However, it was Baker, who had all the answers down the stretch.
Baker (Wallingford CC) quickly returned the match back to even with a par to win No. 12 and then began to take full control with a birdie to win the 432-yard par-4 13th.
After finding the fairway off the tee Baker had 250 yards left for his second shot. With a 3 wood in hand, Baker knocked his approach to 20 feet. Meanwhile, Hedstrom was struggling on the hole. His second shot went long and his third, a chip shot, from beyond the green came up short. Once his long par putt missed Baker only needed a two putt to win the hole.
Baker would only need one and when the birdie try dropped into the bottom of the cup in one fell swoop he unleashed a fist pump and simultaneously took control of the match.
A second consecutive birdie followed on the par-5 13th and with that, Baker held a 2-up lead with four holes to play.
Despite the cushion, there would still be some tenuous moments. On the short par-4 15th Hedstrom had one of his best looks of the day for birdie. But as was the theme of the day for Hedstrom he simply wasn’t able to jump start anything and the birdie try from 12 feet slid by. When the putt missed Baker had a chance from 10 feet to save par and retain his 2-up lead.
With help from his caddie and fellow Wallingford CC member Jamie Sheltman whom Baker credited for his success in the finals, Baker had the read he wanted and calmly rolled in the putt.
“On No. 15 when I made that 10-footer for par, that’s when I was like, okay, I can win this,” Baker said. “I just held on with my fingernails, just trying to grasp it as long as possible.”
Hedstrom, a two-time Connecticut Amateur winner, wouldn’t go down without a fight. On the 353 uphill par-4 16th, he stuffed his second shot to five feet setting up his lone birdie of the day. The birdie brought Hedstrom to within 1 down with two holes remaining.
Both players bogeyed the challenging downhill par-3 17th sending play to the final hole. With a sizeable crowd following the action, Hedstrom and Baker missed the fairway left off the tee.
Baker was in a better spot in the rough and hit his second shot on the 509-yard par-5 closing hole to a comfortable spot in the fairway. For Hedstrom, it was a different story. His tee shot got caught up in the fescue above the left-side fairway bunker and he was forced to punch out. With a long approach into the green Hedstrom did find the putting surface with his third shot but he faced a 45-foot sidewinding putt for birdie.
Now seemingly in control of his own fate Baker, playing in his first CSGA event in a number of years, selected a 9 iron from 125 yards out and nearly holed his third shot into the front left pin location setting up a 10-foot look for birdie.
In the end, Baker would only need to two putt. Once Hedstrom’s improbable birdie bid didn’t fall all Baker did exactly that.
The two-putt on the last was a culmination of the game plan that Baker entered the day focused on, “fairways and greens. And don’t make a mistake. That’s what I did.”
About the Connecticut State Golf Association
The Senior Match Play 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.
