In 1984, Fran Marrello’s name topped the leader board late in the first round of the U.S. Open at Winged Foot CC. ‘A friend took a picture of the leader board with my name on top,’ Marrello said. ‘I was ahead of guys like Jack Nicklaus, Seve Ballesteros, Hale Irwin and Tom Watson.’ His election to the Connecticut Golf Hall of Fame places his name indelibly on a list of the state’s greatest men and women golfers of all time.
At 55, Marrello is still adding to his record. He carded a 5-under 208 at Wethersfield CC in August to win his second Connecticut PGA Championship by four shots. He also won in 2001. He has 15 Connecticut Section championships to his credit, including seven Match Play titles (1990, ’92, ’94-97, 2008), the Tournament of Champions twice (1992, 2007), the Assistant Professional Championship three times (1985, ’87, ’92), and the Walter Lowell Tournament twice.
He earned the Section Player of the Year award six times, including five years in a row from 1992-96. He also won in 2007. He was Senior Player of the Year in 2005, ’07 and ’08.
Fran has played in 11 majors, three PGAs, four US Opens, three U.S. Amateurs and one US Senior Open. He has played in 15 National Club Pro championships and five National Senior Club Pro championships. In 1984, he placed second in six tournaments, including the Connecticut Open, Vermont Open and New Hampshire Classic, a Tournament Players Series event, forerunner of the Nationwide Tour.
