Glen Boggini of Twin Hills carded a 2-under par round of 68 to take the lead after the weather-delayed first round of stroke play qualifying at the 111th Connecticut Amateur Championship. The state’s oldest amateur event is being held June 17th – 21st at the 6,543 yard, par 70 New Haven Country Club.
Conducted by the Connecticut State Golf Association, the Connecticut Amateur Championship is one of the nation’s oldest state amateur golf championships. The challenging format tests the state's best amateur golfers over two rounds of stroke play to determine the low thirty-two match play qualifiers. Two rounds of match play each day culminate in a thirty-six hole final to crown the top amateur player in Connecticut.
Thunderstorms in the area suspended play at 6:25 p.m., with 12 players in the afternoon wave still on the course. A microburst blew through the area shortly thereafter, yielding more than three inches of rain and gusts of wind near 60 mph. The first round will resume on Tuesday at 7:00 a.m., with the second round beginning as scheduled at 7:00am.
Boggini began his round on the 10th hole and birdied both Holes #10 and #12 to make the turn at 1-under par. A pair of birdies on Holes #3 and #7 were matched by a lone bogey on #4, which proved good enough for the overnight lead. Boggini arrived to New Haven CC fresh off a recent victory at the fifth One Day Tournament of the 2013 season at Cedar Knob, where he captured the title by five shots.
Two other players broke par with rounds of 69, including New Haven Country Club member Benjamin Day, who is attempting to capture his first Connecticut Amateur title on his home course. Day got off to a strong start, making birdies on three of his first four holes and recording a total of five birdies on his round. His front nine score of 32 was the lowest by any competitor in the field.
“Playing New Haven CC was a great challenge today. The course is in fantastic shape and the greens are as good as ever,” Day said. Although he stands just a single stroke back from the lead, Day made it clear that his primary goal is still to make match play. “My game plan for tomorrow is to stay patient and enjoy the day.”
Peter Ballo of Woodway Country Club was the only other player in the field to break par, shooting a round of 33-36—69. Among those left on the course is DJ Lawlor of Oak Hills Park Golf Course, who made the turn in 1-under par before play was suspended.
The conclusion of the first round and second round of stroke play will be played Tuesday before the field is trimmed to the low 32 players who will advance to match play. The first round of match play will be played Wednesday and the championship runs through Friday’s 36-hole final match.
About the Connecticut State Golf Association
The Connecticut Amateur Championship is one of 18 championship tournaments 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 50 Championships, Qualifiers and One-Day Tournaments throughout the year. For more information, visit our website at csgalinks.org.
