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May 6th, 2013 – Ninety six of the state’s top amateur golfers teamed up to compete in the annual Two Man Team Championship at Black Hall Club. The team of Dave Jones of Mohegan Sun CC at Pautipaug and Brian Bardier Connecticut National GC recorded an even-par score of 142 to capture the title.
The Two Man Team Championship is held each year at Black Hall Club in honor of Bill Hermanson, recent inductee into the Connecticut Golf Hall of Fame and winner of nine CSGA major championships. The tournament tests the state’s best amateur teams in a grueling, 36-hole team stroke competition. The teams play a fourball (better ball of partners) format in the morning round, and foursomes (alternate shot) format in the afternoon round.
Black Hall Club, which plays at 6,656 yards and a par of 71, demands accuracy off the tee and precise iron shots. Cool conditions in the morning round yielded only four rounds under par, with the teams of Dave Jones & Brian Bardier, Steve Wagner & Seth Jainchill, Ronald Soccoli, Jr & Benjamin Day, and Kevin Hedstrom and Aaron Wheeler all recording rounds of two-under par 69.
The afternoon Fourball requires players to play in an alternate shot format, widely regarded as the harder of the two formats for the players. With the wind picking up, this year proved to be no different, as the scoring average for the afternoon round climbed nearly five shots to 78.60. Despite the difficulty surrounding the Fourball format, the team of Dave Jones and Brian Bardier posted a phenomenal afternoon round of 73 to capture the title with a two round total of even par 142.
Jones and Bardier shared the lead after the morning round with a round of 69 that featured only a single bogey on the par-4 12th hole, which played the hardest hole for the tournament. After sharing the lead in the morning, they started out the afternoon round with birdies on #2, #5 and #11. A late double bogey on the 16th hole was offset by their steady play throughout the day. which ultimately carried them to victory. Jones and Bardier have competed as partners together for several years in the Two Man Team Championship with tremendous success. They teamed up to capture the title in 2002 and 2003, and have recorded three 2nd place finishes and one 3rd place finish along the way.
Finishing in a tie for second with a score of four-over par 146 were the teams of Brent Dietz & William Tefft and Steve Wagner & Seth Jainchill. The teams of David Zeid & Max Adler, Jeff Wise & Tim Ward, and Michael Thompson & Glenn Strange all rounded out the top five with a two round total of five-over par 147.
The CSGA championship season continues on Thursday, May 9th with local qualifying for the 113th United States Open at the Country Club of Fairfield. Admission is free and spectators are encouraged to attend as the region’s best amateur and professional golfers try to earn their way to Merion Golf Club.
About the Connecticut State Golf Association
The Two Man Team 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.
