(May 31, 2022) – Last year Melissa Siviter won the first professional event of her career. One year later at the 23rd Connecticut Women’s Open presented by Crescent Point Private Wealth Siviter will look to defend her title.
“This will be my first time defending a title but I always love coming up to Connecticut to play in the Connecticut Women’s Open,” Siviter, a Georgia resident said. “Knowing that I won the tournament last year gives me a bit more confidence for sure.”
A field of 60 players will tee it up at Hop Meadow Country Club from June 6-7. The field will include four-time champion Liz Janangelo Caron, 2011 champion Jordan Lintz, 2009 winner CJ Reeves, 2008 champion Lynn Valentine along with amateurs Sophia Sarrazin who won the 2020 Connecticut Women’s Amateur, two-time Connecticut Women’s Amateur winner Kyra Cox, and last year’s Liz Janangelo Caron Player of the Year Mia Grzywinski.
“We are very excited to host the Connecticut Women’s Open,” said Hop Meadow CC head professional Joe Cordani, Jr. “We try to do something big every few years whether it is a Connecticut Section PGA or CSGA event and this fit into our schedule. Women’s golf has been booming at Hop Meadow CC lately, we have a lot of new members and we are very proud to be hosting the Connecticut Women’s Open this year.”
Designed by Geoffrey Cornish and opened in 1962 the par-72 5,700 yard layout will challenge players from tee to green however approach shots will go a long way in determining a champion.
“It will be important to control your distance into the greens. It is a Geoffrey Cornish designed course so most greens slope from back to front and you don’t want to be above the hole on to many holes,” Cordani, Jr. said. “There isn’t too much trouble in front of the greens so if you are pin high or lower it gives a player a good opportunity to score.”
Players will need to make their move early as the first three holes are very gettable. Hop Meadow CC begins with a wide-open par-4 followed by a par-5 and a short par-3.
“You want to score some birdies right off the bat,” said Cordani, Jr. “After that Nos. 7-11 are very challenging, if you get through that stretch in even-par you will pick up some strokes on the field.”
Following the difficult stretch players will have an opportunity to make a move late with consecutive risk reward par-5s to conclude the round.
Defending champion Melissa Siviter was born and raised in Wolverhampton, England and took lessons at The Belfry, the site of the 2002 Ryder Cup. When she was 15 years old some agents came to her county events and introduced Siviter to the idea of college golf in the United States.
“Playing college golf in the United States sounded like the opportunity of a lifetime,” said Siviter. “I had a few friends do it before me and say you have to do it.”
So in 2009 Siviter made her way to the states and joined the golf team at Belmont Abbey College in Belmont, North Carolina. After two successful years she transferred to Georgia State where she continued her standout college career that was highlighted by a win at the 2013 Palmetto Intercollegiate.
Following graduation, Siviter turned professional and the now 31-year-old has been chasing her professional golf dreams ever since.
“Golf is just one of those games that you are one swing away from feeling like you can win a major and one swing way from wanting to give up. But knowing I can do it is what keeps me going and I’m not going to stop until I get there.”
The journey for Siviter will continue on Monday when the 23rd Connecticut Women’s Open begins at Hop Meadow CC. First round play will begin at 8 a.m. with the final round set to follow on Tuesday.
Notes on the Field:
Number of Players: 60
Past Champions (5): Melissa Siviter (2021), Jordan Lintz (2011), CJ Reeves (2009), Lynn Valentine (2008), Liz Janangelo Caron (2003-2006)
Players to Watch:
Liz Janangelo Caron – The four-time champion made a spirited charge last year in the final round finishing in a tie for second place.
Sue Curtin (a) – A multiple-time winner in Mass Golf events Curtin reached the Round of 16 at the 2021 U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur.
Mia Grzywinski (a) – Grzywinski is playing in her first CSGA event of the season after a banner year in 2021 that saw her win the Liz Janangelo Caron Player of the Year award. Grzywinski’s year was highlighted by a win at the Hartford Women’s Open.
Jordan Lintz – The 2011 champion returns following a T8 finish last year. Lintz played in the 2020 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship. Lintz qualified for the LPGA Tour in 2005 with full-time playing status. After a banner career at the University of Wyoming Lintz was inducted into the Wyoming Athletics Hall of Fame.
Samantha Morrell – In 2020 Morrell qualified for the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship. Morrell became the first Old Dominion golfer to play in an LPGA Tour event. Last year Morrell was T8 at the Connecticut Women’s Open.
Samantha Perrotta (a) – One of the top amateur players in New Jersey Perrotta comes in with an impressive pedigree. She has been the Women’s Golf Association of Philadelphia and New Jersey Golf Association Player of the Year and she has played in the U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur four times.
CJ Reeves – The 2009 winner has had a banner career in the Metropolitan Section PGA. In 2019 she won twice while also playing in the U.S. Senior Women’s Open where she missed the cut by a stroke.
Sophia Sarrazin (a) – The 2020 Connecticut Women’s Amateur winner shared low amateur honors last year at the Connecticut Women’s Open earning a T2 finish.
Melissa Siviter – The defending champion from a year ago is back and looking to repeat. The former Georgia State golfer has played on the Epson Tour most notably in 2016 when she competed in six events. Siviter most recently competed on the Epson Tour in 2020.
Lynn Valentine – In 2008 Valentine captured the Connecticut Women’s Open title and last year she finished in the top-25.
About the Connecticut State Golf Association
The Connecticut Women’s Open presented by Crescent Point Private Wealth 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.
