On May 28th and 29th, seventy five of the top female competitors will compete for a chance to capture the 15th Connecticut Women's Open Championship. The tournament, which will be played at Tumble Brook Country Club in Bloomfield, Connecticut, is open to any amateur or professional female golfer regardless of residency.
The field is highlighted by many of the region's top female competitors, including defending champion Megan Khang. The 15-year old High School Sophomore became the youngest player in tournament history to capture the Women’s Open last year, and enters the tournament with plenty of momentum. Following her win last Spring, she successfully qualified for the United States Women’s Open, and also captured the New England Junior PGA Championship, the Stan Trojanowski Northern Junior, and the Northeast Junior Golf Classic. She is currently the 12th ranked junior girl in the country.
Also in the field is 2008 Champion Lynn Valentine, who will look to capture her second Women’s Open after finishing runner-up in 2012. Valentine, who captured the professional purse of $5,000 last year, has also competed in numerous events on the national level, including the 2008 United States Women’s Open.
Located in Bloomfield, Connecticut, Tumble Brook Country Club is a 27-hole private facility that was originally founded in 1922. Willie Park, one of the foremost golf course architects of the time, was commissioned to design the first nine holes. Construction of the second nine, designed by Orrin E. Smith, would not begin until 1949. The tournament will be contested on the Red Course (Nines 1 & 2), which will play at approximately 5,848 yards and a par of 36-36—72.
Starting times begin both days at 8:00am with the players being re-paired based on round one scores following Tuesday’s round. Full coverage of the Championship including live scoring will available on the official Connecticut Women’s Open website at ctwomensopen.com.
Player Storylines
There are 75 players in the field competing for the Connecticut Women’s Open, of which 39 are amateurs and 36 are professionals.
Gabrielle Martin, 14, of Madison, Conn., is the youngest player in the field. Martin finished fourth in the 2012 Connecticut Junior Player of the Year race and recorded three second place finishes at JGA events last season.
On the opposite end, Lida Fee Tingley, 73, is the oldest player in the Women’s Open field. In 2009, she captured her seventh Connecticut Women’s Golf Association Championship, held at New Haven Country Club. Her wins span over four decades and she has captured a total of fourteen state titles. She once received a three-minute golf lesson from Ben Hogan at Shady Oaks Country Club in Fort Worth, Texas.
All but 3 of the past Women’s Open Champions are in the 2013 field:
Megan Khang – 2012 Champion
Jordan Lintz – 2011 Champion
Cindy J Reeves – 2009 Champion
Lynn Valentine – 2008 Champion
Susan Ginter – 2007 Champion
Liz Janangelo (Caron) – 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006 Champion
Also in the field is Isabelle Lendl, who finished 3rd in last year’s Women’s Open. Lendl recently graduated from the University of Florida, where she competed on their Division I golf team and captured two individual titles at the Dale McNamara Invite and the Tar Heel Invite. Her father, Ivan, is a member of the professional Tennis Hall of Fame and current coach of Andy Murray. He will be competing in the 79th Connecticut Open Championship at Torrington Country Club later this summer.
After a year hiatus, Liz Caron returns to the Connecticut Women’s Open looking to capture her fifth title. Caron graduated from Duke University where she was named both the NGCA and ACC Player of the Year and won a total of seven collegiate tournaments. In addition to her four Women’s Open championships, she also captured five straight Connecticut Women’s Amateur Championship (1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001). Her husband, Jason, won the 2012 Connecticut Open Championship at Wee Burn Country Club last summer.
Schedule of Events
Tuesday, May 28 – First Round, 18 Holes Stroke Play
Wednesday, May 29 – Second Round, 18 Holes Stroke Play
The lowest 36-hole total will be declared the champion. In the event of a tie, a hole-by-hole playoff will begin immediately following conclusion of all rounds.
