Links: Round One Results | Round Two Pairings
Richard Stevens of Woodbury, Conn. and Pat McGuiness of Keney Park Golf Course recorded the only sub-par rounds of the day (71) and share the lead heading into the final round of the 72nd Connecticut Senior Amateur Championship. The two-day, 36-hole stroke play event is being contested October 4th & 5th at Fairview Farm Golf Course in Harwinton, Conn. and is open to Connecticut senior golfers who are fifty-five years of age and over.
When McGuiness hit his first tee shot at 8:00 a.m. on Wednesday morning, it felt more like winter than fall, with temperatures barely over forty degrees. Refusing to be deterred by a little cold weather, he got off to a perfect start, making birdies on the second and third holes to start his day two under-par through three holes. A steady dose of par’s, matched with just two bogies and one birdie left him with a share of the lead heading into Thursday’s final round.
McGuiness might be searching for his first piece of CSGA hardware, but he has already put together an impressive tournament season. The fifty-six year old advanced to the round of 16 at the Senior Match Play, finished 3rd at the Tournament of Champions, and made the cut at both the Mid-Amateur and Public Links Championships.
After an opening bogey on the par-4 first hole, Stevens took advantage of near-perfect scoring conditions and made four birdies in the next thirteen holes to claim a share of the lead with a score of one under-par 71. Stevens last won the Connecticut Senior Amateur in 2007, a year in which he went on to capture the inaugural CSGA Senior Player of the Year honor. A win tomorrow, ten years later, would be the second longest gap between wins in Senior Amateur history.
Aside from Stevens, five other past champions made the cut and will have a chance at the Senior Amateur title – Jack Bracken (Hartford GC – 74), Bill Hermanson (Black Hall Club – 74), Dave Szewczul (Tunxis Plantation CC – 75), Shawn McLoughlin (Ridgewood CC – 76), and Bill Dober (Brooklawn CC – 78).
This year’s starting field of ninety players was trimmed to the low thirty nine competitors, plus ties, following the conclusion of the first round. A total of forty-eight players made the cut at 78 (+6) and will play the second and final round tomorrow, Thursday, October 5th.
The final round will begin at 8:00 a.m., with the leaders teeing off at 10:30 a.m. Live hole-by-hole scoring will be available online at CTSeniorAm.com.
About the Course: The 72nd Connecticut Senior Amateur marks the third CSGA major championship hosted at Fairview Farm Golf Course, having previously hosted the Mid-Amateur Championship in 2013 and Public Links Championship in 2015. Construction of the Fairview Farm Golf Course began in October, 1998, when owner Bob Ferrarotti purchased what had been a dairy farm from the Delay family. All eighteen holes of the championship layout was completed and opened for play in 2000.
What the Winner Receives: The 2017 Connecticut Senior Amateur Champion will earn 400 points in the Dick Siderowf Senior Player of the Year race, and will also earn a one year exemption to the 2018 Russell C. Palmer Cup, 2018 Connecticut Amateur and 2018 Connecticut Open, and 5 year exemptions to the Connecticut Senior Amateur and Connecticut Mid-Amateur.
About the Connecticut State Golf Association: The Connecticut Senior Amateur 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.
