Watertown, Connecticut (July 11, 2022) – On a picture perfect sun splashed afternoon at Watertown Golf Club the opening round of the inaugural Connecticut Girls Junior Amateur Championship was contested with Yvette O’Brien rising to the top of the leaderboard. O’Brien carded a 5-over 77 and will carry a one shot lead over three others into Tuesday’s final round.
A sophomore at Greenwich Academy O’Brien got off to a quick start with birdies on Nos. 2 and 3 to set the tone for a solid first round.
“On the front nine I was hitting putts and finding the par-5 greens in three so [my start] was pretty solid. I didn’t have any three-putts so it was going well,” O’Brien said. “On the back nine it wasn’t my best nine. I kind of lost the flow a little bit. But overall, I am satisfied with my performance.”
1-under at the turn O’Brien (Greenwich CC) did struggle at times during the back nine but an up and down birdie from the greenside bunker on the par-5 16th proved to be the difference between the solo advantage and a four-way tie for the lead.
O’Brien’s focus now shifts to the Country Club of Waterbury where the final round will be contested. “I haven’t played the [CC of Waterbury] before so I am going in open minded. I am going to try and play simple boring golf and just play for par. I don’t want to be too crazy with it but I am going to try get those birdies as well.”
2021 Borck Junior Girls winner Mia Holbrook (Silver Spring CC), 12-year-old Arabella Lopez (Golf Performance Center), and CC Kaplan (Burning Tree CC) will begin the final round 6-over in a tie for second and one shot off the lead. Shawna Aurora (Lyman Orchards GC) and Morgan Peterson (EClub of Connecticut) are 10-over in a tie for fifth.
The final round of the 1st Connecticut Girls Junior Amateur will begin on Tuesday at 9 a.m. at the Country Club of Waterbury.
About the Connecticut State Golf Association
The Connecticut Girls Junior Amateur 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. Founded in 1899, it is the country’s oldest state golf association and conducts over 60 Championships, Qualifiers, and One Day Tournaments throughout the year.
