HARTFORD, Conn. – Connecticut Golf Hall of Famer Dave Szewczul had won 13 Connecticut State Golf Association titles in four different events but never the Super Senior Championship.
But Szewczul overcame humid, 90-degree heat to shoot a 1-under-par 68 for a two-stroke victory over Mike Moraghan at Longshore Golf Course in Westport. Szewczul, of TPC River Highlands in Cromwell, was the only player to finish under par in edging Moraghan, the CSGA executive director from the Country Club of Waterbury.
Szewczul, a two-time CSGA Player of the Year, finished third in his debut in the tournament for players 65 years and older in 2019 but now added the Super Senior title to the Public Links Championship (four), Connecticut Senior Amateur (three), Senior Match Play (four) and Mid-Amateur (two). The Senior Player of the Year in 2019 for a record ninth time without a win had two birdies and one bogey for CSGA win No. 14.
Szewczul then carded five birdies as he and longtime friend and frequent playing partner Bill Hermanson won the CSGA Senior Four-Ball Championship at Wintonbury Hills GC in Bloomfield. Despite a bogey 4 at the 17th hole, the duo combined to shoot a 7-under 63 before Hermanson made a 25-foot birdie putt on the third playoff hole to beat James Kulacz and Rick Nappi of Timberlin GC in Berlin, who birdied the last two holes in regulation. It was the 10th Four-Ball victory among the more than 50 titles won by Szewczul and Hermanson, 63, another Hall of Fame member from the Black Hall Club in Old Lyme.
James Lawler and David Jones of Mohegan Sun CC in Baltic finished third at 65. Jones was coming off being low amateur in the Connecticut Senior Open for the third time.
“It feels good to know that I’m still competitive,” said Szewczul, a 2010 inductee into the Connecticut Golf Hall of Fame who underwent multiple back, knee and eye surgeries two years ago. “I’ve felt a bit rusty this year too, partly because it was hard to get into a rhythm with the COVID situation. Physically I was fine, but the competitive side wasn’t quite there.”
Tied for third at 71 were former State Amateur champion Bill Dober of Brooklawn CC in Fairfield, Jonathan Groveman of Aspetuck CC in Easton and Kurt Myers of Hop Meadow CC in Simsbury. Myers spiced his round with his third career hole-in-one on the 201-yard 13th with a 4-iron, his first ace in 40 years. He was especially gratified given he had spent weeks in intensive care this spring due to a major heart ailment.
“I’m just happy to be here, and this makes it all the more special,” said Myers, who tied for first in the net competition at 65 with George Fjelldal of Hubbard Heights GC in Norwalk and Bill Wininger of Tallwood CC in Hebron.
FIRST CSGA PARENT-CHILD CHAMPIONSHIP
Kurt Myers continued his stellar play in the men’s division of the first Parent-Child Championship at Wethersfield CC. He and his son Pete combined to shoot even-par 71 but lost a scorecard tiebreaker with Les and Brett Zimmerman of Hunter GC in Meriden.
“We have played a lot in the Father-Son, but this format is a lot more fun to play with alternating tee shots, two balls in play, and this is my favorite course,” Les Zimmerman said.
Pete Myers, who started playing golf only two years ago, was delighted despite the tough loss after being unable to be the closer on the University of Hartford baseball team this spring because the season was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“It is fantastic, I take full advantage of [getting to play with my dad],” Pete said. “For myself, baseball was canceled so I decided to [play more] golf. I joined Hop Meadow Country Club this year, and I want to play golf with my dad before you can’t play golf with your dad.”
Tied for third were Rich and 11-year-old William Lord of Suffield CC and Brian and Finn McHugh of Hartford GC. William Lord has a 5-handicap and plays on the Hurricane Tour, U.S. Kids and in the PGA Junior League.
In the Mixed team division, the father-daughter team of Gerard and NoraNoel Nolan of Shorehaven GC in Norwalk combined for a 75 and a seven-stroke victory over Chip Kohn and Meredith Norton of Rockledge GC in West Hartford and Greg and Bethany Fell of the Patterson Club in Fairfield.
“Anytime you can tee it up in Connecticut, especially with my daughter is a treat,” Gerard Nolan said.
The Mixed Net Division was captured by the grandmother-grandson duo of Toby and 14-year-old Matt Schuman with a 72. In the Men’s Net Division, Nick and Alexander Kapinos won at 65.
The new event was born from the Father & Son Net Tournament and welcomed women into the field for the first time in CSGA history. The field was split into the Men’s and Mixed divisions with gross and net prizes and played using the Chapman format where both players teed off, played each other’s ball for the second shot and one of those shots was selected to continue play with the ball played alternatively until holed. On par-3 holes, the players must select the ball to be played following their first shot and play alternately until the ball is holed.
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