Bensel began the day just one stroke back of
amateur David Pastore of Greenwich, Conn. and tied
for second with a pair of professionals in Jason Caron
of Stamford, Conn. and Adam Rainaud of Black Hall
Club. Pastore fired a round of five under-par 65 to take
the overnight lead heading into the final round, while
Rainaud tied the course-record on day two with a six
under-par 64 to stand just one shot back.
Playing in the penultimate group with Caron,
the 2012 Connecticut Open Champion, Bensel wasted
no time making his move up the leaderboard. He
birdied the first two holes to jump into a tie for the lead
at five under-par with Pastore.
As the day progressed, Bensel continued to
hold a share of the lead with Pastore, Caron and Mike
Ballo, Jr., the round one leader from Woodway Country
Club. After a pair of bogies on #5 and #11, offset with
a birdie on the par-4 8th hole, Bensel stood on the 15th
tee just one stroke back of the lead held by Pastore at
four under-par.
“Jason and I were going back and
forth all day, and there are so many great players out
here who at one point were in the lead or close to the
lead that it wasn’t until really late in the day that I
thought I might have it,” said Bensel.
However, in the final round of any tournament,
Clockwise from top: Adam Rainaud of Black Hall Club fired a round of six under-par 64 to tie the experien ce is priceless. A two-time Open Champion in
course record after day two; Mike Ballo, Jr. of Woodway Country Club narrowly missed capturing 2009 and 2011, Bensel had plenty of memories to call
his first Connecticut Open title; Frank Bensel’s accuracy off the tee was just one of many reasons
upon. He would go on to make three straight birdies on
he was able to rise to the top.
#15, 16 and 17, jumping from one behind to two ahead.
10
Connecticut State Golf Association 2014
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