Record-Breaking Performance
A
fter an opening round of 77, a realistic expectation for Mike
Gilmore of Bethel, Conn. was to make the cut, which fell at
146. Gilmore fired a round of 69 in the second round to make
the cut on the number, and went on to shoot an incredible final round
of eight under-par 62. His day began with five straight birdies, and even
with a pair of bogeys on #8 and 10, his ten birdies propelled him to a tie
for seventh at two under-par overall.
“The putter has been in the abyss the last ten years or so and
its finally come alive, so I couldn’t be happier,” said Gilmore. “I was
walking down #18 thinking about the course record and just tried to
calm myself down. I had to remember I still had shots to hit and just to
go about my business and do what I had to do. I had my son on the bag
today and he’s been great with me so that was a real treat.”
Gilmore’s round of 62 set the new competitive course record
at Rolling Hills Country Club. The record was previous set by Frank
Bensel in 2008 and Adam Rainaud in the second round of this year’s
Connecticut Open.
Low Amateur Honors
D
avid Pastore of the Eclub of Fairfield was the leader
heading into the final round, and although he wasn’t able
to hold off Bensel’s charge up the leaderboard, his third
place finish was good enough to claim low amateur honors. Pastore
fired rounds of 71-65-70—206 (-4), and was able edge out John
Jackopsic of Gillette Ridge Golf Club and Peter Ballo of Woodway
Country Club by a single shot.
Earning low amateur honors at this year’s Connecticut
Open was the latest of Pastore’s many accomplishments in
2014. He enjoyed a remarkable summer that includes victories
at the Metropolitan Golf Association Amateur, the MGA’s Ike
Championship, and the Westchester (N.Y.) Open. He also qualified
for this year’s U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship, and went
on to finish runner-up at the USGA’s State Team Championship.
A total of seven amateurs finished inside the top fifteen,
compared with only two amateurs inside the top fifteen in 2013.
A total of thirteen amateurs made the cut, including the 2014
Connecticut Amateur Champion Zach Zaback of TPC River
Highlands, the 2014 Connecticut Junior Amateur Champion
Evan Grenus of TPC River Highlands, the 2014 New England
Amateur Champion John VanDerLaan of Eclub of New Haven,
and the 2014 Senior Match Play Champion Dave Szewczul of
Tunxis Plantation Country Club.
12
Connecticut State Golf Association 2014
Top to Bottom: Mike Gilmore’s 62 shattered the Rolling Hills CC course record and jumped
him into a tie for seventh; David Pastore added Low Amateur at the Connecticut Open to
his growing list of accomplishments that included winning the MGA’s Amateur and Ike
Championships.
www.csgalinks.org