CHAMPIONSHIPS
Dave Szewczul Captures 32nd Public Links Championship
A
fter a tough start by overnight leader
Jacob Henny, the Connecticut Public
Links Championship was wide open
for the taking. Mid-way through the final round,
a total of fourteen players were within two shots
of the lead. Among those contenders was Dave
Szewczul of Tunxis Plantation Country Club, who
capitalized early to jump out to an early lead before
an unfortunate double-bogey on the par-3 ninth
hole brought him back to the field.
“I birdied the first hole which got me off
to a good start, and I knew I’d have to play steady
and shoot even-par or better to have a chance,”
said Szewczul. “I had some indecision on #9 and
unfortunately I hit the wrong club. But when you
make a double [bogey], you have to just move on. I
felt confident enough and I had been swinging well
all week.”
24 | CSGA Links // September, 2017
At sixty-three years of age, Szewczul has
plenty of experience dealing with all types of
adversity on the course, and he knows that fairways
and greens are always the recipe for success.
He played near perfect golf on his inward nine,
overcoming the difficulties of trying to win by
making two birdies and just one bogey for a closing
round of 71. And as the pressure mounted and the
contenders slowly faded, a familiar name was left
standing at the top of the leaderboard.
“I felt like if I just stuck to my game plan, I’d
have a chance,” said Szewczul. “I drove it really well
all week which didn’t put a lot of pressure on the
rest of my game. A few of the putts didn’t drop, but
thankfully enough did to get the job done.”
In a state that has been home to legendary
golfers – Julius Boros, Richard Siderowf, and Jerry
Courville to name a few – being mentioned as one of
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