HARTFORD, Conn. (June 7, 2019) – Golf is back in Hartford. And, in a big way.
It wasn’t that long ago. In fact, it was late in 2013 when the City of Hartford’s Health Department locked the doors on Keney Park’s WPA era clubhouse, effectively closing the classically-designed but previously poorly maintained north end golf course that originally opened in 1927. The south-end Goodwin Park Golf Course wasn’t doing much better where it was hard to distinguish if one was on a putting green or a dirt playground.
But all that has changed thanks to the revitalization efforts led by the City’s Department of Public Works in concert with leadership of the City Council and Golf Oversight Commission.
Today, both municipal golf courses are maintained at high standards and customers, both new and old, are discovering the new Hartford golf experience.
Keney Park for the second consecutive year is now ranked by Golfweek as the second-best public golf course in the State of Connecticut and is racking up industry awards after its well-publicized restoration by Dusenberry Design. Moreover, it’s also getting high marks from the PGA of America who will be holding both national Junior PGA Championships at Keney Park in July.
This weekend’s Hartford Women’s Open has played a pivotal role in the City’s strategy to bring golf back to the State’s Capital City. The tournament began in 2016 and welcomes women and girls, both professionals and amateurs, to play in a 36 stroke-play championship conducted by the Connecticut Section of the PGA of America.
The tournament gets underway this Saturday at 8:00 AM at the 5,543-yard, par 70 Goodwin Park, and will conclude on Sunday at the 5,694-yard, par 70 Keney Park. The field of 63 range in age from 10 to 59 with playing resumes including many championship titles at the junior, club, collegiate, and professional levels.
Last year’s champion Kelly Whaley who fired a Keney Park 5-under par course record 65 in the final round for a 7-under par 133 total and 3-shot margin of victory will not be defending her title.
There are eight Professionals competing for an $3,200 prize purse that awards $1,500 to the low professional thanks to sponsors Mohegan Sun and PGA TOUR Web.com. Amateurs will be competing for merchandise prizes.
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2019 Field of Competitors
(P) denotes professional
Marie Allo, Newington, CT
Sofia Alvarez, Hartford, CT
Leah Ayers, Wethersfield, CT
Taylor Ayers, Wethersfield, CT
Brooke Barrett, Bedford, NH
Emma Beaulieu, Longmeadow, MA
Alexa Brown, Trumbull, CT
Aimee Caligiore (P), Orlando, FL
Riley Carey, Glastonbury, CT
Anna Casagrande, Pelham, MA
Caroline Cermignani, Glastonbury, CT
Daphne Chao, Lakeville, CT
Elizabeth Choi (P), Syosset, NY
Connie Dai, Longmeadow, MA
Sarah Daley, Beverly, MA
Addy Douglas, Newport, RI
Elizabeth Dunn, Berlin, CT
Kellie Edelblut (P), New Hope, PA
Lexie Flood, Southbury, CT
Andra Frappier (P), Cheshire, CT
Roxanne Garceau, Woodstock, CT
Olivia Gardenhour, Waynesboro, PA
Elizabeth Garfield, Fairfield, CT
Angela Garvin, Feeding Hills, MA
Ava Gross, Woodbridge, CT
Mia Grzywinski, Farmington, CT
Molly Healey, Redding, CT
Jen Holland, Guilford, CT
Madeleine Hong, Glastonbury, CT
Taylor Kelly, Newington, CT
Krystal Knight, Groveland, MA
Marissa Kulig Crow (P), Middlefield, MA
Pamela Kuong, Wellesley Hills, MA
Alexsandra Lapple, Ridgefield, CT
Mercedese Large, Bloomfield, CT
Kayla Lawrence (P), DeLand, FL
Leslie Li, West Hartford, CT
Maren Livingstone, West Hartford, CT
Emma McCloskey, Palmer, MA
Bailey McGuigan, Trumbull, CT
Meghan McLean, CANADA
Emma Michetti, Monroe, CT
Meghan Mitchell, New Canaan, CT
Molly Mitchell, New Canaan, CT
Camden Morrison (P), Millis, MA
Lily Nguyen, West Hartford, CT
Nora Noel Nolan, Wilton, CT
Gianna Papa, Foster, RI
Vincenza Papa, Foster, RI
Caroline Petchark, Waterford, CT
Catarina Petrovic, Farmington, CT
Jo Rasmussen, Westport, CT
Camille Richmond, Northampton, MA
Taylor Rogers, Plainville, CT
Sophia Sarrazin, Westport, CT
Taylor Schmidt (P), Westfield, MA
Kelly Shanahan, Coral Springs, FL
Elena Spangle, Brooklyn, CT
Sandi Tuller, Port St Lucie, FL
Allie Tully, Plainville, CT
Zoey Yamamoto, Dracut, MA
Milan Yorke, Ansonia, CT
Brooke Zajac, Plantsville, CT