HARTFORD, Conn. (June 9, 2021) – Angela Garvin has played in all five Hartford Women’s Open golf tournaments, never finishing outside of the top five. It wasn’t until her fifth year in 2020 that she finally claimed the trophy.

Garvin used stellar iron play last August at Keney Park Golf Course to set up numerous birdie chances on the way to a 3-under-par 67 for a 36-hole total of 3-under 137. This resulted in a one-stroke victory over first-round leader Camden Morrison and former LPGA and Futures Tour player, Jordan Lintz.

This weekend’s Hartford Women’s Open has played a pivotal role in the City of Hartford’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.

Garvin, 20, who plays on the University of Maryland Women’s Golf Team and is a five-time Junior Connecticut PGA Championship title holder, will begin her title defense at 9:12 AM this Saturday at the par 70, 5,573-yard, Goodwin Park Golf Course. The tournament will conclude on Sunday at the 5,630-yard, par 70 Keney Park Golf Course. The field of 60 range in age from 13 to 63, comprising 8 professionals and 52 amateurs.

Among those challenging Garvin for the title is professional Aimee Caligiore, the 2019 champion from Orlando, Fla., who tied for fifth last year, and Lintz, the LPGA teaching pro from Milford, Conn., who was also runner up in 2016.

A trio of top amateurs to watch for include Pamela Kuong from Wellesley Hills, Mass.; Sarah Houle from Sandy Hook, Conn.; and Linda Wang from Plainview, NY. Kuong is the two-time reigning Massachusetts Senior Women’s Amateur champion and finished fourth last year. Houle plays on the College of William and Mary’s Women’s Golf Team and won back to back High School State championship titles and the 2018 Junior Connecticut PGA Championship. Houle finished fourth in 2018, shooting a final round 66 at Keney Park and setting the course record before being bested by one shot by Kelly Whaley 25 minutes later.

Wang has played in three Hartford Women’s Opens finishing seventh twice and was runner up to Whaley in 2018. She’s a graduate student and played four years on the Women’s Golf Team at St. Johns University, graduating in 2020.

The Keney Park course originally opened in 1927 and was recently recognized by Golf Magazine which ranked it fourteenth best municipal golf course in America. It has gotten high marks since its restoration and re-opening in 2016, and in 2019 it hosted both the Girls and Boys PGA of America Junior Championships.

The south-end Goodwin Park Golf Course that opened in 1906 has also seen a resurgence. Both courses are maintained by Guilmette Golf, the maintenance team that has been in place since 2014. PGA Professionals Joe Mentz (Goodwin Park) and Ralph Salito (Keney Park) oversee the golf operations for 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.

This weekend the eight golf professionals are competing for $4,000 in prizes including a $1,700 winner’s check thanks sponsors Mohegan Sun, BirdieBox, and the Korn Ferry Tour. Amateurs will be competing for merchandise prizes.

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Goodwin Park women’s course record – 65 (Dani Mullin and Camden Morrison both in the Hartford Women’s Open)

Keney Park women’s course record – 62 (Megha Ganne in the 2019 Junior PGA Championship)

 

2021 Field of Competitors

(P) denotes professional

Marie Allo (p), Newington, CT

Ashley Au, Westerville, OH

Kelley Brooke (p), Belle Harbor, NY

Aimee, Caligiore (p), Orlando, FL

Riley Carey, Glastonbury, CT

Yun Kiu Tiffany, Chan, Kent, CT

Sophia Cunningham, Tolland, CT

Connie Dai, Longmeadow, MA

Annie Dai, Longmeadow, MA

Sarah Daley, Beverly, MA

Lisa Day (p), Coatesville, PA

Jaelyn DeBoise, Springfield, MA

Hailey Derrickson, Arvada, CO

Samantha Dunn, Berlin, CT

Andra Frappier (p), Cheshire, CT

Elizabeth Garfield, Fairfield, CT

Angela Garvin, Feeding Hills, MA

Alia Godek, Feeding Hills, MA

Ava Gross, Woodbridge, CT

Mia Grzywinski, Farmington, CT

Kelly Hale, Alexandria Bay, NY

Dixi Han, Shrewsbury, MA

Mia Holbrook, Pound Ridge, NY

Jen Holland, Guilford, CT

Kate Hong, Old Greenwich, CT

Sarah Houle, Sandy Hook, CT

Giada Izzo, Wallingford, CT

Samhita Kakarlapudi, Wilton, CT

Cora Koproski, Old Lyme, CT

Marissa Kulig Crow (p), Westfield, MA

Pamela Kuong, Wellesley Hills, MA

Ellie Large, West Hartford, CT

Samantha Leary, Hingham, MA

Leslie Li, West Hartford, CT

Jordan Lintz (p), Milford, CT

Sadie Martinez, Hartford, CT

Emma McCloskey, Palmer, MA

Bailey McGuigan, Trumbull, CT

Meghan Mitchell, New Canaan, CT

Lisa Muise, East Longmeadow, MA

Yvette O’Brien, Greenwich, CT

Lauren Ogrodowicz, Stratford, CT

Selam Olson, New Haven, CT

Caroline Petchark, Waterford, CT

Catarina Petrovic, Farmington, CT

Ariana Petrovic, Farmington, CT

Jo Rasmussen, Westport, CT

Jasmine Saramano, Guilford, CT

Sophia Sarrazin, Westport, CT

Taylor Schmidt (p), Westfield, MA

Kayla Schuberth, Wrentham, MA

Lynn Scully, Watertown, CT

Estela Segarra, Hartford, CT

Julia Smith, Plainville, CT

Alexis St. Laurent, Nashua, NH

Nancy Walker, South Windsor, CT

Jenny Walsh, Sutton, MA

Linda Wang, Plainview, NY

Zoey Yamamoto, Honolulu, HI

Milan Yorke, Ansonia, CT