Charlie Blanchard and Kirk Hanefeld Lead the 39th Connecticut Senior Open

Charlie Blanchard and Kirk Hanefeld Lead the 39th Connecticut Senior Open

Both shoot 65 and tie the course record at Shennecossett Golf Course

GROTON, Conn. (July 12, 2021) – Players today in the Connecticut Senior Open found Shennecossett Golf Course with its guard down. And, many including Charlie Blanchard of Warwick, RI and Kirk Hanefeld of Port St. Lucie, Fla., took advantage.

A total of 16 players shot under par on the course that has been recently softened by heavy rains. With the wind laying down as it was for most of the day, Shennecossett was rendered defenseless against the many skilled senior golfers who knew when to strike.

Blanchard and Hanefeld each shot 6-under par 65s, tying the course record most recently matched by 2019 champion Robin Byrd. Byrd was a late withdraw this morning as he competed in Sunday’s U.S. Senior Open in Nebraska.

Blanchard had 7 birdies and one bogey; while Hanefeld had a clean card, making 6 birdies and 12 pars.

But Blanchard and Hanefeld weren’t the only ones having a good scoring day.

John “Jumbo” Elliott of Atlantis, Fla., the 2017 champion, is a shot back. Elliott recorded 7 birdies and an eagle 3 on hole number 8 on his way to a 5-under par 66.

Dave Fusco of Stony Point, N.Y., and Chad Sorensen of Taft, Calif., are both 3 shots back after shooting 68s.

Defending Champion Jim Becker of Bloomfield, Conn., shot 1-over par 72 and is in a tie for 20th place entering into tomorrow’s final round. A total of 83 players, 48 professionals and 35 amateurs made the 18-hole cut. Starting times begin at 8 AM with the leaders teeing off at 12:21 PM.

The 2021 tournament is sponsored by Mohegan Sun and the PGA TOUR’s Korn Ferry Tour.

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Round 1 Results

 T1   Charlie Blanchard        Warwick, RI            65-0–65 -6

 T1   Kirk Hanefeld            Port St. Lucie, FL     65-0–65 -6

 3    John Elliott             Atlantis, FL           66-0–66 -5

 T4   Dave Fusco               Stony Point, NY        68-0–68 -3

 T4   Chad Sorensen            Taft, CA               68-0–68 -3

 T6   Jerry Courville          Stratford, CT          69-0–69 -2

 T6   Frank Bensel             Jupiter, FL            69-0–69 -2

 T6   Jason Gobleck            Middlefield, CT        69-0–69 -2

 T6   Darrell Kestner          Glen Cove, NY          69-0–69 -2

 T10  Michael Ryan             Johnston, RI           70-0–70 -1

 T10  Robert Meheran           Tampa, FL              70-0–70 -1

 T10  Jeffrey Dantas           Seekonk, MA            70-0–70 -1

 T10  Jason Goshdigian (a)     Coventry, CT           70-0–70 -1

 T10  Michael Petrick (a)      Wilbraham, MA          70-0–70 -1

 T10  Richard Stevens (a)      Woodbury, CT           70-0–70 -1

 T10  Alan Sorensen            Bakersfield, CA        70-0–70 -1

 T17  David Jones (a)          Norwich, CT            71-0–71 E

 T17  Christopher Toulson      Chappaqua, NY          71-0–71 E

 T17  Brian Owens              Coventry, RI           71-0–71 E

 T20  Robert Tramonti          Cumberland, RI         72-0–72 +1

 T20  Robert Bigonette         Fairfield, CT          72-0–72 +1

 T20  Jim Smoot                Huntington, NY         72-0–72 +1

 T20  James Becker             Bloomfield, CT         72-0–72 +1

 T20  Bob Kearney (a)          Houston, TX            72-0–72 +1

 T20  Bob Murphy (a)           Stratford, CT          72-0–72 +1

 T20  Frank Mattei             Tequesta, FL           72-0–72 +1

 T20  Donal Reilly (a)         Easton, CT             72-0–72 +1

 T20  Wayne Leal               Lake Worth, FL         72-0–72 +1

 T20  Peter Davison (a)        West Hartford, CT      72-0–72 +1

 T20  Paul Lejeune             Succasunna, NJ         72-0–72 +1

 T20  Jim Romaniello (a)       Stamford, CT           72-0–72 +1

 T20  Chuck Gomes (a)          Lakeville, MA          72-0–72 +1

 T33  Mark Vassalotti (a)      Stamford, CT           73-0–73 +2

 T33  Glen Boggini (a)         Coventry, CT           73-0–73 +2

 T33  Jan Wivestad             Watertown, CT          73-0–73 +2

 T33  Greg Farland             Sturbridge, MA         73-0–73 +2

 T33  Bill Hermanson (a)       East Lyme, CT          73-0–73 +2

 T33  David Szewczul (a)       Farmington, CT         73-0–73 +2

 T33  Dan Benedetti            West Springfield, MA   73-0–73 +2

 T33  Shaun Powers             Greenwich, CT          73-0–73 +2

 T33  Eric Egloff              Arnold, MD             73-0–73 +2

 T33  Kevin Foster (a)         Simsbury, CT           73-0–73 +2

 T33  Howie Friday             New Britain, CT        73-0–73 +2

 T33  Mark Toscano (a)         Westerly, RI           73-0–73 +2

 T33  John Manning             Tarrytown, NY          73-0–73 +2

 T33  Jack Kearney (a)         Peachtree City, GA     73-0–73 +2

 T47  Bob Mucha                Southwick, MA          74-0–74 +3

 T47  John Herbert (a)         New York, NY           74-0–74 +3

 T47  Charlie Bolling          Glen Cove, NY          74-0–74 +3

 T47  Dennis Bongiovanni (a)   Westbrook, CT          74-0–74 +3

 T47  Thomas Brett (a)         Hebron, CT             74-0–74 +3

 T47  Ralph Giansanti (a)      Farmington, CT         74-0–74 +3

 T47  Michael Mercier (a)      Juno Beach, FL         74-0–74 +3

 T47  Randy Daniels (a)        Sturbridge, MA         74-0–74 +3

 T47  Randy Rizy (a)           Middletown, CT         74-0–74 +3

 T47  Bart Weissman (a)        Stamford, CT           74-0–74 +3

 T47  Fran Marrello            Plymouth, CT           74-0–74 +3

 T58  Bruce Kraczkowsky (a)    Granby, CT             75-0–75 +4

 T58  Mike Gramelis            West Haven, CT         75-0–75 +4

 T58  Rick Bronson             Vass, NC               75-0–75 +4

 T58  Philip Krick             Groton, CT             75-0–75 +4

 T58  Hermen Dacones (a)       North Kingstown, RI    75-0–75 +4

 T58  Joe Cordani              Simsbury, CT           75-0–75 +4

 T58  Tim Gavronski            Kensington, CT         75-0–75 +4

 T58  Mal Galletta             New Rochelle, NY       75-0–75 +4

 T58  Mike Arter (a)           Lakeville, MA          75-0–75 +4

 T58  Tony Susi (a)            Gales Ferry CT         75-0–75 +4

 T58  Bob Flanagan             Lawrenceville, GA      75-0–75 +4

 T69  James Abbott (a)         Higganum, CT           76-0–76 +5

 T69  Ciaran Carr              Wethersfield, CT       76-0–76 +5

 T69  Rick Fleury              West Springfield, MA   76-0–76 +5

 T69  Bill Marsh (a)           West Hartford, CT      76-0–76 +5

 T69  Michael Fitzpatrick (a)  Fairfield, CT          76-0–76 +5

 T69  Mike Caporale            Manhasset, NY          76-0–76 +5

 T69  Mike Martin              Ansonia, CT            76-0–76 +5

 T69  Rick Shildneck (a)       Guilford, CT           76-0–76 +5

 T69  Chris Hedden             Waterford, CT          76-0–76 +5

 T69  Donny Jarvis             Bayville, NY           76-0–76 +5

 T69  Jim Hanlon               Wolcott, CT            76-0–76 +5

 T69  Tom Gleeton              Waterbury, CT          76-0–76 +5

 T69  Eric Ashworth (a)        Orange, CT             76-0–76 +5

 T69  Frank Geiger (a)         Fairfield, CT          76-0–76 +5

 T69  Nelson Long              Bedford, NY            76-0–76 +5

MISSED CUT

 MC   Bill Tefft (a)           Windsor, CT            77-0–77 +6

 MC   Lincoln Thompson (a)     South Glastonbury, CT  77-0–77 +6

 MC   Bart McCarthy            Ludlow, MA             77-0–77 +6

 MC   Todd Tremaglio           Wallingford, CT        77-0–77 +6

 MC   John Nowobilski          Manchester, CT         77-0–77 +6

 MC   James McCann             New Rochelle, NY       77-0–77 +6

 MC   Ivan Lendl (a)           Goshen, CT             77-0–77 +6

 MC   John Bushka              Stratford, CT          77-0–77 +6

 MC   Rob Tedoldi Jr (a)       South Windsor, CT      77-0–77 +6

 MC   Michael Lazzara (a)      Bridgeport, CT         77-0–77 +6

 MC   Greg Fisk (a)            East Longmeadow, MA    77-0–77 +6

 MC   Frank Szymkowicz         Warwick, RI            77-0–77 +6

 MC   Jason Zaniewski (a)      Woodbury, CT           77-0–77 +6

 MC   Jon Cote                 Guilford, CT           77-0–77 +6

 MC   Derek Waddington (a)     Trinity, FL            78-0–78 +7

 MC   Rick Leal                West Springfield, MA   78-0–78 +7

 MC   Tim Edwards              Trumbull, CT           78-0–78 +7

 MC   William Wallis           New Haven, CT          78-0–78 +7

 MC   Tom Henderson            Greenwich, CT          78-0–78 +7

 MC   John Rainone             North Kingstown, RI    78-0–78 +7

 MC   Jeff DelRosso            Cheshire, CT           78-0–78 +7

 MC   Archie Cart              Old Saybrook, CT       78-0–78 +7

 MC   Drew Greenland (a)       Norwalk, CT            78-0–78 +7

 MC   Chris Maxwell (a)        Farmington, CT         78-0–78 +7

 MC   Patrick Aldrich          Windsor, CT            78-0–78 +7

 MC   Scott Huebner (a)        Trumbull, CT           78-0–78 +7

 MC   Mike Byrne (a)           Avon, CT               79-0–79 +8

 MC   Jack McConachie          Plainville, CT         79-0–79 +8

 MC   Bob Sparks               Torrington, CT         79-0–79 +8

 MC   Robert Moriarty (a)      Fairfield, CT          79-0–79 +8

 MC   Bill Regan (a)           Southbury, CT          79-0–79 +8

 MC   Brian Foley (a)          Longmeadow, MA         79-0–79 +8

 MC   Jake Socha (a)           Ludlow, MA             79-0–79 +8

 MC   Jeff Warne               Sag Harbor, NY         79-0–79 +8

 MC   Kerry Johnston           Indio, CA              79-0–79 +8

 MC   Michael Bechard          Longmeadow, MA         80-0–80 +9

 MC   Mark Vasington (a)       West Hartford, CT      80-0–80 +9

 MC   Jeffrey Dolin (a)        Coventry, CT           80-0–80 +9

 MC   Phil Rusnack             Glen Cove, NY          80-0–80 +9

 MC   CY Kilgore (a)           Beverly, MA            80-0–80 +9

 MC   Todd Payne (a)           Bridgewater, CT        80-0–80 +9

 MC   John Klug                Shelton, CT            81-0–81 +10

 MC   Dave Giacondino          Wallingford, CT        81-0–81 +10

 MC   Ronnie Pfaefflin         Winsted, CT            81-0–81 +10

 MC   Michael Myszkowski       Groton, CT             81-0–81 +10

 MC   Dave Cook                Middlefield, CT        81-0–81 +10

 MC   Terrence Ruzzo (a)       East Hampton, CT       81-0–81 +10

 MC   Jim Lathrop (a)          North Stonington, CT   81-0–81 +10

 MC   Kenneth Passero (a)      Norwalk, CT            81-0–81 +10

 MC   Jim MacDonald            Middleburg, FL         81-0–81 +10

 MC   Shawn McLoughlin (a)     Newtown, CT            81-0–81 +10

 MC   Ray Underwood (a)        New Preston, CT        81-0–81 +10

 MC   Ray Ford                 Ridgefield, CT         81-0–81 +10

 MC   Kregg Moyer              Purdys, NY             81-0–81 +10

 MC   Brendan Burke (a)        Berlin, CT             82-0–82 +11

 MC   Cob Carlson (a)          Hopkinton, MA          82-0–82 +11

 MC   Bobby Powell             Hartford, CT           82-0–82 +11

 MC   John Reeves              Bedford, NY            82-0–82 +11

 MC   David Jubinville (a)     S Hadley, MA           83-0–83 +12

 MC   Chris Grimsey            Uncasville, CT         83-0–83 +12

 MC   Adrian Ponce             Hopewell Junction, NY  83-0–83 +12

 MC   Ron Dellostritto         Branford, CT           84-0–84 +13

 MC   Bobby Capobianco         Oldsmar, FL            84-0–84 +13

 MC   Sam Rio (a)              Farmington, CT         86-0–86 +15

 MC   Jack Bracken (a)         Avon, CT               87-0–87 +16

 MC   Dan Chase (a)            Haddam Neck, CT        87-0–87 +16

 MC   Mitchell Etess (a)       Lyme, CT               88-0–88 +17

 MC   Tony Coppola (a)         Norwalk, CT            88-0–88 +17

 MC   Kevin Carrozza (a)       Bridgewater, MA        93-0–93 +22

 WD   Rob Bartha (a)           East Hartford, CT

 WD   Robin Byrd               Satellite Beach, FL

 WD   Troy David (a)           Muttontown, NY

 WD   Mike Kanios              Shelton, CT

 NC   Mark Pandolfi (a)        West Suffield, CT      +5

 NC   James Schettino (a)      Southbury, CT          +9

 NC   Howard Tryon (a)         Niantic, CT            +11

 NC   Robert Wenz              Union, NJ