Tennis legend Lendl appreciates the game of golf
Dishing out some tournament tidbits from the 35th Connecticut Senior Open and 91st Norwich Invitational:
• Ran into Ivan Lendl in the Shennecossett Golf Course pro shop on Monday after the International Tennis Hall of Fame member completed the first round at the Connecticut Senior Open.
Lendl, who lives in Goshen, spent some time talking about golf.
Here's what he said when asked if tennis or golf is harder to master:
"Every sport has something to it," Lendl said. "It's always easy to say golf because I was better at tennis. In golf, you make a mistake and you really pay for it. In tennis, I can have a lousy half hour and nobody even thinks it is a close match. You can win 1-6, 6-2, 6-2, 6-2 and everybody thinks it was an easy match, yet I played terrible for a half hour. I play badly for a half hour here and I'm out of it.
"Physically, obviously, tennis (is harder). Mentally, I say golf. You can pick every sport and say why they are tougher than others."
Lendl shot an 80 and failed to make the cut. He plans to continue to work on his game.
"I'm trying to get better," Lendl said. "I'm not going to conquer it. As long as I get good enough to beat my buddies, I'm okay. "
• John Elliott, a Norwich Free Academy graduate, will attempt to keep the momentum going from capturing his first Connecticut Senior Open Tuesday. He won on the first playoff hole.
He's competing in the Greater Bangor Open, which started Thursday and ends Friday. Last year, he finished with a threeround total of 205 (67-68-70) in that event and didn't contend for the title.
"I'm almost 100 percent sure I can win if I putt well," Elliott said. "I was leading a couple of years ago and then it rained one round out. When I feel good and I'm in decent shape, I feel I can do well in all divisions."
Then he'll head to Augusta to compete in the Maine Open on Monday and Tuesday. In early Au-
August, he'll travel to Minnesota to play in a qualifier for the Champions Tour.
• Billy Downes, the runnerup in the Connecticut Senior Open, enjoyed his first time playing in the tournament so much that he plans to come back next year.
"This will be on my calendar for as long as I can swing a club," said Downes, who's from Longmeadow, Mass.
It also was his first time playing at Shennecossett, but not his first visit there. He once caddied at the Groton course.
Shennecossett will host the Connecticut Senior Open for the 21st time next summer.
• Almost lost in the thrilling finish on Tuesday was that fact the Clifford Blanchard of Warwick, R.I., made a strong run at the Shennecossett course record.
He posted a sizzling 6-under 65, one stroke shy of tying the mark set about four years ago by Blake Morris. He had seven birdies, including four on the front nine, and a bogey. He shot 33 on the front and 32 on the back.
Morris, who's from Waterbury and played college golf at the University of Mississippi, accomplished the feat despite scoring a double bogey on the 14th hole. He had a 30 on the front and 34 on the back nine.
An interesting note about Morris, whose scorecard from that day hangs behind the counter in the pro shop: Morris played that day in the same foursome as Lendl.
• Last weekend's 91st Norwich Invitational provided Norwich Golf Course a chance to show off its beautiful new clock that stands in the circle near the clubhouse.
Pro Mike Svab used money that he raised through his fall tournament to purchase the clock, which is just over 12 feet tall and has a rose on its face. It has also LED lighting.
Landscaping was completed this week for the Rose Circle Renovation Project.
"Mike was the driving force behind that," said John Marion, a Norwich Golf Course association member.
A great gesture by Svab and much-appreciated by the Norwich Golf Course extended family.
"Mike is that kind of guy," assistant pro Jeff Doerr said. "It's a pleasure working with him. He's a good team leader and takes good care of the staff and members. He did a good thing."
• Chris Vincent of Norwich was a serious contender to win his first Norwich Invite title. He fell short, losing in the championship flight semifinals, 1-up, to Drew Aitken. Along the way, Vincent knocked off two previous champions in Nick Harrington and Bill Hermanson.
Svab predicted during Friday's qualifying round that Vincent would have a good tournament. Nice call, Mike.
Vincent is the director of basketball operations for the Yale men's program.
He once served as an assistant for the Coast Guard Academy men's basketball team and worked for the Connecticut Sun of the WNBA as an assistant video coordinator.
Short putts
• Good to see Casey Roan back at Shennecossett as an assistant professional. He previously held the same position there before leaving to become head pro at River Ridge Golf Course in Jewett City.
"I wanted to spend more time with my kids and play more golf," Roan said about the job change.
Pro Todd Goodhue is thrilled that Roan has rejoined his staff.
"It works out best for him and great for us," Goodhue said.
• Nick Harrington, the 2016 Norwich Invitational champion and member of the UConn golf team, has qualified for the U.S. Amateur Championship. He earned a spot by shooting a 4-under 138 (69-69) and taking second at a qualifier at Farmington Country Club on Monday.
Harrington, who graduated from Parish Hill in Chaplin, is the fourth Husky in the last five years to make the field in the U.S. Amateur Championship, which is Aug. 14-20 at the Riviera Country Club in Pacific Palisades, Calif., and Bel-Air Country Club in Los Angeles.
"I'm super excited," Harrington said in a release from UConn. "It's just something you dream about getting to do. I can't wait to go."
• Jeff Pucci joined the hole-inone club on Saturday at Stonington Country Club by using a nine iron to ace the 120-yard, second hole. Jeff Marrone, Lance Hamilton and David Arcari witnessed the momentous occasion.
• Jim and Shawn McMahon will compete in the Connecticut State Golf Association's 81st Father & Son Championship for the 16th time. It will be held at Madison Country Club on Tuesday. Jim is a member at Shennecossett while Shawn belongs to Wampanoag Country Club in West Hartford.
Other duos with local ties in the field include: Frankie Lee (Connecticut National) and Stephen Lee (Norwich) and Frank Villazante (Mohegan Sun Golf Club) and Frank Villazante III (Windham Club).
• Matt Smith and Phil Perry of Black Hall Club, Kevin Riley of Pequot Golf Club, Robert Taggart III of Lake of Isles and Keith Anthony of Fox Hopyard all qualified for the 83rd Connecticut Open Championship, which will run from July 31 to Aug. 2 at Ellington Ridge Country Club. Adam Rainaud, now a former assistant pro at Black Club in Old Lyme, won the 2016 title.
Upcoming events
• The 36-hole qualifying tournament for the Shennecossett men's club championship runs July 28 and July 29. The champion will be crowned on Aug. 13. Craig Lambert is the defending champion.
• The Pequot men's club championship stroke play tournament begins on July 30 with first round action. Round two and three will be Aug. 5 and Aug. 6.
• Stonington Country Club's Championship Day is Aug. 6 when both men's and women's club championships will decided. The senior club finals are set for Aug. 20.
• The Williams School is hosting its 5th Annual Pamela Lancaster Pettinari '77 Memorial Golf Tournament on Sept. 25 at Great Neck Country Club in Waterford. The registration fee of $175 includes lunch, 18 holes of golf, food and drink in the course and dinner.
The event benefits the PLP'77 Scholarship Fund that allows two families to send a child to The Williams School for a reduced rate. For more information, contact Bill Furgueson at wfurgueson@williamsschool.org or call 860-439-2769. Register online at www.williamsschool.org/plp2017.
• Please email any golf tournament results, aces, or interesting golf-related news to g.keefe@theday.com