Cook, Day co-medalists after 2 rnds

TRUMBULL » The excitement of competing in match play at the Connecticut Amateur doesn’t happen if you don’t make the cut after two challenging rounds of stroke play.

For Nick Cook and Ben Day qualifying for the match play portion of the Connecticut State Golf Association’s oldest event wasn’t an issue.

Cook, representing Tashua Knolls Golf Club and Day, who plays out of New Haven Country Club, shared medalist honors after two rounds of stroke play qualifying at the 115th Connecticut Amateur, shooting a sizzling 6-under-par 138 at Tashua Knolls.

The tournament, which began with 129 players on Monday, now features just 32. The rounds of 32 and 16 will take place Wednesday at Tashua Knolls, beginning at 7:30 a.m.

Michael Van Der Laan from Southbury shot a 5-under-par 139 over two rounds, while Nicklaus Harrington (The Windham Club)

FROM PAGE 1 and Shelton resident Richard Dowling each posted a 4-under 140.

After carding a 6-under 66 in Monday’s first round, Cook carded an even-par 72 Tuesday. He was at 10-under through 14, but bogeyed the final four holes.

“I was playing really solid up until the last four holes,” said Cook, a Stamford resident. “I began hitting some loose shots and paid the price for it. There’s a lot of positives to take away from today though.”

The second round included eight birdies and eight pars for Cook, who plays Bobby Osborn of Country Club of Darien in the Round of 32 of match play on Wednesday.

“I love match play, it is a different game,” Cook said. “It involves more strategy.”

Day shot a 3-under 69 in the first round and came in at 3-under 69 in the second.

“It’s really nice to put two good rounds together, heading into the stroke-play portion of the tournament,” said Day, an North Haven resident.

He parred 11 holes and sank five birdies in Tuesday’s second round.

“My mentality going into match play is to wipe the slate clean,” Day said. “I’ll try to pretend that I slid in and wipe the slate clean for match play. I’ve been to the quarterfinals in this tournament before and I’ve usually fared better in strokeplay events, so I hope to get my way around that this year.”

Day plays Christopher Ayers (Wethersfield Country Club) in the Round of 32.

Danbury resident Max Theodorakis (Ridgewood Country Club), Mike Kennedy (Mill River Country Club) and Preston Shortell (Golf Club at Oxford Greens) each posted a 2-under-par 142 over two rounds to advance to match play.

A Danbury High School graduate, Theodorakis shot a 1-over 72 in the second round, after firing a 69 in the opening round.

“It was pretty windy out there today,” Theodorakis said. “It was breezy yesterday (Monday), but not like today. I feel like I played the whole back nine into the wind. I had a lot of birdie looks again, but could not get anything going on the green. The main goal was to make match play and see what happens and I was able to do that.”

Theodorakis tees off against Ronald Soccoli Jr. (New Haven Country Club) in the first round of match play. VanDerLaan had a standout round, shooting a 5-under 67, behind six birdies and 11 pars.

“Yesterday (Monday), I hit it well enough to get a good score, today, I knew if I went out and made a couple of putts, I could shoot lower,” VanDerLaan said. “For match play, you have to make small adjustments to your strategy and go out and play the golf course.”

He plays on a Florida Southern squad with his older brother John that recently won an NCAA title.

“It has been really cool playing on the team with my brother,” VanDerLaan said. “It made the transition smoother for me. It’s been really cool to see the type of player he’s developed into.”