The Middletown Press (Middletown, CT)
New Canaan’s Mitchell wins tournament
STRATFORD — Meghan Mitchell is used to winning. She was an integral part of the last three New Canaan High School girls golf teams that won both the FCIAC and CIAC girls state championships each time.
Individual competition is different than a team one, but knowing how to win always helps. So does having course knowledge. Mitchell benefited from both Thursday.
Mitchell shot a 76 to win the 54th Connecticut Women’s Amateur at Oronoque Country Club by two strokes over Alex Fox.
“It’s like a onceinalifetime experience. I’m so happy I got to do it before I head off to Ap (Appalachian) State in the fall,” Mitchell said. “(New Canaan girls coach Priscilla Schulz) always said I think too much, and sometimes I do. I remember the things she taught me the past four years and continue to think about it. It was great to have had her has a coach.”
Mitchell, who finished with a tworound total of 13overpar 157, played her regularseason matches at New Canaan CC, but she also has a membership at Oronoque CC. So knowing how to navigate around the tight course was helpful.
“I knew what I needed to do on every hole,” Mitchell said. “I knew the shots I needed to hit and knew where I couldn’t hit it. I know the course really well. That was a big advantage.”
Mitchell, 18, was in the final group with both Fox and Kyra Cox, the defending champion who led by four strokes after the opening round, the only player to break 80 on Wednesday (76).
But Cox, who is entering her sophomore season as a member of the Furman University women’s golf team, got off to a rough start Thursday, making a triplebogey 7 on the first hole. She never recovered and fell out of contention on the back nine. Cox finished with a 91 and tied for sixth place, 10 shots behind Mitchell.
“I had a really hard time with my swing and with my game and this was all the frustration with it. I’m not seeing the results I normally see. I haven’t been in a situation where I can’t fix anything. That was frustrating,” Cox said. “I wanted to come out here and figure my game out. I want to feel comfortable with my swing and feel comfortable with my game going into college. It wasn’t much about winning. I want to get to a place where I meet my own expectations.”
Mitchell, who will be leaving Aug. 12 for Division I Appalachian State, did have the lead on the front nine before falling back into a tie with Fox, a member of the Ellington High School boys golf team, after 10 holes. Fox was Ellington’s No. 2 player as a sophomore.
“I think the high school golf helps with these kind of tournaments because when I play with the boys. It’s kind of cool to be able to keep up with them on the drives and not be super far behind,” said Fox, who said she can hit it 260 yards off the tee. “So I think it helps with my distance.”
The two players had identical scores on seven of the nine holes on the back nine. The big difference was No. 13, a dogleg right par4. Mitchell made a bogey, but Fox made a triple bogey.
Mitchell knew she had that twoshot advantage and managed to keep it the rest of the way.
“Usually in team events, I don’t get that anxious, but since this is an individual event I guess I got more nervous than usual,” Mitchell said. “My dad (Steve, her caddie) helped me so much. He kept saying, ‘It’s just a game.’ ”
Fox said she didn’t know where she stood and preferred not to. She finished with a 79.
“It’s nice to focus just on playing instead of where you stand in the tournament,” Fox said.
Jen Holland of Guilford, and a member at Lyman Orchards GC in Middlefield, a former winner of the event, placed third, six shots behind Fox. Holland, who also won the Senior Division title, finished with a 36hole total of 165.
Emily Cohen (CC of Darien) and Mia Scarpati (Ridgewood CC), tied for fourth, one shot behind Holland.