Sun forced to make tough roster decisions

The Connecticut Sun did most of their heavy lifting early in the offseason. There was the blockbuster for three-time All-Star DeWanna Bonner, followed by a series of smaller additions — through free agency, trades and the draft — to supplement the roster.

With the team’s core in place, head coach and general manager Curt Miller had hoped to use training camp to determine the final few spots. But he never got the chance.

The Sun waived four players, including Juicy Landrum, their third-round pick out of Baylor (35th overall). Those moves were announced Monday, one day before the deadline that was agreed upon by the WNBA and its players’ union for teams to get under the salary cap.

This ensured players could start getting paid June 1, but it put all 12 teams in a tough spot. Landrum, and the Sun’s three other cuts — Jacki Gemelos, Jazmon Gwathmey and Megan Huff, all training camp signees — didn’t get even a single practice to prove they belonged.

“Trimming the roster was incredibly hard,” Sun vice president Amber Cox said. “I know Curt was very excited about every person who was coming in — it was going to be an extremely competitive camp. But from the business side to the basketball, we all have to roll with it, do the best we can and hope for the best.”

“Ultimately we have to decide, because we can’t do it all together,

at 6:30 in the morning and have tee times ready to go.”

There won’t be much change on the course for the 68 entrants. No golfers can touch the flagsticks. There are no rakes in the bunkers. There will be no caddies or spectators. Golfers can either walk or ride a cart by himself.

At the actual Amateur, players will have to walk. No caddies will be allowed there either.

Miller said each of the pins at Oronoque CC has a lever that golfers can flick so the ball automatically pops up. Moraghan said a ball that lands in an unraked portion of a bunker, it could be treated as ground under repair, resulting in a drop without penalty.

Normally, players would receive a scorecard, a sheet with hole locations and a pencil on the first tee. Tees, ball markers, bug spray, maybe refreshments, would all be available there.

Not on Tuesday. “All that goes away,” Moraghan said.

Players will instead keep an opponent’s scores on their phone. When they finish, they will all stand near the scorer’s area and players will read the scores on each hole to a member of the CSGA staff, who will log it online — all with everyone social distancing.

There will be no scoreboard present, so golfers will have to view online who shot what and who qualified for the Amateur.

Moraghan noted that limited numbers will be allowed at a time to Oronoque

CC’s practice areas. Masks need to be worn in the clubhouse and in areas where social distancing is not possible. But they are not required while playing.

Tee times off the first tee are in 10-minute intervals.

Miller reiterated, it’s a chance for the golfers — and the club — to take a step toward some normalcy.

“The hardest thing about the whole situation in a country club atmosphere is you are programmed to say yes and want to help people, but safety is so paramount, sometimes you have to say no,” Miller said. “(The pandemic) has definitely changed the mindset for sure.”

NEW ENGLAND JUNIOR CANCELED

Connecticut will have to wait another year to try for the three-peat as New England Junior champions.

The New England Golf Association canceled the 51st New England Junior on Friday due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It was scheduled for Aug. 11-12 at Ledgemont CC in Seekonk, Mass.

Connecticut won last year’s 54-hole invitational tournament by 17 strokes over Massachusetts at Mill River CC in Stratford. The tournament is scheduled to be held in Maine in 2021.

The New England Amateur is still on as scheduled, July 21-23 at Concord CC in Concord, Mass. The entry deadline is Thursday at 5 p.m.