Congratulations to Brian Ahern for adding the Connecticut State Golf Association Mid-Amateur Championship title to the CSGA Amateur that he won 11 years ago.
The 35-year-old from Wampanoag Country Club in West Hartford rallied from a three-stroke deficit after the first round to a five-stroke victory over two-time CSGA player of the year Jeff Hedden at Rockrimmon CC in Stamford.
Ahern shot 1-under-par 143 for 36 holes Tuesday to finish as the only player under par at 213. Ahern, who took five years off from competitive golf in the middle of the decade, took the lead after a morning 70 and never was threatened during an afternoon 73.
"I couldn't be more thrilled than you can possibly imagine," Ahern told The Hartford Courant. "This one trumps the Am."
Ahern got no argument from Hedden, who was trying to join close friend and fellow Black Hall Club in Old Lyme standout Bill Hermanson as a five-time winner of the event for players 25 and over.
"From tee to green, Brian was consistent all day," said Hedden, who shot 72-75 while playing with Ahern and first-round leader Jim Gentile, the winner in 1997 and 2004 who tied for sixth after 78-77. "I couldn't put any pressure on him, in part because he was so steady and good."
Ahern's play was especially noteworthy after the 1998 UConn grad returned to golf 21/2 years ago after the five-year hiatus.
"Golf was life and death, and I needed to get away," he said.
But Ahern has now got back in a big way, showing that perseverance, determination, a better mental approach and a good game plan can go a long way.
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