June 26, 2011
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - A shocking turnaround at No. 9 sparked senior Tommy McDonagh's (East Norwalk, Conn.) comeback to capture the 109th Connecticut Amateur golf title at Rolling Hills Country Club in Wilton, CT on Saturday.
As the grueling weeklong tournament slowly reached its end, it was obvious McDonagh was not giving up as he faced a three-hole deficit through 25 holes against Matt Smith from Quinnatissett Country Club.
On No. 8, the 26th hole of the day, Norwalk's Shorehaven Golf Club member, McDonagh, sunk an 8-foot par, slimming Smith's 3-up lead and making way for his most remarkable feat of the tournament.
As McDonagh slammed his drive on No. 9 into a tree, he was forced to backtrack to the rough behind the eighth green. The succeeding strokes were crucial to staying afloat in the tournament. With two powerful strokes over the treetops, McDonagh miraculously bypassed the ninth fairway and landed his ball on the ninth green, allowing him to square off with a chip and foot-long put to place him one back from Smith.
McDonagh went on to win four straight holes, leaving no room for Smith to recover and ultimately assuring himself of his second Amateur title, 3 and 2.
McDonagh's last Amateur title came in 2006, when the 16-year-old high school senior made history as he became the youngest champion in the Connecticut Amateur's 104 years.