The CSGA Links Volume 5 Issue 2 June 2017 | Page 27

It’s huge….It really means a lot to me. This is one of my favorite tournaments all year - I
love the course and I’ve always wanted to win it. A lot of hard work and long days have gone
into this, and it definitely gives me a lot of confidence going into the summer.
leaderboard until I saw that Giulietti was only one
stroke back and I was only three back,” said Mullen.

Throughout the afternoon round, six different
players held a share of the lead, but none could hold
onto it. With Dietrich posting a +7 total of 214,
Mullen knew he needed something special to have a
chance. Even with a bogey on #14, Mullen was only
two back at +9 for the tournament with four holes
to play. And that’s where the magic began.

A 30-foot curling birdie putt on #15 closed
the gap to one. A fifteen foot birdie putt on seventeen
pulled him even with Dietrich. A monstrous tee shot
on #18 left him with just 150 yards left on the 445-
yard finishing hole. A 9-iron to within six feet of
the hole left him with a chance to win. And a single
confident stroke later left a smiling Mullen with the
trophy.

“After that putt went in, it was just relief,”
said Mullen. “It was such a grind out there all day
that it was hard to believe I had come back to win.”

The Russell C. Palmer Cup marks Mullen’s
“
The Russell C. Palmer Cup marks Mullen’s second
Eric Dietrich, The Farms CC
CSGA title, having won the Connecticut Junior
Amateur in 2010. In 2014, he was in a three-way
playoff for the Palmer Cup and lost to eventual
champion Blake Morris. This year, three birdies in
the final four holes for a back-nine 30 left no doubt.
14th Russell C. Palmer Cup
Presented by the Lincoln Motor Company
May 23-24- Country Club of Waterbury (Par 69)
1st: Monte Mullen, TPC River Highlands 69-78-66--213
2nd: Eric Dietrich, The Farms CC 74-68-72--214
T-3rd: Kyle Nolin, Tallwood CC 71-71-73--215

Dave Szewczul, Tunxis Plantation CC 73-69-73--215
T-5th: Chandler Morris, CC of Waterbury 73-71-72--216
David Giulietti, GC of Avon 69-70-77--216
T-7th: Brian Ahern, Wampanoag CC 73-77-67--217
73-70-74--217
Patrick Casey, Torrington CC
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CSGA Links // June, 2017 | 27