CHAMPIONSHIPS
Bracken Shoots Age , Wins One Day at CC of Waterbury
S hortly before teeing off in the CSGA One Day Tournament at the Country Club of Waterbury on July 10 , Jack Bracken was complaining about Father Time .
“ The window is closing ,” said Bracken , “ I ’ m trying to pull it up , keep it propped open , but it feels like there is a guy on the other side of the window trying to slam it shut !”
Standing nearby , CSGA Executive Director , Mike Moraghan asked what the guy on the other side of the window looked like . “ Hey Jack , is he just some younger , fitter guy , or is he dressed in a hooded black cape and carrying a big sickle ?”
“ Oh , it ’ s not the grim reaper ,” Bracken shot back , “ definitely a younger guy , maybe more than one trying to close my window !”
With that Bracken ventured out onto Waterbury ’ s great Donald Ross designed golf course and proceeded to turn back time .
Twice a Connecticut Amateur runner-up who has qualified for seven USGA Championships , won the Hartford Golf Club Men ’ s Championship at least once in each of the last four decades , and captured the CSGA Senior Amateur in 2013 , Bracken has spent a lifetime succeeding in championship competition .
What he did at Waterbury only adds to the legendary career of a man whose playing opportunities still look to be unlimited .
Starting with four consecutive threes , Bracken was quickly three-under par . He offset bogies at # 5 and # 14 with birdies at # 11 and # 12 to remain three-under . With a birdie on # 17 and a par on # 18 Bracken produced an extraordinary round of 65 on the par 69 layout , good for a six shot victory over current Connecticut Senior Match Play Champion Tom Brett , who also happens to be a much younger man still in his mid-fifties .
And by four strokes the 69 year-old Bracken also smashed that rare golfing accomplishment of shooting one ’ s age , something which for Bracken will likely only get easier after he turns 70 next March .
As for that guy on the outside trying to close the Bracken window ; apparently he has left to try his hand at some other old house .
32 | CSGA Links // July , 2017 www . csgalinks . org