Erica Barnes from Kensington won the 45th Connecticut Women's Amateur Thursday by 3 shots over Branford's Jen Holland. This was the first time Barnes, 18, participated in the event.
Barnes owned a six-shot lead after nine holes. Holland, the 2008 champion, cut the deficit to three after 14 holes, but missed a two-foot putt for par on the 15th hole to cut it to two.
Barnes, who plays for the Hofstra women's golf team, parred the last three holes for the victory and finished with a three-round total 242.
Lida Tingley, a former eight-time champion, and Becky Montgelas tied for third at 248.

My alter ego takes on the fourth hole at Mill River Country Club in Stratford in Thursday's editions and on www.nhregister.com. Only two more will follow before my alter ego ranks the 18 holes he played this year.

All three players with Connecticut connections lost their opening-round matches at the U.S. Women's Amateur Wednesday at Charlotte CC in Charlotte, N.C.
Natalie Sheary of West Hartford lost 2-up to Aimee Neff of Carmel, Ind. Isabelle Lendl of Goshen lost in 19 holes to Erynne Lee at Silverdale, Wash. Her younger sister, Daniela, lost 3 and 2 to Junthima Gulyanamitta of West Lafayette, Ind.
For the rest of the match-play results from the opening round of the Amateur, view them here.

Erica Barnes, an 18-year-old who plays out of Timberlin GC, posted a 6-over-par 79 to take a 1-shot lead after day two of the Connecticut Women's Amateur at Oronoque Country Club in Stratford.
This is the first time Barnes, who plays for the women's golf team at Hofstra University, has played in the event. Her 36-hole total is 162 (83-79). She is one shot ahead of first-round leader Jen Holland. The Branford resident and member at Lyman Orchards Gc in Middlefield shot an 83 after an opening round 80.
Lida Tingley (Hartford GC) is in third place after a pair of 82s has left her at 164. Becky Montgelas of Wee Burnn CC in Darien ia fourth at 165.

Brandon Parker of Massachusetts and Jeff Hedden from the Black Hall Club in Old Lyme earned the two spots in the U.S. Amateur qualifier at New Haven Country Club Monday.
Parker was the medalist, posting a pair of 3-under-par 68s to shot a 36-hole total of 136. Hedden shot 71-67-138 to nab the other spot.
Evan Beirne, the reigning Met Amateur champion, shot 70-71, then beat the Connecticut Amateur champion, Bernie D'Amato, in a sudden-death playoff to earn the first alternate spot.
The U.S. Amateur Championship will be held Aug. 23-29 at Chambers Bay CC in University Place, Wash.

Fairfield native J.J. Henry shot a 9-under-par 63 to finish second at the Turning Stone Resort Championship Sunday in Verona, N.Y. He finished 1 shot behind winner Bill Lunde.
This was the best finish of the year for Henry, 35, and only his second top-10, the other being at the Quail Hollow Championship three months ago. This is the first time he has finished second since the Mayakoba Golf Classic last year.
This effort will help him move up in both the FedEx Cup and money leader standings. But Henry needed to win in order to qualify for the PGA Championship this week.

In Thursday's print edition and online at www.newhavenregister.com, we preview the Connecticut Juniors as they try to win the New England Championship next week in New Hampshire. Among those competing is three-term team member Brian Engstrom of Branford.

Also, check out my alter ego, Average Joe, to see if he can make par on the downhill, 125-yard par-3 at Mill River Country Club in Stratford.