Justin Seymour smiles and gives a fist bump to Patrick Sheridan after walking off the 18th hole with a victory at the Matterhorn International Pro-Am miniature golf tournament Saturday in Canton. Seymour won by a tournament record three strokes.
CANTON, September 23, 2018 – A year ago, East Hartford’s Justin Seymour was close to the lead at the Matterhorn International Pro-Am. But he couldn’t get to the top losing the first annual miniature golf tournament at Matterhorn Mini Golf by a stroke.
On Saturday, Seymour grabbed the lead in the third round and never gave it back, winning the International Pro-Am by a tournament record three strokes over Danny Olejnik of Freeport, New York, 198-201. East Granby’s Stephen Langlois, who won the amateur division here a year ago, was third with a 202.
In the amateur division, Canton’s Dan Hurley beat Canton’s Dave Hudon on the third hole of a sudden death playoff to win the title. Both finished with a three-round total of 125.
Seymour, a student at Central Connecticut State University in New Britain, shot a seven-under-par 38 in the third round to grab the lead from South Windsor’s Anna Wallace, who led for the first two rounds. Seymour led Wallace by two shots.
Manchester’s Patrick Sheridan watches the ball go across the green at the Matterhorn International Pro-Am on Saturday. More photos
Seymour shot a 41 in the fourth round but saw his lead swell to four shots over Olejnik and Langlois. Wallace had a tough round with an even par 45. Seymour finished with a 39 in the fifth and final round to win the $500 first prize. There were 13 professional golfers in the Pro-Am with the top eight finishers taking home some prize money.
“You need to stay focused and don’t lose your cool,” said Seymour, who came into the tournament with four previous tournament victories, including a win this summer in New Jersey. “On every shot, you have to stay focused. You learn to adjust your nerves.”
Seymour is studying accounting and finance at Central. He doesn’t play on the school’s golf team. “I like mini golf better,” he said with a grin and a laugh. “I’m better at it. I’m better at putting than driving and chipping.”
Olejnik tied a tournament record with a 37 in the fourth round. Seymour, Patrick Sheridan and Randy Rice each shot a 37 in last year’s inaugural tournament. The course record is a 36.
While Wallace had a tough third and fourth round, she did set a tournament record with 10 aces in her five rounds of play. Wallace shot a 39 in the first round for a one-shot lead over Seymour and had a 38 in the second round, stretching her lead to three shots. But she fell out of contention with a 43 in the third round and a 45 in the fourth round.
Dan Hurley tees off during the amateur division playoff. More photos.
In the amateur division, Hurley got off to a tough start with an opening round 45, three shots off the lead but he shot back-to-back rounds of 40 to finish with a three-round total of 125.
Hurley said the difference was the sun coming out. “I was cold,” he admitted. “How many times did I say that I wished I had a long-sleeve shirt on.”
Hudon had an opening round 44 but tied an amateur tournament record with a 39 in the second round to take a two stroke lead. He shot a 42 in the third round to also finish with a 125.
Hurley won the championship on the third playoff hole.
Medalists in the professional division at the Matterhorn International Pro-Am Saturday in Canton. Front row, from left to right: Steven Langlois, Justin Seymour and Danny Olejnik. Back row, from left to right: Patrick Sheridan, Randy Rice, Mark Novicki, Anna Wallace and Brian Coscina. More photos.
2018 Matterhorn Mini Golf
International Pro-Am
At Canton (par 45)
| Professional Division (top 10) | |||||||
| Name | R1 | R2 | R3 | R4 | R5 | Total | Avg. |
| Justin Seymour, East Hartford, $500 | 40 | 40 | 38 | 41 | 39 | 198 | 39.6 |
| Danny Olejnik, Freeport, NY, $250 | 42 | 42 | 42 | 37 | 38 | 201 | 40.2 |
| Steven Langlois, East Granby, $150 | 43 | 41 | 40 | 39 | 39 | 202 | 40.4 |
| Pat Sheridan, Manchester, $100 | 41 | 42 | 42 | 39 | 40 | 204 | 40.8 |
| Anna Wallace, South Windsor, $50 | 39 | 38 | 43 | 45 | 40 | 205 | 41.0 |
| Randy Rice, Hicksville, NY, $50 | 42 | 41 | 41 | 41 | 40 | 205 | 41.0 |
| Brian Coscina, $50 | 41 | 42 | 41 | 41 | 42 | 207* | 41.4 |
| Mark Novicki, East Hartford, $50 | 43 | 40 | 43 | 40 | 41 | 207* | 41.4 |
| Robert Boisvert, Newington | 42 | 41 | 44 | 38 | 42 | 207 | 41.4 |
| Jonah Hurley, Canton | 41 | 41 | 42 | 41 | 47 | 212 | 42.4 |
| *Finished seventh, eighth after winning one-hole playoff. 13 professionals played. | |||||||
The medalists in the amateur division of Saturday’s Matterhorn International Pro-Am. Front row, from left to right: Andrew Thurston, Dan Hurley and Dave Hudon. Back row, left to right: Jason Gould, Jeff Erickson, Brian Hogan and Daniel Erickson.
| Amateur Division (top 10) | |||||
| Name | R1 | R2 | R3 | Total | Avg. |
| Dan Hurley, Canton | 45 | 40 | 40 | 125* | 41.6 |
| Dave Hudon, Canton | 44 | 39 | 42 | 125 | 41.6 |
| Andrew Thurston, Berlin | 42 | 42 | 42 | 126 | 42.0 |
| Rand Cooper | 43 | 42 | 42 | 127 | 42.3 |
| Daniel Erickson, Wethersfield | 42 | 44 | 44 | 130 | 43.3 |
| Brian Hogan, Avon | 44 | 45 | 42 | 131 | 43.6 |
| Jeff Erickson, Berlin | 43 | 45 | 44 | 132 | 44.0 |
| Jason Gould, Canton | 50 | 44 | 41 | 135** | 45.0 |
| Glenda Ryning | 46 | 46 | 43 | 135 | 45.0 |
| Jacob Yale | 47 | 42 | 46 | 135 | 45.0 |
| *Won tournament in a 3-hole playoff **Finished eighth in 1-hole playoff. 18 amateurs played |
|||||
Tournament records
Low round: 37, Danny Olejnik, 2018; Justin Seymour, Patrick Sheridan, Randy Rice, 2017
Low round (amateur): 39, Dave Hudon, 2018; George Bachman, 2017
Tournament record (pro, 5 rounds): 198, Mark Novicki, 2017
Tournament record (amateur, 3 rounds): 125, Dan Hurley and Dave Hudon, 2018
Most aces: 10, Anna Wallace, 2018
Matterhorn Mini Golf
September 23, 2018 at 2:08 pm
Great commentary! Thanks for coming out, Gerry.