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Sheridan wins Matterhorn Pro-Am for first time on third hole of playoff

Berlin’s Pat Sheridan lines up a shot during Saturday’s Matterhorn Pro-Am miniature golf tournament Saturday in Canton. Sheridan beat Jonah Hurley, left, in a playoff.

CANTON, Sept. 18, 2021 – Berlin’s Pat Sheridan has been organizing miniature golf tournaments for a while now. For the past five years, he has been the organizer and a participant in the Matterhorn Pro-Am at the Matterhorn Mini Golf in Canton.

Sheridan has finished in the top five each time, finishing as high as third in 2019, just one stroke behind champion Justin Seymour.

Each year, Sheridan would award the winners in the professional and amateur divisions their prizes, including cash for the top eight pros.

This year, Sheridan picked up the top prize himself.

Sheridan beat Canton High junior Jonah Hurley in a playoff to win the fifth annual Matterhorn Pro-Am on Saturday. The two golfers finished tied after three rounds at 115. In each of the three rounds, they had the same score (38, 38 and 39). Sheridan beat Hurley on the third playoff hole to win the title and $250.

This year, Sheridan and Matterhorn Mini-Golf owner Autumn Sutherland decided to cut the pro tournament from five rounds to three rounds to get more golfers to play in the pro event. A tournament-high 18 golfers participated in the pro event along with 20 amateurs.

“There was a lot more pressure,” Sheridan said. “I knew the scores would be a lot closer. In five rounds, you can get a lot more separation. With three (rounds), you really couldn’t screw up any shots because you have only so many holes to play with.”

Sheridan was thrilled with the victory.

Canton’s Jonah Hurley, left, congratulates Pat Sheridan after Sheridan beat Hurley on the third hole of a playoff to win the Matterhorn Pro-Am championship Saturday.

“It feels so good to win your own tournament after so many weeks of league, years of tournament and seeing the course and practicing,” he said. “I am happy other people have won it, but it is really good to pick (the title) up.”

It was another close finish for Hurley, a junior at Canton High, who has played each year in the pro division. He finished second for the second consecutive year. In 2020, he finished one shot behind champion Dylan Koerner.

“It was close the entire round and it was absolutely a ton of fun,” Hurley said. “I got second. I can’t complain.” Hurley’s father, Dan, finished eighth in the amateur tournament.

Glastonbury’s Matt Liles was third in the professional division, just one stroke back of Jonah Hurley and Sheridan with a 116 over three rounds.

Canton’s Jonah Hurley putts on the 16th hole at Matterhorn Mini Golf during Saturday’s Matterhorn Pro-Am tournament.

The field did include two previous Pro-Am champions, two-time tournament Justin Seymour of Seymour, who finished fourth and Mark Novicki of Torrington, who won the initial tournament in 2017. He finished sixth.

It was a record-setting performance in the amateur division. Farmington High sophomore Caleb Smith had a tournament-record 120 to win by a tournament-record eight shots over his father, Darren.

Caleb Smith had two rounds of 38, which also set a new amateur tournament record, erasing the old mark of 39 set by Dan Hurley (2018) and David Hudon (2018).

This was the first competitive miniature golf tournament for Caleb Smith, who began to take the sport more seriously after playing in a Tuesday night league at Matterhorn. Darren Smith shot a 128 to finish second in the amateur division, far ahead of Plainville’s Josh Hayes, who was third with a 133.

“It was fun,” Caleb Smith said. “It is always a challenge but I enjoyed it and I got to play with my Dad.”

From left, Caleb Smith, who won the amateur division at Saturday’s Matterhorn Pro-Am, his father Darren, who was second and Josh Hayes of Plainville, who finished third.


2021 Matterhorn Pro-Am
At Canton

Professional Division

Golfer R1 R2 R3 Total
x-Pat Sheridan, Berlin, $250 38 38 39 115
Jonah Hurley, Canton, $200 38 38 39 115
Matt Liles, Glastonbury, $150 40 38 38 116
Justin Seymour, Seymour, $100 38 39 42 119
Dave Vayda, Simsbury, $50 38 42 42 122
Mark Novicki, Danbury, $50 43 41 38 122
Aaron Kaminski, Ocean State, NJ, $50 41 41 41 123
Dan Hurley, Canton, $50 43 42 38 123
Randy Rice 40 39 44 123
Glenda Ryning 44 40 43 127
Keith Gaydos 41 45 41 127

x-won playoff on third hole
18 players
Tournament record low round: 36, Justin Seymour (2019) and Dylan Koerner (2020)

Matt Liles of Glastonbury, who was third in the pro division putts at Saturday’s Matterhorn Pro-Am in Canton.

Amateur Division

Golfer R1 R2 R3 Total
Caleb Smith, Farmington 38 38 44 120
Darren Smith, Farmington 43 42 43 128
Josh Hayes, Plainville 44 42 47 133
Elizabeth Marsh, Saratoga Springs, NY 45 45 44 134
Cameron Silvergate, New Haven 47 44 45 136
Annalise Lutz, Bristol 51 46 44 141
LouAnn Corbidge, Burlington 48 46 48 142
Derek Weiss 47 46 51 144
Ron Mamrosh 48 47 49 144
Erika Schermer 50 50 46 136

20 players

Tournament history results

Gerry deSimas, Jr., is the editor and founder of The Collinsville Press. He is an award-winning writer and has been covering sports in Connecticut and New England for more than 40 years. He was inducted into the New England High School Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2018.

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