Ballin tied for lead at Connecticut Open; Norwalk's Bensel in fifth
Published 12:02 pm, Wednesday, August 1, 2012
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DARIEN -- Adding the New York State Open title to his ledger shortly after qualifying for another PGA Championship, Danny Balin has indeed, experienced a summer to remember.
Now the Burning Tree Country Club assistant PGA Professional is in prime position to add another accomplishment to his resume.
Following Monday's round of 2-under-par 70, with a solid even-par 72 Tuesday, Balin is tied for the lead with Jeff Hatten of Farmington heading into the final round of the CSGA 78th Connecticut Open Championship at Wee Burn Country Club at 2-under 142.
Greenwich resident Jason Caron is just one shot off the pace (73-70-143), while Bobby Gage of Torrington is two back (73-71-144). Stamford's Mike Ballo Jr., who led after the first round with a 3-under-par 69, carded a 77 Tuesday and is tied for fifth with defending Connecticut Open champion Frank Bensel of Norwalk and Kyle Gallo of Kensington with a 146.
Balin, who finished in a second-place tie at last year's Connecticut Open, made the turn Tuesday at 1-under thanks to rolling in a birdie putt on the par-3 fourth hole, after hitting his tee shot to within 12 feet.
"I played solid today," the 30-year-old Balin said. "The first couple of holes I missed a couple of greens, but relied on my short game to get up and down."
Balin, who will make his third straight appearance in the PGA Championship Aug. 9 at The Ocean Course in South Carolina, said finishing second at last summer's Connecticut Open was a learning experience.
"I learned that every hole counts, you can't take one shot too lightly," said Balin, who won the New York State Open at Bethpage State Park's Black Course on July 19. "If you do that, the next thing you know you will be falling back behind the leader."
Balin knows how to approach Wee Burn's challenging course, which played a bit easier once the wind died down later in the afternoon.
"You have to realize that par is your friend, if you make par on a hole it's a good score," Balin said. "Just be patient and when you get a chance to be aggressive then be aggressive and then you'll make a birdie here or there."
Hatten, who teed off on the 10th hole Tuesday, birdied Nos. 14, 16 and 17, en route to carding a 3-under 69.
"I came here with no expectations, I'm just happy to be there and that's the mindset I kept," said Hatten, who will tee off with Balin Wednesday at 11:10 a.m. "I kept a good attitude and when the putts started dropping it built my confidence. Keeping the ball in the fairway today was what I was most proud of."
Ballo Jr. bogeyed the first and ninth hole and double boeyed No. 11 to drop to 2-over-par. Back-to-back birdies on Nos. 16 and 17 put him at even-par, but he followed with a double bogey on the 18th hole.
"It's so frustrating," said Ballo, a former standout at St. John's representing Woodway Country Club. "I had three double bogeys today, but despite that I'm still only four shots out of the lead."
As he exhibited at the Westchester Open, Ballo is no stranger to coming back.
"I was down five shots with five holes left at the Westchester Open and came back to win," he said. "So I know I could do it."
The Trinity Catholic graduate hopes to get his short game going in the final round.
"Tomorrow it's all about putting some shots in the hole," Ballo said. "I figure this course owes me some shots."
Caron, who shot a 72 on Monday, registered four birdies to finish Tuesday at 1-under through two rounds. He will tee off with Gage in the final round at 11 a.m.
Bensel, an assistant pro at Century Country Club, shot a 75 Tuesday and is four strokes off the pace.
"I haven't been hitting my irons or wedges well for a while and my approach shots weren't very good," said Bensel, who has captured the Connecticut Open twice. "Hopefully, I could get some putts to go in tomorrow."
Blake Morris (Waterbury, 148), Andrew Gruss (Trumbull, 148), Ryan Kalista (Greenwich, 148), Tommy McDonagh (Norwalk, 149), Steve Sokol (Milford, 149), Raymond Floyd (Greenwich, 149) and Brian Lamberti (Danbury, 149) were among some of the players who made the cut.
McDonagh, a Penn State graduate, is fighting his way through a sore shoulder.
"I haven't practiced for a month due to my shoulder," McDonagh said. "I just go out there, hit and hope for the best. I'm going to take a couple of weeks off after this and try to get healthy."
Dan Powers of Stamford also made the cut of 155, shooting a 151 after two rounds.
"I had a couple of bogeys out there, but I didn't let it get to me mentallty," Powers said. "The first round I hit more fairways and greens, but tomorrow I'm going to come in with a level head and just try to put up another good score."
Danbury native Ken Green, who has five PGA Tour victories and 11 professional titles to his credit, left Wee Burn happy to make the cut, posting a 153 (77-76).
"I am thrilled to make the cut, especially after being 4-over through four today," said Green, who plays out of Richter Park Golf Club. "After that I thought I was doomed. I'm hoping I can pull off a miracle and shoot par in the final round. Shooting par around here would be like shooting a 62 in the old days."
Green takes the course each day with a mindset that works for him.
"The difference between now and the old days is that I look forward to seeing what I can accomplish each day," Green said. "I try to accomplish something new each day I play."
David.fierro@scni.com; 203-625-4423