NORWICH - A few seconds after clinching the 98th Norwich Invitational golf championship on the 17th hole, Christian Jensen hugged his parents in an emotional embrace you would see when a PGA golfer wins the Masters or U.S. Open for the first time.
For Jensen, winning his first Norwich Invite championship was tantamount to winning a major.
The 6-foot-5 Jensen, who grew up in East Lyme and now lives and plays in Greater Boston, has entered the state's oldest amateur tournament every year since high school. He made his first championship appearance count, outlasting Jantzen Vargas, a former Killingly standout, college coach and club pro, Sunday at Norwich Golf Course.
The matchplay format was tight throughout Sunday with neither player leading by more than two holes. Tee-shots were at times errant, with balls landing occasionally in adjacent fairways, and no long putts were drained.
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But Jensen, who shot his best golf with a medalist-tying 67 at Friday’s qualifying round, was more consistent with his approach shots and putts on the final holes. Jensen won the 12th, 13th, 14th and 16th holes to seal the win up by 2 with one hole to play.
“You’re playing 100 or so holes of golf over the weekend in the heat and it’s a grind,” Jensen said. “Neither of us played great today, but we put ourselves in position to win.”
Jensen scored an eagle three on the par-5 5th hole to highlight his championship round.
“I’ve always dreamed about winning the Norwich Invitational,” Jensen said. “It’s my favorite tournament, and I never thought I’d win but was hopeful if I made the finals I’d come through. This is a big deal for me.”
Confidence builder
Jensen credited his association with Nick Harrington, a three-time Norwich Invite champ, for instilling confidence in him during recent Massachusetts Amateur tournaments. Harrington, who last won in 2022, did not play this weekend in the 160-player amateur field.
“Nick is a few years younger than me but I respect him and his game,” Jensen said. “We both did well at the Mass Amateur. That showed me if I can play at the level of a three-time Norwich champ I should be able to win here too.”
Jensen edged defending champ Chris DeLucia of Norwich Golf Club by a score of 1-up in the semifinals. Vargas took a difficult route to the finals, winning a seven-man playoff to advance to the quarters after shooting 71 on Friday. He edged Jeff DeLucia of Norwich in 19 holes in the quarters before nipping Gabe Van Ness, 2 and 1, in the semifinals Sunday morning.
Putting woes
Jantzen, who played for Killingly in 2009 before playing and later coaching at Adelphi University, admitted his putting has hampered his game in recent years. He even has resorted to switch putting, stroking long shots righty and shorter ones with his off left-hand.
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Jantzen was 1-up after 11 holes, generally outdriving the taller Jensen.
“I've been fighting the yips putting and chipping,” Vargas said. “Usually, my tee shots and approach shots are good enough to hide my putting. I've only been able to make shorter putts left-handed but not today. I felt good about my run to the finals, but I made the game more difficult today. Golf is tough enough without having the yips.”
Other flight winners
Michael Thompson won the 1st flight title. Other winners included Tony Susi (Flight two), Scott Vose (Flight three), Tim DeLucia of Norwich Golf Course (Flight four), Nick Hynes (Flight five) and Andrew Fitch (Flight six).
This article originally appeared on The Bulletin: 'I’ve always dreamed about winning': First-time champion crowned at Norwich Invitational
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