BLOOMFIELD, Connecticut (October 8, 2025) – Connecticut proved a home-field advantage is real, in round two of the Endicott Cup on Wednesday. Members of the Connecticut team grabbed the top three places at Tumble Brook Country Club. Mercedese Large captured the low net and gross scores of the week, carding a 3-over-par 75 Tuesday and a 9-over-par 81 Wednesday in gross. Large finished her first two rounds 2-over-par combined in the net division.
The top player in the Massachusetts group was Kim Grady, with matching 84’s Tuesday and Wednesday. With a birdie on her second hole and five consecutive pars on the back, Grady started her tournament off well Tuesday afternoon. On Wednesday, Grady carded a 40 on her first nine holes, giving her a strong start for her second round. Behind Grady were the next two Massachusetts members to grab a spot, Diane Carter taking seventh place at 24-over-par, and Kim Walecka in eighth at 25-over-par.
Starting Thursday, the seven lowest scores in the gross division with compete in the Tri-State Matches, and the seven lowest in the net division will compete for the Eaton Cup. The captain of each team, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island, will choose one alternate player for each team. One point is awarded for every hole won, 1/2 point for every hole tied and zero for any lost.
1- Mercedese Large (CT): +12
T2- Laura Pirruccello (CT): +17
T2- Jen Holland (CT): +17
4- Val Blinn (RI): +18
5- Nicole Elliott (CT): +21
T6- Kim Grady (CT): +24
T6- Diane Carter (MA): +24
T8- Kim Walecka (MA): +25
T8- Debbie Johnson (CT): +25
1- Mercedese Large (CT): +2
2- Diane Carter (MA): +4
3- Nicole Elliott (CT): +5
T4- Kim Grady (MA): +6
T4- Caren Althauser (MA): +6
6- Donna Harris (CT): +7
7- Cathy Sessions (MA): +8
In 1926, the first Endicott Cup tournament was held at Hartford Golf Club (CT) as a 36-hole stroke play competition between members of the Connecticut and Massachusetts Women’s Golf Associations. The Endicott Cup was presented by Priscilla Maxwell Endicott as the winner of the competition. The plan was that the first person to win the trophy three times would retire the cup.
Edith Baker won the Cup in 1926 and 1928 and requested that the trophy be perpetual, with the winner keeping it in her possession for the year. In 1929, Massachusetts (whose membership included Rhode Island) and Connecticut played the Kittredge Cup as the third day match play competition for the nine low gross players from each team. In 1930, Rhode Island joined as a third team and the Kittredge Cup was retired and replaced with the Tri-State Trophy.
Today, Endicott Cup competitors play two rounds of stroke play over the first two days. The seven low gross and seven low net players (plus an alternate from each state for the gross and net teams) compete in the Tri-State Matches (Gross) and the Eaton Cup (Net) on the third and final day.
“The Endicott Cup is truly a fun tournament which not only provides a great format for excellent golf but good competition against one another in an effort to make the match play teams as well as keen competition with the other states,” said former Massachusetts Endicott Cup captain, Marie Butera (2000). “More importantly, it provides an excellent opportunity for camaraderie and to develop friendships with golfers from Connecticut and Rhode Island.”
