BLOOMFIELD, Connecticut (October 7, 2025) – In it’s 100th playing, the Endicott Cup starts a three-day event with women representing three New England states. The two-day, 36-hole stroke play championship will lead into the Tri-State Matches on Thursday. This year, Connecticut will play host to the event, on rotation with Rhode Island in 2026 and Massachusetts to follow.
The Endicott Cup & Tri-State matches make for such a special tournament. The camaraderie between the women of each state and among the state teams really increase the energy and excitement of an event so close to the end of golf season.
After the first two days, low seven players from the Endicott Cup plus one alternate will compete in two simultaneous matches against competitors from the other two associations. One (1) point is awarded for every hole won, ½ point for every hole halved and zero (0) points for any hole lost. The remaining players compete in the Eaton Cup (Net) Tri-State Matches.
Massachusetts won both the Endicott Cup and Tri-States titles in 2023, and the Tri-States and Eaton Cup in 2024.
Diane Carter of Team Mass Golf will hold the third position on the leaderboard, the lead for the team. After one round of stroke play, she is 8-over par, a great lead just 2 shots beehind second position Laura Pirruccello of Connecticut. The overnight lead is held by Mercedes Large, a familiar name in the Mass Golf ring of events, but a representative of Team Connecticut for the week. Large is 3-over-par, with 2 birdies on the card, a rare site for the championship course. Players will begin the second round of stroke play in a 9:00am shotgun on Wednesday.
1- Mercedes Large (CT): +3, 75
2- Laura Pirruccello (CT): +6, 78
3- Diane Carter (MA): +8, 80
T4- Jen Holland (CT): +9, 81
T4- Laura Hasenfus (MA): +9, 81
T4- Debbie Johnson (CT): +9, 81
7- Caren Althauser (MA): +11, 83
T8- Irene Haley (MA): +12, 84
T8- Kim Grady (MA): +12, 84
T10- Cathy Sessions (MA): +13, 85
T10- Nicole Elliott (CT): +13, 85
T10-Cheryl Ziebka (CT): +13, 85
T10- Val Brinn (RI): +13, 85
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.”
