High school golfers recently completed their last round of the spring season.

Before moving on to summer events, there's an under the radar individual accomplishment worth trumpeting.

Waterford High School senior Caroline Petchark finished tied for fourth in the CIAC Open girls' tournament at Tashua Knolls Golf Course in Trumbull on June 4. She fired a 6-over 78, trailing the runner-up by just two strokes.

Why is that significant?

Well, it's the first time since 2011 that an Eastern Connecticut Conference golfer placed in the top four in the girls' state tournament. Fitch's Albrianna Farnum earned medalist honors eight years ago.

Plus, only four ECC golfers have finished in the top five in the last 16 years.

Stonington's Chelsea Woods, who took fifth in 2007, and Fitch's Jessica Steward, fourth in 2003, also joined Petchark and Farnum in the club. Steward, now the Lamar University women's golf coach, also won the New England Championship as a high school senior.

CIAC website records for girls' golf date back to 2003.

Prior to that, as far as we know, a limited number of local high school girls excelled on the state scene.

Old Lyme's Nicole Faniola, a state champion in 1997, and East Lyme's Lynn Valentine, a 1994 St. Bernard graduate and member of the school's Athletic Hall of Fame, both enjoyed outstanding high school golf careers and went on to play on the Division I level in college.

Like her predecessors, Petchark played on the Waterford boys' team. Last year, the Lancers won the ECC girls' tournament but lacked the numbers to continue the program.

Petchark capped a terrific high school career by winning her second straight ECC individual title, shooting a tournament record 3-under 33 at Quinnatisset Country Club in Thompson. It also was her best score for a nine-hole match.

She's benefited from taking lessons from Sue Cart, a teaching professional at Lake of Isles in North Stonington.

"Caroline definitely deserves the recognition," Waterford coach Katie Pesko said. "She's just a great kid. She's got a great head on her shoulders. She deserves all the success. She works hard. It's nice to see it finally paying off.

"I'm very, very proud of her this season. I was lucky to have her all four years that I've been coaching. I'm very, very happy to have gotten to know her and the family and just seeing her grow as a player and as a person."

A former high school golfer at Maloney in Meriden, Pesko can relate to what Petchark went through on the high school level. She also was the only girl on the boys' team and had success competing in the girls' state championship, finishing second as a junior.

The experienced helped Petchark perform at a high level during tournaments.

"You're playing from longer tees, so it's a totally different game when you're playing on a boys' team versus playing on girls' team," Pesko said. "Nothing against girls' programs, especially in the ECC, competitive-wise, you don't get a lot of strong girls players.

"To be on the boys' team, that gave Caroline some exposure to competition and getting her prepared to come in fourth in the states. That was huge. Playing from the blues tees all season and then going to the red tees, that has really helped her game. If you're going from hitting a six iron to hitting a nine iron, you have a lot more opportunities to go lower in terms of your scores."

Only Norwich Free Academy, East Lyme, Woodstock and Bacon Academy field girls' programs. Stonington had one golfer — Liz Crandall, the ECC girls' tourney runner-up.

A chemistry teacher at Waterford, Pesko's goal is to build a feeder program on the middle school level and run some clinics to try to develop players at a young age.

She can bring up Petchark as an example of a success story.

"I'm hoping more girls will be inspired and follow in her footsteps," Pesko said.

Petchark will attend Eckerd College in St. Petersburg, Fla., and play golf for the Division II program.

Summer tournament play already has started for Petchark. Playing in a field of both professionals and amateurs, she finished in a tie for 19th in the fourth annual Hartford Women's Open at Keney Park Golf Course in Hartford last weekend. She fired a two-round total of 17-over 157 (80-77).

Short putts

• Next week, Fox Hopyard Golf Club in East Haddam is hosting the 117th Connecticut Amateur Championship for the first time. After playing two rounds, the low 32 golfers advance to match play on Wednesday. A champion will be determined after a 36-hole final on Friday.

Connecticut Golf Hall of Fame member and East Lyme resident Bill Hermanson, who won the event in 1991, headlines the list of local golfers in the field. Others include: Steve Chevalier, Lake of Isles; Alex Jenkins, Brian Zito, Black Hall Club; John Huhn, Nick Hedden, Andrew Cavasino, Great Neck Country Club; Chris DeLucia, Norwich Golf Course; Michael Thompson, Keith Anthony, Justin Beal, Justin Oppenheimer, Fox Hopyard.

Former Killingly High School standouts John and Drew Aitken also will compete.

• Lynn Valentine returned to compete in the 21st Connecticut Women's Open earlier this month at Brooklawn Country Club in Fairfield. She won the event in 2008. She ended up in a tie for eighth, shooting a 2-over 146 (73-73).

Hole-in-one report

• Bob Gay, the social media director at Elmridge Golf Course, had his own good news to report. Earlier this spring, the North Stonington resident recorded an ace on the par 3, 145-yard fourth hole on the White Course. He used a Callaway seven wood and John Guigli of North Stonington served as a witness.

• Bill Thayer had a hole-in-one on the fourth hole at Shennecossett Golf Course in Groton. He accomplished the feat last week playing in the Electric Boat Athletic Club Retirees Golf League with Ron Kadlecik, George Bulmer and Joe Gilbert.

• In late May, Paul Delaney scored a hole-in-one on the 126-yard, second hole at Stonington Country Club. Jack Reid and Joe Nigrelli witnessed the ace.

Upcoming events

• Registration is open for the 93rd annual Norwich Invitational, the oldest running amateur tournament in the state. The event runs July 19-21 at Norwich Golf Course. For more information, call the golf shop (889-6973) or email pro Mike Svab (msvab@norwichgolf.com).

• The PGA Tour's Travelers Championship tees next week at TPC River Highlands in Cromwell, starting with first-round action on Thursday.

The outstanding field includes defending champion Bubba Watson and 2017 champion Jordan Spieth, as well as two-time champion Phil Mickelson, Brooks Koepka, Francesco Molinari, Justin Thomas, Jason Day, Patrick Cantlay, Bryson DeChambeau, Patrick Reed, Tony Finau and Paul Casey.

g.keefe@theday.com