By Joe Morelli, Register Staff
jmorelli@newhavenregister.com

Golfer Liz Janangelo seems to have her personal life in order. The West Hartford native is engaged to former PGA Tour player Jason Caron. Their wedding is scheduled for Jan. 8.

Janangelo’s professional life isn’t going so bad, either. She is in her second stint on the LPGA Tour, the only full-time member from the state. Janangelo, 26, learned plenty from her first time around in 2008.

“I do think it is easier,” said Janangelo, a 2006 Duke University graduate. “I realize now my friends and family love me regardless (of) whether or not I play well. I used to think it was the end of the world to shoot 80. In my rookie year, I wanted everyone to like me. It’s one of my faults as a person and a competitor. It’s not about being liked. It’s about going out and being successful. That’s the epiphany I had.”

There haven’t been as many hotel rooms this time around for Janangelo — or for the other LPGA Tour players. Tournaments have been cut over the past two years by a lack of title sponsors, among other reasons. There were no tournaments in January and the first LPGA Tour event on American soil was in late March. There are only 14 in the United States, overall.

So, as you can imagine, Janangelo’s schedule has been curtailed, playing in just nine tournaments. She said she and others have played in Futures Tour and minitour events in Florida near where she has been staying in Jupiter.

“A lot of LPGA players I’ve noticed have been playing Future events. It is what we have to do,” Janangelo said. “I believe our new commissioner (Michael Whan) is doing a great job and I hope to see new tournaments next year. Time will tell.”

But unfortunately for Janangelo, she may end up facing the same fate as she did two years ago: heading back to the LPGA Tour Qualifying School.

She missed the cut at last weekend’s Safeway Classic, making it seven missed cuts in her nine tournaments. The State Farm Classic in June was the only cut she made.

Janangelo injured her right hip at the U.S. Women’s Open in mid-July and withdrew after three holes of the second round. The diagnosis, according to Janagenglo, was “a severe strain from repetitive use.” That injury also forced her to withdraw from the ING New England Golf Classic, held in Bloomfield the week after the Open.

Since then, Janangelo has been in Jupiter working with a trainer to improve her flexibility. “I’ve never been very flexible and as I’m aging, I’m definitely losing flexibility,” she said. Continued...

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She has also spent time working on her pre-shot routine and how to prepare better for tournaments.

“I’ve been focusing on what to do to get ready for a tournament, like when to warm up rather than showing up to hit a couple balls and then go play,” Janangelo said. “Regardless of how I do in the next few tournaments, I have full confidence in what I’m doing is right.”

Janangelo said in addition to her change in preparation, she is now healthy. She is playing this week at the Women’s Canadian Open. Right now, Janangelo stands at No. 151 on the tour money list with $4,030. The Top 100 automatically keep their tour playing privileges for 2011.

“You always come to a point where you start to question it,” Janangelo said. “I was for a while there, but not anymore. I know I have the talent. Time will tell if I can make it to the Top 10 players in the world. I have to keep believing it.

“It is very stressful to be your own boss. To know you need a 3-footer (putt) to make the cut, to make a paycheck so you can pay your caddie and your hotel expenses that week. Nobody wants to make that putt more than I do. To work so hard for something and it doesn’t happen the way you like is harder than most people realize.”

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Connecticut Mid-Amateur

Jeff Hedden is set to defend his Connecticut Mid-Amateur championship Monday and Tuesday at Rockrimmon CC in Stamford.

Hedden qualified for the U.S. Amateur this week at Chambers Bay GC in University Place, Wash. Ironically, he qualified on the same golf course where he won last year’s Mid-Amateur: New Haven CC.

Hedden failed to reach the final 64 players for match play. Continued...

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Area golfers looking to prevent Hedden’s successful defense are Mark Powers (Alling Memorial GC), Jeff Schroeder (Madison CC), Lou Stone (New Haven CC), Steve Velardi (CC of Woodbridge) and Matt Neeley (CC of Woodbridge).

The low 30 golfers and ties Monday will play the final 36 holes for the championship Tuesday.

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Dennis Waters Golf Show

“The Dennis Waters Golf Show” will be making two stops in Connecticut this week, Friday at 1 p.m. at Lyman Orchards GC in Middlefield and at 6 p.m. at Stanley GC in New Britain.

The one-hour show has Waters, who is paralyzed from the waist down, performing a variety of trick shots from unusual lies with clubs made from a fishing rod, crutch and even a cell phone. His dog, Bucky, helps out during the show.

Both shows are free, but those attending are asked to bring a nonperishable food item.

There will also be a junior clinic held at Lyman Orchards at noon.

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