July 16, 2021
By Paul Silverfarb
It was quite the field of competitors during this year’s Greenwich Town Golf Tournament. With past tournament champions battling toe-to-toe throughout the event, it was Ben Ropiak that took home the Townwide Flight championship to claim the title for the first time.
“It was a ton of fun playing in it,” said Ropiak, a student at Georgetown University. “I haven’t played in the tournament since 2017 and it was a such a strong field at the top. The winners from 2015 to 2019 were playing and it was a challenge to me knowing that I’ve never won it before. The tournament was great and the competition as amazing and I was just good enough to win by one shot at the end.”
Ropiak took home the trophy with by finishing Saturday with an even-par 71 and taking a 3-over par 74 on Sunday to finish with a 3-over par 145.
And Ropiak wasn’t even sure that he was going to be champion at the end of the day. Playing in the final group on Sunday, he was one shot ahead of David Peng, who won the Greenwich Townwide tournament back in 2015 and 2016. Peng was playing in the group ahead of Ropiak. And it was only when Ropiak reached the clubhouse that he knew he would be hoisting the trophy.
“I knew I was going to be low, but I also knew that I had to play my best on the final hole to win the tournament,” Ropiak said. “When I found out that I won the championship, I couldn’t have been happier. I won the Townwide junior event and now this.”
Peng, along with Colin Cassidy finished tied for second with a 4-over par 146. Tyler Sudell finished fourth overall with a 7-over par 149. Not to be outdone was another former champion, Jason Morilla, who rounded out the top five and carded a 9-over par 151.
Going into the second day of the tourney, Ropiak knew that the margin for error was extremely thin. He said that shooting a 74 or higher on day two could have spelled doom for his chances at a first Townwide Flight championship.
And on that second day, things didn’t break well early. On the 12th hole, a hole that Ropiak traditionally is solid on, he carded a double bogey. He didn’t lose his lead, but Ropiak knew that it was shrinking.
“I thought after my double that I would have to go on a wild run to get my lead back,” Ropiak said. “But the other players made some mistakes and I came back with a birdie on the 14th hole and hit par the rest of the way. I definitely had to face adversity on the back nine on the second day. It was a shock to me to play so badly on the easiest hole, in my opinion, on the back nine. I needed to put my head down and play some quality golf the rest of the way and I did that.”
Although this was his first time capturing the Greenwich Townwide Flight title, Ropiak is certainly no stranger to the event. Back in 2011 and 2012, he struck gold in the 9-hole junior tournament and was back at it again in 2014 and 2016, taking home the title in the 18-hole junior event.
“The junior championship board is on one side of the clubhouse and the men’s championship board is on the other side,” Ropiak said. “I got every division of the juniors, but I also wanted my name on the men’s townwide board on the other side of the room. That was a cool motivation for me. Walking through the clubhouse and seeing your name there is an amazing feeling.”
Success has been a part of Ropiak throughout the Greenwich Townwide tournaments and as a member of the Greenwich High School golf team. With the Cardinals, he won three consecutive FCIAC championships, from 2017 to 2019, and two state championships (2018-19).
It’s great coming back to your home course that you’ve played hundreds of times,” Ropiak said. “By habit, you know how to score well when you play badly and know how to score well when you’re playing well. When I play this course, I know where I can miss a little bit and know where I have to hit the ball well. There’s certainly an advantage of knowing every single corner of the course, especially when you’re playing in a pressure situation.”
Since graduation from GHS, Ropiak attended Gettysburg College and played golf there. However, he has since transferred and finished his first semester online at Georgetown University. Ropiak plans on being on the Hoyas campus and is going to try and walk on to the men’s golf team for the upcoming fall season.
Although he wasn’t on the golf team at Georgetown last semester, that doesn’t mean Ropiak didn’t find some time to sneak away and play a relaxing round or two whenever possible.
“One of my favorite things is to go out in late afternoon or early evening and just go out there and enjoy the quiet and tranquility of the course,” he said. “It’s great to play a quiet round of golf with just you and your thoughts. It’s a great joy for me.”
Ropiak, who admitted that he was a slow starter during that April and early May timeframe when he played at Greenwich High School, due to the unpredictable weather that time of year, is thrilled that the CIAC has moved the sport from a spring sport to the fall season.
“I think it’s wonderful,” Ropiak said. “I think for the fall you are coming off your summer and you’re more engaged. It’s the correct move because you maintain the momentum that you created over the summer. Also, the weather is better in the fall. I would rather play in September or early October than early throughout April and early May.”
