NORWICH – Don’t let the diminished field size in the 48th Annual Canasawacta Country Club men’s member-guest tournament fool you. Fewer entries – 88 instead of the usual 100 – does not indicate watered-down talent.

The tourney’s last three champions are all on hand including 2006’s first-time winners, Tim Mirabito and Kenny Stewart. The Mirabito-Stewart pairing went wire-to-wire a year ago outdistancing 2004 champions Doug Wilson and Joe Gutosky by two shots. Also in the mix a few shots back were 2005 top dogs Bob Branham and Mike Branham.

Course conditions seem unaffected by the torrential rain and flood from late-June. In fact, the unseasonably wet summer has done wonders for overall look of the par-70 layout. “This is the greenest I’ve ever seen this course in August,” said C.C.C. head professional, David Branham. “With the exception of maybe one green, the course is in perfect shape.”

And the course is playing longer. Plusher fairways and rough have curbed the distance off the tee on the rolling hills of the course. Branham even remarked he was unable to place his tee shot on the par-five fifth hole into the gully area some 300 yards off the tee. Usually, he said, with the dry conditions it’s a no-brainer to reach that area off the tee.