Connecticut Open (golf)

The Connecticut Open is the Connecticut state open golf tournament, open to both amateur and professional golfers. It is organized by the Connecticut State Golf Association. It has been played annually since 1931 (except for war years) at a variety of courses around the state. It was considered a PGA Tour event in the 1930s.

History

In 1915 and 1916 there was a significant golf event entitled the Connecticut Open. The English golfer Jim Barnes won it both years.^[1] In the 1920s, there was talk of renewing the event.^[1][2] In 1930, an event entitled the Connecticut Open was scheduled to be hosted on September 13 and 14. The event was scheduled to be held at Shenecossett Club. However, it failed to receive "sanction" from the Connecticut Golf Association. The event was canceled by September 3.^[3] It was also reported during late 1930 that the Connecticut Golf Association was planning on sanctioning an official state open in the summer of 1931.^[3]

The first Connecticut Open sanctioned by the Connecticut Golf Association was held in 1931.^[4][5] Eighty players entered in the first tournament. The event was two rounds long and played over one day at Yale Golf Course. Playing against "a light rain" and "a strong, chilly wind," as reported by The New York Times, Henry Ciuci managed to score 152 to win. He defeated Jack Ryan, the assistant professional at Yale GC, by two shots. A number of players finished one shot further back to tie for third, including amateur Charles Clare. As low amateur, he earned a silver plate. Ciuci won $250 and the right to hold a Connecticut Golf Association shield for a year.^[6] For most of the early years of the Connecticut Open, however, it was the professional Johnny Golden that dominated. Golden won four consecutive tournaments from 1932 through 1935. However, in January 1936 he abruptly died of pneumonia. Later in the year, Leo Mallory, Golden's former assistant at Wee Burn, won the Connecticut Open with 283 total. It was the lowest total since the tournament switched from a two-round tournament to a four-round tournament. The following year, at Wampanoag Country Club, he won by 10 shots, another tournament record.^[7] In 1941, Jimmy Demaret, who won the Masters the previous year, won the Connecticut Open.^[8] The tournament was not held until 1946 due to World War II.^[8]

Former PGA Tour pro Mike Colandro won the event in 1986. Despite his win, he advocated some changes to the tournament. According to the Hartford Courant, shortly after his victory "he called for the sponsoring Connecticut State Golf Association to open the event to all state pros, get a sponsor and increase the $10,000 purse."^[9]

In 1997, PGA Tour player Ken Green played the event. Many were surprised to see a current PGA Tour player in the field. He explained, "I don't really want to be here, but I don't have any choice. I have a negative net worth."^[10]

Winners

Year	Champion(s)	Venue	Score	Ref.
2024	Jackson Roman (a)	Shorehaven	201
2023	Brett Stegmaier	Shuttle Meadow CC	198
2022	Peter Ballo	New Haven CC	203
2021	Peter Ballo	CC of Darien	201	[11]
2020	Max Theodorakis	Ridgewood CC	206	[12]
2019	Rasmey Kong	Torrington	202
2018	John VanDerLaan	New Haven Country Club	194
2017	Jeffrey Evanier	Ellington Ridge	205
2016	Adam Rainaud	Woodway	206
2015	Cody Paladino	Patterson Club	207
2014	Frank Bensel	Rolling Hills	203
2013	Jeff Curl	Torrington	209
2012	Jason Caron	Wee Burn	214
2011	Frank Bensel	Brooklawn Country Club	205
2010	Kyle Gallo	CC of Fairfield	200
2009	Frank Bensel	Hartford	204
2008	Jeff Hedden (a)	Round Hill	206
2007	Jeff Curl	Lake of Isles	208
2006	Nick Cook	Ridgewood	211
2005	Nick Cook	CC of Waterbury	206
2004	Kyle Gallo	Mill River CC	203
2003	Steve Sokol	Black Hall Club	209
2002	Jim St. Pierre	New Haven	203
2001	John Paesani	Avon	207
2000	Kyle Gallo	Fairfield	209
1999	Jay Rice (a)	Wee Burn	213
1998	Kyle Gallo	Ellington Ridge	214
1997	Michael Gilmore	Race Brook	204
1996	Brendan Walsh	Patterson	208
1995	John A. Gentile	Woodway	209
1994	Kevin Giancola	Wethersfield	207
1993	Michael Gilmore	Stanwich	216
1992	Ken Green	Ridgewood	200
1991	Mike Colandro	Brooklawn Country Club	207	[13]
1990	Michael Downey	Wee Burn	218
1989	John David Parsons	Avon	213
1988	Kevin Giancola	Woodbridge	204
1987	Kevin Giancola (a)	Tamarack	211	[14]
1986	Mike Colandro	Hartford	215	[15]
1985	Ken Green	New Haven Country Club	209
1984	Jack McConachie	Tumble Brook	214
1983	Ed Sabo	Woodway	218
1982	Ed Sabo	Wethersfield	205
1981	Ed Sabo	Yale Golf Course	213
1980	Doug Dalziel	Wampanoag Country Club	205	[16]
1979	Doug Dalziel	Ellington Ridge	209	[16]
1978	Mike Ballo	Avon	209
1977	Bobby Benson	Race Brook	210
1976	Jim Becker	Woodbridge	214
1975	Jim Becker	Ellington Ridge	208	[17]
1974	Austin Straub	Wee Burn	217
1973	Dick Siderowf (a)	Brooklawn Country Club	213	[18]
1972	Paul Kelly	Tamarack	211
1971	Bobby Benson	Wethersfield	203
1970	John Gentile, Jr. (a)	Hartford	212	[19]
1969	Mike Ballo	New Haven Country Club	208
1968	Denny Lyons	Wampanoag Country Club	209	[20]
1967	Roy Pace, Jr.	Avon	210	[17][21][22]
1966	Roy Pace, Jr.	Tumble Brook	216	[17][23]
1965	Jerry Courville, Sr.	Race Brook	207	[24]
1964	Bob Kay	Woodway	211
1963	John Cleary	Farmington	212
1962	Bob Cloughen	Torrington	207
1961	Edward Kuna	Mill River	209
1960	Allan Breed	Shennecossett Golf Course	211
1959	Dick Siderowf (a)	Shorehaven	214
1958	Dick Siderowf (a)	Brooklawn Country Club	214
1957	Don Hoenig	Avon	204
1956	Don Hoenig	New Haven Country Club	214
1955	John Galeski	Ridgewood	210
1954	Ted Lenczyk	Shuttle Meadow	207	[25]
1953	Les Brownlee (a)	Wee Burn	213	[25]
1952	Joe Curtin	Hartford	209	[26][27]
1951	Harry Nettelbladt	Wethersfield	207	[25]
1950	Harry Nettelbladt	Wampanoag Country Club	284	[25]
1949	Frank Staszowski	New Haven Country Club	286	[25]
1948	Frank Staszowski	Race Brook	277	[25]
1947	Frank Strazza	Indian Hill	285	[25]
1946	Felice Torza (a)	Torrington	293	[25]
1942–45: No tournament due to World War II
1941	Jimmy Demaret	Race Brook	280	[8]
1940	Harold H. Mandly, Jr. (a)	Wampanoag Country Club	289	[26]
1939	Harry Cooper	New Haven Country Club	279	[25]
1938	Eddie Burke	Brooklawn Country Club	287	[25]
1937	Leo Mallory	Wampanoag Country Club	284	[25][7]
1936	Leo Mallory	Shuttle Meadow	283	[28][29][7]
1935	Johnny Golden	Brooklawn Country Club	291	[25][30]
1934	Johnny Golden	New Haven Country Club	286	[25][31][32]
1933	Johnny Golden	Shuttle Meadow	291	[25][31]
1932	Johnny Golden	Wampanoag Country Club	143	[25][31]
1931	Henry Ciuci	Yale Golf Course	152	[6]

Source:^[33]

See also

• Connecticut Open (1910s event)
• New Haven Open

References

1. "Pro Question Serious". Hartford Courant. Connecticut. March 5, 1922. p. 1 (part 4). Retrieved December 11, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
2. Keane, Albert W. (June 2, 1927). "Call 'Em Right". Hartford Courant. Connecticut. p. 13. Retrieved December 11, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
3. "Conn. Open Golf Tourney Is Off". The Meridian Daily Journal. Connecticut. September 3, 1930. Retrieved December 11, 2021 – via Google News Archive.
4. "Connecticut Open: Past Champions". Connecticut State Golf Association. Retrieved December 11, 2021.
5. Griffith, Owen (July 23, 1951). "Cichon, Hoenig Share Lead In State Open With 69 Cards". Hartford Courant. Connecticut. p. 13. Retrieved November 20, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
6. "Connecticut Open Annexed by Cuici" (PDF). The New York Times. August 25, 1931.
7. Lee, W. J. (August 12, 1940). "With Malice Toward None". Hartford Courant. Connecticut. p. 9. Retrieved December 22, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
8. "Connecticut Open Golf Play Moves Into Final Round". The Meriden Daily Journal. Connecticut. Associated Press. August 13, 1946. p. 4. Retrieved November 20, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
9. Berlet, Bruce (May 3, 1987). "GHO, Senior Open highlight '87". Hartford Courant. Connecticut. p. C10. Retrieved October 12, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
10. Berlet, Bruce (August 5, 1997). "Green get his game in order". Hartford Courant. Connecticut. p. 192. Retrieved October 16, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
11. Morelli, Joe (July 28, 2021). "Peter Ballo shoots 66 to claim first Connecticut Open crown". Connecticut Post. Norwalk, Connecticut.
12. Morelli, Joe (August 6, 2020). "Max Theodorakis runs away with 86th Connecticut Open title". Connecticut Post. Norwalk, Connecticut.
13. Berlet, Bruce (July 31, 1991). "Open-and-shut case: Colandro wins by seven". Hartford Courant. Connecticut. p. F1. Retrieved October 16, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
14. Berlet, Bruce (August 5, 1987). "Giancola captures Connecticut Open". Hartford Courant. Connecticut. pp. F1, F5. Retrieved October 12, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
15. Berlet, Bruce (August 6, 1986). "Colandro Hangs On To Wins State Open by 1 Shot". Hartford Courant. Connecticut. p. F1. Retrieved October 6, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
16. "Dalziel Shooting For 3rd Straight State Open Title". Hartford Courant. Connecticut. August 2, 1981. p. D13. Retrieved November 20, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
17. Canfield, Owen (August 3, 1976). "Becker, Rubis Fire One-Under-Par 70s To Share State Open Lead". Hartford Courant. Connecticut. p. 45. Retrieved November 20, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
18. Smith, George (August 7, 1974). "Trio Deadlocked In State Open". Hartford Courant. Connecticut. p. 11. Retrieved November 20, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
19. Canfield, Owen (August 5, 1970). "Gentile Captures Open by 6 Strokes". Hartford Courant. Connecticut. p. 23. Retrieved November 20, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
20. "Wins tourney". The World. Coos Bay, Oregon. Associated Press. August 7, 1968. p. 13. Retrieved November 20, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
21. Griffith, Owen (August 9, 1967). "Roy Pace Retains Connecticut Open Title". Hartford Courant. Connecticut. p. 29. Retrieved November 20, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
22. Griffith, Owen (August 5, 1968). "Mark Marquis, Open Champ's Caddy, Awaits Assignment At Wampanoag". Hartford Courant. Connecticut. p. 23. Retrieved November 20, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
23. "Defending Titlist Takes Charge In State Open Golf". Meriden Journal. Connecticut. Associated Press. August 8, 1967. p. 4. Retrieved November 20, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
24. "Galeski, Wojack Qualify For Connecticut Open Golf Final". Naugatuck Daily News. Connecticut. August 9, 1966. p. 5. Retrieved November 20, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
25. Griffith, Owen (July 17, 1955). "Dr. Ted Lenczyk Begins Defense Of State Open Title Today". Hartford Courant. Connecticut. p. 6 (part IV). Retrieved November 20, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
26. Griffith, Owen (July 18, 1954). "Connecticut Open Golf Tourney Today At Shuttle Meadow". Hartford Courant. Connecticut. p. 4 (part IV). Retrieved November 20, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
27. Griffith, Owen (July 23, 1952). "Joe Curtin Captures State Open Golf Crown". Hartford Courant. Connecticut. p. 13. Retrieved November 20, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
28. Lee, William J. (August 19, 1936). "Leo Mallory Wins Connecticut Open Golf Crown With Record-Breaking 283". Hartford Courant. Connecticut. p. 13. Retrieved November 20, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
29. Lee, W. J. (August 17, 1937). "Joe Sullivan One Over Par To Lead At Halfway Mark In Connecticut Open Golf". Hartford Courant. Connecticut. p. 13. Retrieved November 20, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
30. Lee, William J. (August 28, 1935). "John Golden Captures Connecticut Open Golf Title For Fourth Consecutive Year". Hartford Courant. Connecticut. p. 13. Retrieved November 20, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
31. Lee, William J. (August 27, 1935). "Eddie Burke, Kid Brother Of Famed Billie, Leads Connecticut Open Golf Field". Hartford Courant. Connecticut. p. 13. Retrieved November 20, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
32. "Johnny Golden, With 286, Wins Connecticut Open Golf Title". Meriden Record. Connecticut. Associated Press. August 29, 1934. p. 4. Retrieved November 20, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
33. "Connecticut Open: Past Champions". Connecticut State Golf Association. Retrieved November 20, 2021.

External links

• Connecticut State Golf Association