# 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. In the 1920s, there was talk of renewing the event. 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. 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.
The first Connecticut Open sanctioned by the Connecticut Golf Association was held in 1931. 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. 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. In 1941, Jimmy Demaret, who won the Masters the previous year, won the Connecticut Open. The tournament was not held until 1946 due to World War II.
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."
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."

## Winners

| Year | Champion(s) | Venue | Score |
| 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 |
| 2020 | Max Theodorakis | Ridgewood CC | 206 |
| 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 |
| 1990 | Michael Downey | Wee Burn | 218 |
| 1989 | John David Parsons | Avon | 213 |
| 1988 | Kevin Giancola | Woodbridge | 204 |
| 1987 | Kevin Giancola (a) | Tamarack | 211 |
| 1986 | Mike Colandro | Hartford | 215 |
| 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 |
| 1979 | Doug Dalziel | Ellington Ridge | 209 |
| 1978 | Mike Ballo | Avon | 209 |
| 1977 | Bobby Benson | Race Brook | 210 |
| 1976 | Jim Becker | Woodbridge | 214 |
| 1975 | Jim Becker | Ellington Ridge | 208 |
| 1974 | Austin Straub | Wee Burn | 217 |
| 1973 | Dick Siderowf (a) | Brooklawn Country Club | 213 |
| 1972 | Paul Kelly | Tamarack | 211 |
| 1971 | Bobby Benson | Wethersfield | 203 |
| 1970 | John Gentile, Jr. (a) | Hartford | 212 |
| 1969 | Mike Ballo | New Haven Country Club | 208 |
| 1968 | Denny Lyons | Wampanoag Country Club | 209 |
| 1967 | Roy Pace, Jr. | Avon | 210 |
| 1966 | Roy Pace, Jr. | Tumble Brook | 216 |
| 1965 | Jerry Courville, Sr. | Race Brook | 207 |
| 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 |
| 1953 | Les Brownlee (a) | Wee Burn | 213 |
| 1952 | Joe Curtin | Hartford | 209 |
| 1951 | Harry Nettelbladt | Wethersfield | 207 |
| 1950 | Harry Nettelbladt | Wampanoag Country Club | 284 |
| 1949 | Frank Staszowski | New Haven Country Club | 286 |
| 1948 | Frank Staszowski | Race Brook | 277 |
| 1947 | Frank Strazza | Indian Hill | 285 |
| 1946 | Felice Torza (a) | Torrington | 293 |
| 1942–45: No tournament due to World War II | 1942–45: No tournament due to World War II | 1942–45: No tournament due to World War II | 1942–45: No tournament due to World War II |
| 1941 | Jimmy Demaret | Race Brook | 280 |
| 1940 | Harold H. Mandly, Jr. (a) | Wampanoag Country Club | 289 |
| 1939 | Harry Cooper | New Haven Country Club | 279 |
| 1938 | Eddie Burke | Brooklawn Country Club | 287 |
| 1937 | Leo Mallory | Wampanoag Country Club | 284 |
| 1936 | Leo Mallory | Shuttle Meadow | 283 |
| 1935 | Johnny Golden | Brooklawn Country Club | 291 |
| 1934 | Johnny Golden | New Haven Country Club | 286 |
| 1933 | Johnny Golden | Shuttle Meadow | 291 |
| 1932 | Johnny Golden | Wampanoag Country Club | 143 |
| 1931 | Henry Ciuci | Yale Golf Course | 152 |
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