Norwalk, Connecticut (July 29, 2024) – Darkness suspended play on day one of the 90th Connecticut Open presented by GSB with Anthony Casalino leading the way at 5 under through 17 holes. Six players are one shot back at 4 under in a tie for second place with still two days remaining at Shorehaven Golf Club.
Casalino (Cortland, NY) caught fire on the second nine after making the turn in 1 over 36. The back nine started with a mundane par but an eagle on the par-5 11th and then birdies on Nos. 12, 13, 14, and 16 vaulted Casolino into the lead.
Among the group tied for second place at 4 under 67 are Anthony Guerrera (Watertown GC), Ian Thimble (Hyde Park, MA), Danny Balin (White Plains, NY), Ryan Celano (Naples, FL), Jack Maguire (EClub of Connecticut), and Mike Ballo, Jr. (Tamarack CC).
Guerrera, the first player to post a 4 under 67, battled the toughest conditions of the day playing a large portion of his round in the heavy morning rain that made scoring difficult.
Following an even-par 35 on the front nine the weather improved and Guerrera, the lone amateur at the top of the leaderboard, found his grove firing a flawless 4 under 32 on the back nine.
“The putter got hot on the back nine and I made a few long ones, which was great,” said the 2023 Russell C. Palmer Cup winner. “I told myself coming into the week just swing the swing, and don’t worry about the result, and good things will happen. So far that is where we are.”
Similar to Guerrera, Thimble played a large portion of his round in the rain but once the sun broke through he was able to go on the attack. After playing the front nine in 1 over 36 Thimble, an Assistant Caddie Master at The Dye Preserve Golf Club in Florida, went to work on the back nine converting birdies on Nos. 10, 11, 12, and 14. The highlight of his back nine came on the par-5 16th when he converted a five-foot eagle putt.
“It was scrappy in the beginning,” explained Thimble. “It was raining so it was hard to feel what was going on but I got it together on the back nine.”
Balin got his day off to a slow start and was 2 over after seven holes. However, birdies on Nos. 8 and 9 kickstarted his round as he played the last 11 holes in a bogey-free 6 under.
Celano posted a steady 2 under 33 on the front nine and got as low as 5 under following an eagle on the par-5 11th and a birdie on No. 12. Three bogeys against two more birdies on the way in capped Celano’s first day.
Maguire nearly had a clean scorecard birdieing five times while bogeying just once. His birdies came on Nos. 1, 6, 11, 14, and 16.
The final member of the 4 under group, Mike Ballo, Jr., started his first round with a birdie and then bogeyed the second hole to drop back to even-par. That slip-up on No. 2 would be his only blemish and after birdies on Nos. 6, 8, 11, and 13 Ballo, Jr. had played himself into title contention.
A remarkable eight players will begin day two at 3 under. In total 35 players are under par.
The first round will resume on Tuesday morning at 7:30 a.m. and wrap up as the second round begins as previously scheduled at 7 a.m. Following the second round, the field will be cut to the top 50 players and ties.
About the Connecticut State Golf Association
The Connecticut Open is one of 20 championships conducted by the Connecticut State Golf Association. The CSGA functions as an extension of the USGA and provides stewardship for amateur golf in Connecticut. Founded in 1899, it is the country’s oldest state golf association and conducts over 60 Championships, Qualifiers, and One Day Tournaments throughout the year.
