Fairfield, Connecticut (July 28, 2026) – After an opening 4-under 66, Bradley Sawka followed that up with a stellar 5-under 65 in the second round of the 92nd Connecticut Open. He now sits at 9-under through two rounds at the Country Club of Fairfield and will carry a one-shot lead over Patrick Healy (-8) into the final round.
Results I Photo Gallery I Video Highlights
Sawka (Ellington Ridge CC) began his day on the par-5 first and quickly moved into the red with a birdie before giving it back with his lone bogey of the day one hole later.
Sitting at 4 under, where he began the day, Sawka began to find his groove. First he birdied the par-3 fourth, and then he added birdies on the par-4 seventh and par-5 eighth.
The birdie on No. 8 moved Sawka to 7-under, and after a par on No. 9 he turned in 3-under 33. Sawka saw a brief dip in momentum when he missed a short birdie putt on the par-5 10th, but he quickly regained his feel when he chipped in for birdie from just short of the green on the par-3 11th.
The birdie on No. 11 pushed Sawka to 8-under, and after he rolled in a 20-footer on the par-4 next, he was 9-under.
“The missed birdie on No. 10 was kind of a momentum killer,” the soon-to-be Oklahoma Sooner said. “Then I ended up chipping in on No. 11 and then made a 20-footer on No. 12 (to regain the momentum).”
From there it was a grind. As the wind stiffened, Sawka showed wonderful touch getting up and down from a tough spot just off the green on the par-4 13th. Routine pars followed on the next three holes before Sawka once again showed off his short game touch.
Playing the 192-yard par-3 17th, Sawka missed the green well to the right of the left side pin. Dealing with a large slope that funneled away from the hole, Sawka launched a flop shot high into the early afternoon air and watched as it landed softly and rolled out to four feet. Moments later he rolled in the par putt and then completed his round with a par on the closing par-4.
When all was said and done, Sawka had gone from a tie for the lead into the lead alone.
Sawka, who was the low amateur last year, will now look to join Jackson Roman and become the second amateur to win the Connecticut Open in the last three years.
“I feel like my game is pretty well-rounded right now,” the 2025 Connecticut Amateur finalist said. “I feel like the course fits my game pretty nicely. Hopefully I can keep rolling the rock and making some putts, and we’ll see what happens.”
Sawka may have shot a 5-under 65 to move into the lead, but the round of the day came from Patrick Healy (Centerport, NY). Beginning the day 2-under, Healy fired the round of the tournament, a 6-under 64 to surge up the leaderboard.
Healy came out of the gates firing, recording birdies on Nos. 1, 3, and 4. A bogey on the par-4 seventh temporarily slowed Healy down, but a birdie on the par-5 eighth saw him quickly bounce back. Following a par on No. 9, Healy made the turn in 3-under 33 and 5-under for the tournament.
Looking to continue his momentum on the second nine, Healy briefly went in reverse with a bogey on No. 11, but birdies on Nos. 12, 15, 16, and 18 saw the former Columbia standout jump into solo second place.
Rounding out the top-five are Michael Miller (Brewster, NY) and Ben Carpenter (CC of Darien) in a tie for third at 6-under. Casey Pyne (The Stanwich Club), Cody Paladino (Hartford GC), and Austin Perkins (Hartford GC) are tied for fifth at 5-under. Perkins posted the low round of the afternoon with a 4-under 66.
Play at the 92nd Connecticut Open will conclude on Wednesday with the playing of the final round. The top-50 players and ties advanced to the final round. Play is scheduled to begin at 7:30 a.m. off both tees, with the final group set to tee off at 8:58 a.m.
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.
