West Hartford, Connecticut (August 27, 2024) – Cody Paladino stood alone for a moment on the edge of the 18th green at Wampanoag Country Club staring out at the expansive sun-splashed landscape that was laid out before him. Paladino had just tapped in for par to finish off a dominant 14-under performance that resulted in his first career Connecticut Mid-Amateur title.
There is little doubt what Paladino was pondering as he gazed out at a landscape fit for a Thomas Moran painting. Paladino likely thought of the 2020 Connecticut Mid-Amateur when he lost in a playoff to Ben Conroy. He likely thought of his runner-up finishes the last three years to Rick Dowling. He also likely thought about his family and friends cheering for him behind the 18th green. The cheers made extra special because his almost two-year-old son Carter and his five-week-old daughter Peyton were watching him win for the first time.
“(Having my family) here is very special,” Cody Paladino said. “I’m actually surprised I’m not more emotional right now. I was getting emotional on Nos. 17 and 18. I felt like I was in pretty good shape and I started getting emotional thinking about them but I tried to keep myself in the moment.”
On this day for Paladino, there was little concern about living in the moment. When the day started all eyes were on first round leader Rick Dowling (Golf Performance Center). The three-time defending champion had opened with a 5 under 67 and he started the 36-hole final day with a chance to become just the second player to win four consecutive Connecticut Mid-Amateur titles.
However, from the get-go, this day belonged to Paladino. Beginning the second round in a tie for second place with Ben Day (New Haven CC) at 4 under Paladino quickly went to work. Playing alongside Dowling and Day in the final group of the Connecticut Mid-Amateur for the second time in three years Paladino began his day with a par on his opening hole, the par-4 10th, and then birdied the par-5 11th. Following his first birdie of the day Paladino was looking to send an early message to the field and he did just that converting an eagle on the ensuing par-5 12th to jump to 7 under.
“Even though it was the third hole of a 36-hole marathon I think that was a pretty big moment,” said Paladino, the winner of the Russell C. Palmer Cup earlier in the year.
Paladino did bogey the next hole, the long par-3 13th, but that would prove to be the only blemish on his second round scorecard that included six birdies, one eagle, and one bogey. When all was said and done Paladino had fired an 8 under 64 and he would begin the final round at 12 under and six shots clear of the field.
It was a cushion that Paladino would end up needing. After blitzing Wampanoag CC in the morning Paladino cooled off at the start of his final round shooting a 1 over 37 on the front nine to drop to 11 under and open the door for someone to try and steal the tournament.
That someone proved to be Adam Friedman (Great River GC). Following rounds of 71-67, the recent Connecticut Publinks champion began the final round 6 under par and wasted no time making his move playing the front nine in 2 under 34 to surge to 8 under. Friedman capped the side with a birdie on the challenging 190-yard par-3 ninth.
With Paladino now in his sights, Friedman began his second nine with a birdie on the par-4 10th and then remarkably pulled within one shot following a wonderful two-putt birdie from 40 feet above the hole on the par-5 11th.
At that point, Friedman was 10 under. An impressive par from the woods to the left of the green on the par-5 12th kept Friedman at 10 under and one shot behind but a bogey on No. 13 and a double-bogey on No. 15 did Friedman in as he finished 8 under and in solo third.
Unfazed by his front nine blemishes Paladino knew he had a chance to right the ship when he played the back-to-back par-5s to begin his back nine.
With a chance to once again create separation, Paladino executed flawlessly. A 4 iron from 210 yards out found the tricky putting surface on No. 11. The resulting two-putt birdie moved Paladino back to 12 under.
On the next hole, the 551-yard par-5 12th, Paladino once again hit a strong drive and then found the green from 230 yards out. Facing a 55-foot eagle try Paladino lagged it to within a foot and then moved to 13 under when he brushed in the birdie putt. The result of the back-to-back birdies was a lead that had been restored to three shots. For the week Paladino played Nos. 11 and 12 in 7 under carding five birdies and an eagle.
With a comfortable lead once again Paladino was able to throttle down and play smart golf on his way to the house. In the end, Paladino posted rounds of 68-64-70 to finish 14 under and five shots better than runner-up and 2019 winner Ben Day. Behind third place finisher Adam Friendman the top five was rounded out by Thomas Labbe (Watertown GC) and Rick Dowling in a share of fourth place at 4 under.
“It’s easy to say every win is special but I would say just given the names that are on that trophy, lots of friends of mine – Rick Dowling, Ben Conroy, and Ben Day – to name a few it means a lot to have won,” Paladino expressed. “It was eating away at me a little bit to not have won.”
With the victory, Paladino also made some history becoming the first player to win every men’s major championship. Paladino won his first major in 2006 at the Connecticut Public Links before going on to add victories at the Connecticut Amateur (2013), Russell C. Palmer Cup (2013, 2022, 2024), and Connecticut Open (2015). Additionally, Paladino won the New England Amateur in 2021.
“It isn’t often you get to be the first to do something for a golf association that’s the oldest in the country,” Paladino said. “I’m very honored to have that accolade and to have made some history.”
About the Connecticut State Golf Association
The Connecticut Mid-Amateur 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.
