Norwalk, Connecticut (July 31, 2024) – When Jackson Roman stepped onto the tee to begin the final round of the 90th Connecticut Open presented by GSB he trailed by two shots. By the time he walked off the first green at Shorehaven Golf Club he was in the lead by one and the stage had been set for a historic day.
Roman (Shuttle Meadow CC) began the final round 8 under and two shots behind 36-hole leader Chris Fosdick (Middlefield, Conn.) but when Fosdick pulled his drive on the 505-yard opening par-5 out of bounds the door had suddenly been kicked wide open. In a matter of moments, Roman knocked that door down.
The Loyola University rising senior began his day with a piped drive down the middle of the fairway. With a green light pin location Roman played aggressively landing his approach shot within 15 feet of the cup setting up an opening hole eagle.
Meanwhile, Fosdick was struggling and when his 10-foot par putt slid by, Roman at 10 under had taken the lead.
“I don’t even think it really resonated with me that I had the lead at that point,” Jackson Roman said. “I was still a little bit nervous. because I’ve had trouble coming out the gates in final rounds.”
On this day Roman showed no sign of nerves. Following his opening hole eagle Roman birdied the challenging 170-yard uphill par-3 second and when Fosdick bogeyed his second straight hole a two-shot deficit had been turned into a three-shot lead in a blink.
However, Fosdick wasn’t going to go away quietly and he quickly began to climb back into the mix. Beginning with a tap-in birdie thanks to a stellar approach shot into the par-4 third the two-time Connecticut Amateur winner birdied three holes in a row to move into a tie for the lead at 11 under.
The two would still be tied at 11 under as they made the turn for the final nine.
With the crowd following the action growing Fosdick briefly took the lead after Roman bogeyed No. 10 and he continued to hold that lead as both players parred the par-5 11th.
Looking to make something happen on the 500-yard par-5 12th Roman pushed his tee shot into the rough with a second shot impeded by a branch. His next swing and the four ensuing shots would define the day.
Seemingly in a layup situation Roman had a small window to attack the green and hit a low stinger that stayed below the branch and landed on the fringe just above the hole. Facing a lightning quick putt Roman nipped it perfectly lagging his eagle try to tap-in range and moving back into a tie at 11 under.
“That might have been the fastest putt I’ve ever hit,” Roman said. “I just kind of took a line, bumped it out, and then stood there and hoped it would stop and luckily it did next to the hole.”
With momentum on his side, Roman would take full control of the tournament with his next swing. After conferring with his caddie and sister Kenna Roman the recent U.S. Amateur qualifier pulled six iron as his club of choice into the 213-yard par-3 13th.
Roman then took a mighty lash and sent his ball hurtling into the bright blue sky. Once the ball left his club it was never heading anywhere but the pin coming to rest just four feet from the cup. Locked in now Roman brushed in the birdie putt to move to 12 under and when Fosdick bogeyed the hole the lead was now two shots.
That lead would be extended to three shots after he picked up a stroke on the par-3 15th setting up a stress-free stroll to the house.
Knowing that his pursers needed to catch him Roman played steady golf paring Nos. 16 and 17 before adding a birdie on the closing par-4 to secure the title at 12 under.
The victory for Roman was also a historic one as he became the first amateur since Jeff Hedden in 2008 to capture the Connecticut Open.
“It means so much to me,” Roman said of his victory. “There are so many good players who have come through Connecticut. I mean, I probably don’t even know half of them. This is such a tough golf course and the field is amazing. I couldn’t be happier right now.”
Fosdick, a winner of the 2020 Connecticut Amateur at Shorehaven GC, finished in second place at 9 under and as the low professional. Danny Balin (White Plains, NY) and Mike Ballo, Jr. (Tamarack CC) were tied for third at 7 under while Peter Ballo (Connecticut Golf Club), Jason Thresher (West Suffield, Conn.), Clark Robinson (Wethersfield CC), Cody Paladino (Hartford GC), and Anthony Guerrera (Watertown GC) shared fifth at 6 under.
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.
