West Hartford, Connecticut (August 6, 2025) – Entering the final day of the 40th Connecticut Public Links Championship at Rockledge Golf Club Justin Beal (Timberlin GC) and Luke Stennett (eClub of Connecticut) shared the lead but it was Beal’s standout play that ruled the day.
Beal had a slight stumble early with his first of just two bogeys for the tournament on No. 4 but he quickly rebounded with birdies on Nos. 5, 7, and 9 and by the time he reached the turn he held a sizeable lead.
Despite being in a position he had never been in before, leading a CSGA major late in the final round, Beal was unflappable. Something he credited to his previous athletic experiences.
“I took it one shot at a time. (I made sure I didn’t) get ahead of myself,” explained Beal. “I was able to fall back on my experiences playing sports growing up at a high level.”
Already with a comfortable lead, Beal slammed the door shut on the 421-yard par-4 10th. In a good spot off the tee, Beal hit a strong wedge from 130 yards out and then sunk the birdie putt to move to 9-under for the tournament. It was in that moment that Beal knew he was in control of his round and the championship.
The strong play for Beal would continue as he birdied No. 12 on his way to a 1-under 35 back nine that included two birdies and just one bogey. Overall, for the tournament, Beal recorded 11 birdies against only two bogeys. When all was said and done, Beal had posted rounds of 66-69 to finish 9-under and four shots clear of the field.
Following the round and his first career CSGA major Beal said, “The final round wasn’t as easy as yesterday but it was a solid round of golf so I was thankful to be able to get it done.”
University of Rhode Island star and first round co-leader Luke Stennett finished second at 5-under while Joe Bonyai (eClub of Connecticut) and Peter Crowe (eClub of Connecticut) tied for third place at 4-under. Jim Patterson (Gillette Ridge GC) rounded out the top five with a 3-under fifth-place finish.
About the Connecticut State Golf Association
The Connecticut Public Links 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.
