Harwinton, Connecticut (June 25, 2026) – Juyeon Paek found herself 2 down after three holes in the title match of the 5th Connecticut Girls’ Junior presented by Chris Cote’s Golf Shop. She was 2 down again after Shawna Aurora birdied the par-3 seventh.
Then the momentum began to swing. A par won the par-4 eighth at Fairview Farm Golf Course, and matching birdies on the par-4 ninth pushed play to the back nine with Paek just 1 down and, for the first time all day, with a feeling as if she was beginning to swing the momentum.
Ties on the first three holes of the back nine saw play reach the tee on the par-4 13th with Aurora (eClub of Connecticut) still holding on to a 1-up advantage.
By the time the two reached the next tee, the match was tied for the first time. On the par-4 14th, both players found the green with their second shots, setting up a putting contest. Advantage, Paek (Lyman Orchards), as she two-putted for a par that won the hole and gave her the lead for the first time in the match.
Playing in front for the first time all day, the Emory University commit dug deep. She hit the fairway on the par-4 15th. Then hit her second shot to 10 feet. A two-putt par proved to be good enough for her to win her third hole in a row and extend her lead to 2 up.
Aurora, who won No. 1 with a par and No. 3 with an eagle, momentarily slowed Paek down with a tie on the par-5 16th, but by this point, there was no slowing down Paek.
Playing conservatively on the short but sharp dogleg left par-4 17th, Paek found the center of the fairway. Meanwhile, Aurora took an aggressive line and found a greenside bunker. With a bad lie, all Aurora could do was muscle her second shot out into the rough, and when her chip for birdie didn’t fall, the door was open for Paek.
Sitting two, just off the green, Paek wasted no time clipping her third shot perfectly and then watched as it rolled out to concession range. A moment later, Aurora acknowledged that the par putt was good, and with that, Paek had won the 5th Connecticut Girls’ Junior by a tally of 2&1.
“It hasn’t really hit me yet,” Juyeon Paek said of her victory. “I don’t think I expected it that much, but it’s great.”
Paek was also elated to earn a trip to the 77th U.S. Girls’ Junior set to be played at Old Chatham Golf Club in Durham, North Carolina, from July 13-18.
“It’s amazing (to qualify for a second straight year),” Paek said. “I was hoping to make it this year, but I wasn’t really expecting to because I know it’s my last year to qualify. But I think it’s great that I get to. It’s the summer before college, and honestly, I’m just going to enjoy it.”
About the Connecticut State Golf Association
The Connecticut Girls’ Junior Amateur presented by Chris Cote’s Golf Shop 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.
