Watertown, Connecticut (July 9, 2026) – Only one day remains at Watertown Golf Club with four players left standing at the 85th Connecticut Junior Amateur presented by Chris Cote’s Golf Shop.
Semifinal #1 (7:30 a.m.): #16 Alex Halpert (Highfield Club) vs. #5 Austin Perkins (Hartford GC)
Last year’s runner-up is one step closer to holding the trophy. Halpert finished his Round of 16 match off 1 up against Wilson Ouimet (USGA/CSGA GC) thanks to five birdies. Halpert entered the afternoon steady-headed, taking an early lead and fighting through his quarterfinals match to finish 1 up on Kyle Beaudry (Clinton CC).
Meanwhile, in the Round of 16, Austin Perkins rallied late against Luke Kowalchik (Race Brook CC). Two down through 15 holes, Perkins birdied the last three holes to bring the match even. On the first playoff hole, the par-5 first, Perkins converted a very rewarding eagle putt to advance to the quarterfinals. Perkins will now face Halpert in the semifinals, where he will look to become the seventh player to win both the Connecticut Amateur as well as the Connecticut Junior Amateur.
Semifinal #2 (7:39 a.m.): #18 Tiger Zhang (USGA/CSGA GC) vs. #19 Justin Renda (Highfield Club)
Tiger Zhang, in his Round of 16 match, took the lead early against Robby Rosati (Great River GC) and ran with it. His birdie on No. 1 got him off to a strong start, and then two eagles on Nos. 7 and 16 secured him his place in the quarterfinals. In the afternoon, facing Nick Riccelli (Suffield CC), his match wasn’t quite so easy. The two traded 1-up leads early, but Zhang emerged victorious by a 2&1 margin after ending the match with wins on three of the last four holes.
In the semifinals, Zhang will face Justin Renda. Coming out of his Round of 16 match, Renda was on a hot streak, remaining up in the match through every single hole played. In the end, he defeated Charlie Perkins (eClub of Connecticut) 2&1 to advance.
The quarterfinals proved to be tighter, and through 13 holes with Brennan Meyers (Shuttle Meadow CC), the two were tied. However, Renda did not give in. The match took the two through the full round of 18, but Renda snuck out the 2-up win with a birdie putt on the last to stop the match from going into a playoff.
The four players will return to Watertown Golf Club tomorrow morning for the semifinals, with the first match scheduled for 7:30 a.m. The two winners will advance to the finals set to be played in the afternoon to determine the 85th Connecticut Junior Amateur Champion.
About the Connecticut State Golf Association
The Connecticut 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.
