Harwinton, Connecticut (June 24, 2026) – Things got a bit smaller on Wednesday at Fairview Farm Golf Course, as the field of eight slid down to just two. Shawna Aurora and Juyeon Paek punched their way into Thursday’s championship final in the 5th Connecticut Girls’ Junior presented by Chris Cote’s Golf Shop.
The morning quarterfinals set the tone for the day.
Aurora (eClub of Connecticut), who came in as the top-seed after earning medalist honors the day before, didn’t linger long, cruising past Sadie Lee (Tashua Knolls GC) 5&4 in the quarterfinals.
In the second match of the day, Nina Dahl (Club at River Oaks) made a notable move, dropping fourth-seeded Sophia Potvin (YOC Connecticut) 6&5.
Meanwhile, Paek (Lyman Orchards) faced Maddie Chang (Ridgefield GC) in her quarterfinal match. Paek, the two-seed, needed to win the final hole of regulation to tie the match before finally getting the edge on the 19th hole.
The last quarterfinal match was the longest of the day. Caroline Cleary (Lake of Isles GC) outlasted third-seeded Arabella Lopez (Redding CC) in a 24-hole grind to punch her ticket to the semifinals.
The semifinals played out differently. In the first semifinal, Aurora and Dahl both traded answers early on, hole for hole, then Aurora started to separate, finishing Dahl 4&3.
Speaking after the match, Aurora said one key point on the 13th hole shifted everything for her.
“I had about 85 yards, and I didn’t really hit a great shot. I had a 15-foot putt coming in. I think making that (birdie) putt kind of set the mood for the rest of the match.”
That birdie putt moved Aurora to 2 up after she had won the previous hole to break a tie. Two holes later, on No. 15, the match was over thanks to four victories in a row by Aurora.
Aurora’s putting has been a consistent weapon throughout the week, and she spoke about the approach that keeps her from overthinking on the greens.
“I read it from both sides, look at the slope, understand the line and the distance, and how hard I want to hit it,” she said. “It allows me not to overthink. I know some golfers take minutes to figure out a putt and then eventually miss it because they’re overthinking.”
Heading into the final, Aurora said she feels confident off the tee with a driver she recently added to the bag, and she also leaned into something a little more personal when asked what gives her an edge.
“My superstitions, of course,” she said with a smile. Aurora revealed she marks her golf balls with one, two, and three dots before each round, always playing the three-dot ball first, then working through her system hole by hole. Once a ball is used and the superstition is spent, it never comes back into play during that round. “It’s weird,” she said, “but it’s a new ball, new start.”
In the other semifinal, Paek, the Emory University commit, took control of the match early and never trailed as she bested Cleary 3&2.
“In the first round, I was really getting in my own head a lot, which led to a really close match,” Paek said. “I learned to relax a little more in the second round.”
She also pointed to a strong tee shot on the first hole of the semifinal as something that helped settle her into the match.
“I was having a little trouble with my woods and my driver (in the quarterfinals), but I had a pretty solid shot straight off the tee,” she said.
Looking ahead to the final, Paek said her mindset is straightforward.
“I just want to have fun and do my best.”
Aurora and Paek are set to meet at 8 a.m. on Thursday with the title and a spot in the 77th U.S. Girls’ Junior at stake.
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.
