Weston, Connecticut (July 23, 2025) – In impressive fashion the 56th Borck Junior titles went to Will Lord and Paige McKenna.
In the Girls’ Division, Paige McKenna (eClub of Connecticut) was far and away the best player throughout the week at Aspetuck Valley Country Club. Beginning on Monday, McKenna earned medalist honors and the top seed. Then across two days of match play none of her three matches went past the 15th hole.
McKenna began championship Wednesday with a 5&4 semifinal victory over Caroline McShea (eClub of Connecticut) to earn a spot in the finals against Zorah Williams (Stonington CC), a 6&4 winner in the semis against Mia Rodgers (Fairview CC).
In the title match McKenna, a rising senior at Fairfield Warde and the medalist at the spring 2025 CIAC Girls’ Division I Championships, got off to a quick start.
Right out of the gates McKenna was locked in. She birdied the opening par-4 and then won No. 2 with a par. On the par-4 third, she nearly holed her approach shot for eagle setting up a tap-in birdie that resulted in a 3-up advantage.
“With the birdie on No. 1 I was able to put on the pressure pretty early in the round, which was nice,” Paige McKenna said. “The putt falling on one was a great confidence boost. Then the birdie on No. 3 was great as well.”
Once in front there was no let-up from McKenna and by the time they reached the turn the lead was 6-up. However, Williams would have some fight. The 4th Connecticut Girls’ Junior winner just weeks ago, Williams won the par-4 10th and then rolled in a birdie on No. 13 to pull within 4-down.
McKenna, stoic throughout the week, was unfazed by the run and with a par on the par-4 14th she was able to close out the match 5&4.
“I’m just really happy with how I played. I had some great putts, some great shots out there when it really counted. I’m just happy that I could perform,” McKenna said. “I just took it one shot at a time, one hole at a time, stayed steady, and trusted my game.”
In the Boys’ Division, Will Lord (Suffield CC) pulled away late to earn a 3&2 win over Max Pawloski (eClub of Connecticut).
“I won the U.S. Challenge Cup Boys Championship last week at Agawan Hunt Country Club in Rhode Island with rounds of 71-62 so it felt good to come out here and win this one too,” Will Lord said.
Lord, a 7&6 winner in the semifinals over fellow Suffield CC member Justin Crossen, won the opening hole of the championship match with a birdie but lost Nos. 2, 3, and 5 to go 2-down through five holes.
Needing to rebound, Lord pulled even with wins on Nos. 6 and 7 before dropping the par-4 ninth with a double-bogey to make the turn 1-down. The pair traded wins on the first two holes of the back nine before Lord definitively took control of the match.
Lord pulled even with a birdie on the par-3 12th and then after nearly driving the green took his first lead since the opening hole with another birdie on the par-4 13th.
Now the junior to be at Suffield Academy was rolling. His tee shot with a 4-iron on the par-4 14th almost went out of bounds but instead it stayed in play allowing Lord to go pin seeking. With a 50-degree wedge from 135 yards out in hand, Lord knocked his approach to eight feet setting up a third consecutive birdie and extending his advantage to 2-up.
Pawloski, a 2&1 winner in the semifinals against Andrew Beauton (Madison CC), stopped the bleeding briefly on No. 15 with a tie but at this point he was only delaying the inevitable.
Lord hit another good drive on the ensuing par-4 16th leaving himself just a pitching wedge from 155 yards. With a chance to put away the match Lord stuffed his approach shot setting up the clinching birdie. When all was said and done, Lord had birdied four of his final five holes to turn a 1-down deficit into a victory.
“This is the fourth year I’ve played in the Borck Junior,” said Lord. “I haven’t missed match play yet. I lost in the Round of 16 once, and then lost in the quarterfinals, I think the other three times. It felt good to break through and start winning some matches.”
About the Connecticut State Golf Association
The Borck Junior 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.
