The CSGA Links Volume 3 Issue 6 September 2015 | Page 20

CHAMPIONSHIPS
CHAMPIONSHIPS

81 Connecticut Open Championship
st

July 27-29 - The Patterson Club

Paladino opened his round with eight straight
pars, and standing in the fairway at the par-5 ninth
he held a two stroke lead over four-time Connecticut
Open Champion Kyle Gallo of Tallwood Country
Club. From there, Paladino hit his approach to
within a foot, good enough for a birdie and a three
shot lead at the turn.

“The birdie on 9 was a huge kick-start and
really got the day going in the right direction,” said
Paladino. “I made some great par saves on the fifth
and sixth holes, and when I saw the leaderboard on
the sixth green, I saw that no one was really making
a big move. So I was totally fine starting out with
eight straight pars. The pins were very difficult and
it was hard to get the ball close to the hole.”

After making the turn in one under-par and
-7 for the championship, he tacked on another birdie
the par-5 11th to get to -8. Standing on the twelfth
tee, his lead was three – but he would not be without
chasers

“I had a feeling if someone was going to shoot
four or five under, it would have to be a really special
round,” said Paladino. “So I just kept focusing on
what I was doing and not get complacent out there.”
20 | CSGA Links // September, 2015

Indeed, there would be a host of players who
used the back nine to put together a special round
and catapult up the leaderboard. Among them was
amateur John Flaherty of TPC River Highlands, the
first round co-leader who birdied #9, 11 and 14 to
jump to six under-par for the championship, just
two shots behind the lead.

“I hit the ball great today, and made a few
good putts out there,” said Flaherty. “When I made
the turn at three under-par, I was thinking I had a
chance if I could get it going on the back nine. In
my opening round, I shot 30 on the back nine, so I
knew I could make birdies on that side.”

With a host of players chasing him, Paladino
hit his tee shot on the par-3 12th hole into the
greenside bunker. Knowing he needed to keep the
momentum going, he rolled in a clutch par save to
maintain his two shot advantage.

“The par save on #12 was really a key
moment in the round,” said Paladino. “After making
birdies on #9 and 11, I hit it in the bunker and after
making that save, I felt like I could focus and play
solid golf from there on out.”

Even when a pair of bogies on the 15th and
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