The Tournament Committee is proud to announce that the 24th Northern Junior Championship presented by the Golf Performance Academy will be contested August 3rd – 5th at Wethersfield Country Club in Wethersfield, Connecticut. The international championship is open to amateur Boys and Girls who have not reached their 19th birthday.
Wethersfield Country Club was founded in 1916 and is renowned as the host to the PGA Tour’s Travelers Championship (previously named the Insurance City Open/Greater Hartford Open) for 32 years, from 1952 to 1983. Among the many notable champions who won at Wethersfield Country Club are Arnold Palmer, Billy Casper, Charlie Sifford, Lee Trevino and Sam Snead.
“We are proud to be able to bring the Northern Junior Championship to a venue with such a rich history in Connecticut golf”, said Brent Paladino, Tournament Director. “Wethersfield Country Club has stood the test of time and will be a truly special experience for the players.”
The 24th Northern Junior will mark the first time the championship has been held at Wethersfield Country Club, which will add to the club’s extensive history of hosting state and national championships. In addition to hosting the Travelers Championship for 32 consecutive years, the club has also hosted five Connecticut Amateur Championships and four Connecticut Open Championships.
The club is known throughout Connecticut as the “Club of Champions” so named due to the extraordinary play of its members in state, regional and national competitions, with eight of its members having been inducted into the Connecticut Golf Hall of Fame.
“On behalf of our entire membership, Wethersfield is thrilled to host the 2026 Northern Junior,” said Joe Latino, Head Golf Professional. “We believe the golf course will offer the same challenging yet enjoyable experience that our members have come to expect and appreciate. It’s truly exciting to welcome championship golf back to a venue with such a rich and storied history.”
The 2025 Northern Junior was held at New Haven Country Club and was captured by Isaac Ahn and Yasmina Oralkhan in record-breaking fashion. Ahn shot rounds of 64-62 for a two-round total of 126 (-14) to win by ten strokes and in the process, set individual, total and winning margin tournament scoring records. Oralkhan shot the lowest round in Girls Championship history (five under-par 67) and went on to capture the title by two strokes.
The Northern Junior Championship is a nationally ranked junior golf tournament that was created to provide top national and international junior players a chance to compete and also enjoy an entirely unique experience. The 36-hole stroke play event is open to amateur boys and girls under the age of 19. The goal of the event is to provide the same championship treatment offered at the premier amateur, collegiate, and professional events around the world, while also providing junior golfers with exposure to college golf coaches and national media.
In addition to national exposure to college coaches across the country, both the Boys and Girls Champion receive numerous national tournament invitations and exemptions, and past champions and alumni have gone on to play on both the PGA Tour and LPGA Tour. 2012 Champion Megan Khang has played on the LPGA Tour since 2016 and won the LPGA CPKC Women’s Open in 2023, and three-time Champion Ben James is the #2 ranked amateur in the world and was a member of the 2023 & 2025 USA Walker Cup team.
The tournament is conducted each year in memory of Stan Trojanowski, father of Cindy Paladino. A golfer himself, his personality and willingness to help others will never be forgotten in the people he met both on and off the golf course. The Northern Junior was established in 2002 in memory of his passing on August 21st, 2001.
The Golf Performance Academy
The Golf Performance Academy is a full-time golf boarding school in Ridgefield, Connecticut, for student-athletes grades 7-12 and postgraduates who aspire to play collegiate and professional golf. The Golf Performance Academy offers daily golf coaching with an expert coaching staff whose mission is to foster high moral character in student-athletes through a deep commitment to the game of golf and a keen academic focus. For student-athletes on the path to play golf in college, there’s no better environment to prepare them for their journey. From golf coaches to educators, our students are guided by top industry professionals to achieve their highest potential. Physical performance training, nutrition counseling and regular meetings with a sports psychologist round out our holistic approach to preparing our student-athletes for the next level.
Championship Schedule
Wednesday, March 4th
Tournament and Qualifier Applications Released
Wednesday, May 20th
Tournament Application Deadline
Monday, August 3rd
Official Practice Rounds
Players Welcome Reception and Ryan Lee Scholarship Presentation
Tuesday, August 4th
First Round of Stroke Play
Wednesday, August 5th
Final Round of Stroke Play
Awards Ceremony and Trophy Presentation