Click here for 2026 Entry Procedure & Criteria

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

Tournament Links: Final Results | WTNH Recap Video | NBC CT Recap Video

Hamden, Conn. – The 23rd Northern Junior Championship presented by the Golf Performance Academy concluded on Wednesday at historic New Haven Country Club in Hamden, Connecticut with record scoring in both the Boys and Girls Championship. In the Boys Championship, Isaac Ahn of Rochester, Minnesota won the Boys Championship with tournament-record scores of 64-62—126 (-14) and Yasmina Oralkhan of Brooklyn, New York shot rounds of 67-75—142 (-2) to capture the Girls Championship.

Boys Championship

Ahn began the day with a two-stroke advantage after an opening round of six under-par 64, but with fourteen players within six strokes of the lead, knew he needed to get off to a good start on his final round. He responded to that challenge with a blistering front-nine score of 29 (-5) and capped it off with three more birdies on the final nine holes for an incredible round of 62. His championship total of fourteen under-par 126 is the lowest record score in tournament history, eclipsing last year’s record of ten under-par at Hartford Golf Club.
“When you get hot on the golf course, you just try to embrace it and get the most out of it that you can”, said Ahn. “I heard that my round was record-setting in Northern Junior history, and to have that record is such an honor.”

With the victory, Ahn capped off a stellar summer of play in which he won the 2025 Minnesota Junior PGA Championship with a pair of 64’s to win by ten shots. He will be starting his collegiate golf career this fall at Harvard University, and the Northern Junior marks his final junior golf tournament.

“When I have the lead going into the last round, internally I try to feel like I am running away with it and try to not let it get anywhere close. I feel like I’ve learned this year how to win by larger margins and to keep the pressure on the course.”

Finishing in a tie for second place was Ethan Evans (Fairfax Station, Virginia), Rayhao Feng (Short Hills, New Jersey) and Enze Miao (Shanghai, China) all of whom posted two-round totals of four-under par. Rounding out the top 5 was Joseph LaNasa of Palm Beach, Florida at three under-par.

Girls Championship

Oralkhan began the day with a sizable lead of five strokes over a Angela Liang (Bridgewater, New Jersey) and Lillian Guleserian (Westwood, Massachusetts). After opening her front nine at one-under par, she cemented her position on top of the leaderboard. Despite some bogies coming down the stretch, her final round of three over-par 75 proved to be enough to clinch the title by three strokes over a trio of players.

The Northern Junior marks her fifth victory of the 2025 season, having won the New York City Championship, three Future Series Events and a Hurricane Junior Golf Tour event at Seaview .A 2027 high school graduate, she will have the opportunity to become the first repeat champion in Girls Championship history.

“To win really means a lot, it’s my first non-state championship victory and winning “in the red” and staying under par was really important to me”, said Oralkhan. “The field at this event is so competitive and it is really amazing for me to win.”

Finishing in second place was Liang, Guleserian and Aliya Liberatore (Palm Beach Gardens, Florida), all of whom recorded two-round totals of one over-par. Addison Claire Lee (Cupertino, California) and Kaitlyn Doe (Waban, Massachusetts) finished in a tie for fifth place at three over-par.

 

About the Northern Junior Championship

As has become customary, the Northern Junior kicked off on Monday with player practice rounds and the annual Players Dinner along with the Long Drive Contest. Michael Asselta (Ramsey, New Jersey) won the Boys Division with a 357-yard drive, while Lillian Guleserian bested the competition in the Girls Division with an impressive 299 yard tee shot.

Players and families also witnessed the presentation of the Ryan Lee Memorial Scholarship, which is awarded each year to one competitor in memory of two-time Northern Junior Champion Ryan Lee. Ryan’s passion and love for the game of golf left a lasting impression on everyone he met, and it is a true honor for the Northern Junior Championship to help carry on his legacy. This year’s recipient was Preston Howe of Winston Salem, North Carolina.

New Haven Country Club has played host to numerous championships in its history, including eight Connecticut Opens and sixteen Connecticut Amateur Championships. 2025 marked the 8^th time that the Northern Junior has been contested at this remarkable venue. which was originally founded in 1898. This year’s Northern Junior Championship featured a total of 84 players from 27 different states, provinces, and countries.

Presenting Sponsor: The Northern Junior is proud to be presented by the Golf Performance Academy, 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. 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. Click here for more information.

The 2026 Northern Junior will be contested on August 3-5, 2026 at Wethersfield Country Club in Wethersfield, Connecticut. Like New Haven Country Club, Wethersfield Country Club has a long legacy of hosting prestigious championships, including the PGA Tour’s Travelers Championship from 1952 to 1983.

A special thanks to the countless volunteers who helped to make this year’s championship so special, and thank you New Haven Country Club, Junior Golf Hub, the Ryan T. Lee Foundation, the Connecticut State Golf Association, Connecticut PGA Foundation and Rhode Island Golf Association for their continued support of the Northern Junior.

Congratulations to Isaac Ahn and Yasmina Oralkhan, the 2025 Northern Junior Champions.

 

Click here for Northern Junior Photo Galleries

Links: Round One Results | Round Two Starting Times & Pairings

Day one of the 23rd Northern Junior Championship presented by the Golf Performance Center concluded on Tuesday afternoon at New Haven Country Club, with Yasmina Oralkhan of Brooklyn, New York and Isaac Ahn of Rochester, Minnesota setting the early pace. The 36-hole stroke play championship is being contested August 4-6 and features players from nearly 30 different states and countries.

In the Girls Championship, Oralkhan fired a round of five under-par 67 to open up a sizable five-stroke advantage over Angela Liang (Bridgewater, N.J.) and Lillian Guleserian (Westwood, Mass.). Her round of 67 was a clean card and featured five birdies and no bogies over the 6,013 yard par-72 layout.

Speaking about her the keys to her round, Oralkhan said “My ball-striking, especially my approach shots onto the green – I put them pretty close and that allowed me to make some birdies”, said Oralkhan. Her five birdies were the most of any player in the field. “My mindset for tomorrow is to keep to my game and if I can make a putt, that’s great but if not, have it be close enough to knock it in for par”.

In the Boys Championship, Ahn’s opening round of 64 (-6) featured five birdies and a hole-out eagle on the par-4 15^th hole. He currently leads by two over Enze Miao of Shanghai, China, who shot an opening round of 66. While Ahn’s opening round set the pace, there are fourteen players who are within 6 strokes of the lead heading into Wednesday’s final round.

Today was a really fun day, I felt like I went out there and played my game,” said Ahn. His hole-out eagle on the 382 par-4 15^th hole catapulted him into the lead and his two-shot advantage. “Going into tomorrow, I’m going to take it one shot at a time and enjoy the opportunity to play this amazing course.”

The low Connecticut players in the Boys Championship are Will Lord of Suffield and North Chery of East Haven, both of whom shot an even par round of 70 to sit in 7^th place. In the Girls Championship, Xinyu Cao of Watertown  and Juyeon Paek of Cheshire of Cheshire shot an opening round of five over-par 77.

The final round of the 2025 Northern Junior Championship begins tomorrow at 7:30am, with the leaders teeing off at 9:20 AM and 9:40 AM, respectively. Live hole-by-hole scoring will be available at NorthernJunior.com with frequent updates on Instagram (@NorthernJunior).

About the Tournament: The Northern Junior Championship is a nationally ranked junior golf tournament that was created in order to provide the highest level of competition for top junior players. The 36-hole stroke play event is contested over two days at New Haven Country Club in Hamden, Connecticut and is open to amateur boys and girls under the age of 19. The field of 84 players consists of 54 Boys Competitors and 30 Girls Competitors, and 27 states and countries are being represented.

Schedule of Events:

Wednesday, August 6 – Final Round of Stroke Play

7:30 a.m. – 9:45 a.m. – Starting Times (Players paired by score, with leaders going off last)

3:30 p.m. – Awards Ceremony and Trophy Presentation

Social Media: In addition to full championship coverage on our website at NorthernJunior.com, players and spectators can join the conversation using the hashtag #NorthernJunior.

– Like Us on Facebook at Facebook.com/NorthernJunior

– Follow us on Instagram @NorthernJunior

Links: Round One Starting Times & Pairings | Championship Field

Tournament Facts:

About the Tournament: The Northern Junior Championship, presented by the Golf Performance Academy, is a nationally ranked junior golf tournament that was created in order to provide the highest level of competition for top junior players. The 36-hole stroke play event will be contested over two days at New Haven Country Club in Hamden, Connecticut and is open to amateur boys and girls under the age of 19. Our goal is to provide the same first-class championship experience and red-carpet treatment offered at the highest level of junior and amateur events around the world.

Presenting Sponsor: The Northern Junior is proud to be presented by the Golf Performance Academy, 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. 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. Click here for more information.

Format: All players will play 18-holes of stroke play on Tuesday, August 5th and Wednesday, August 6th at New Haven Country Club in Hamden, Connecticut. Tee times will run from approximately 7:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. on Tuesday, and 7:30 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday. The low 36-hole competitor in the Boys and Girls Championship will be declared the respective Champion. There will be an awards ceremony and trophy presentation following the conclusion of play on Wednesday at approximately 3:45 p.m.

About the Course: 2025 will mark the eighth time that New Haven Country Club will host the Northern Junior, having previously hosted the championship in 2023. Widely regarded as one of the top private golf courses in New England, New Haven Country Club was founded in 1898 and features an 18-hole championship course designed by Willie Park, Jr. The course has undergone numerous renovations since its inception, including a full bunker renovation in 2024 and a new set of green complexes that were completely resurfaced in 2009

Par & Yardage: Boys Championship – Par 70 / 6,560 yards ; Girls Championship – Par 72 / 6,013 yards

States Represented: 27 states and countries are being represented. They are: California, China, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Hong Kong, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ontario, Rhode Island, Taiwan, Texas, Vancouver, Vietnam, Virginia, and Washington. Connecticut has the most players of any state, with a total of 15 players seeking to capture the Northern Junior title in their home state.

Birdies for Charity: Among the beneficiaries of the Northern Junior Championship is Toys for Tots, a program run by the United States Marine Corps. The Northern Junior Championship was originally founded in memory of Stan Trojanowski, a Marine who served in World War II. For every birdie and eagle made during the tournament, a donation will be made to support Toys for Tots, which is also being matched by Rogin Nassau LLC.

Who’s Here: The field of 84 players consists of 54 Boys Competitors and 30 Girls Competitors. The average age of the field is 16.1 years of age. Of the players in the field, 22 Boys and 15 Girls are ranked inside the Top 500 of the Junior Golf Scoreboard or AJGA Rankings.

Player Storylines:

Kate Hu of San Diego, Calif. is the highest ranked competitor in the Girls Championship (#60). Hu recently captured her second AJGA title, the AJGA RG Golf Junior Championship at The Saticoy Club. She also won the prestigious Southern California Junior Amateur Championship in 2023.

Alejandro Formosa of San Mateo, Calif. enters the championship as the highest ranked competitor in the Boys Championship (#72). Formosa, who is committed to play collegiate golf at nearby Columbia University, recently captured the Mizuno West Coast Classic and the San Francisco City Championship.

In addition to those players who gained entry by virtue of previous accomplishments, a total of 8 boys and 4 girls gained entry into the championship through one of two qualifying sites:

At Wintonbury Hills Golf Course, Noah Hu (New York, N.Y.) was the medalist for the Boys Championship with a round of 66, and Xinyu (Cindy) Cao (Hong Kong, China) and Yasmini Oralkhan (Brooklyn, N.Y.) were the co-medalists for the Girls Championship with rounds of 71. A score of 68 for the Boys Championship and 71 for the Girls Championship was needed to qualify.

At Triggs Memorial Golf Course, Jay Wang (Reading, Mass.) claimed medalist honors for the Boys Championship with a round of 69, and Delaney Nadeau (Lee, N.H.) and Angie Yu (Lexington, Mass.) were the co-medalists for the Girls Championship with rounds of 73. Scores of 71 (Boys) and 73 (Girls) were needed to advance.

Top players from Connecticut will be looking to capture the title in their home state, as the current Connecticut Girls’ Junior Champion (Zorah Williams), Connecticut Junior Amateur Champion (North Chery), Connecticut PGA Junior Champion (Austin Perkins) and Borck Junior Champion (Will Lord) are all in the field, and 2024 Connecticut PGA Junior Players of the Year (Phillip Kim and Lauren Connor)

Phillip Kim (Milford, Conn.) and Caroline Goderre (Lebanon, Conn.) earned their place in the field by winning the 2024 Ryan Lee Memorial Junior Open. The tournament, which is part of the Connecticut PGA Junior Tour, is held in memory of Ryan Lee, two-time Northern Junior Champion.

Featured Pairings

7:50 a.m.
Ansen Tran (Fresno, Calif.) – Champion – 2024 AJGA Sacramento Junior
Will Lord (Suffield, Conn.) – Champion – 2025 Borck Junior Championship
Ethan Evans (Fairfax Station, Va.) – Champion – 2024 AJGA York Junior All-Star

8:00 a.m.
Phillip Kim (Milford, Conn.) – 2024 Connecticut PGA Player of the Year
Isaac Rumler (Moline, Ill.) – Champion – Iowa Junior PGA Championship
Isaac Ahn (Rochester, Minn.) – Champion – Minnesota Junior PGA Champion

8:15 a.m.
Nathan Le-Nguyen (Toronto, Canada) – Champion – 2025 AJGA Ann Arbor Preview
Devesh Sidhu (Fresno, Calif.) – Champion – AJGA Spin Junior All-Star
Austin Perkins (West Hartford, Conn.) – Champion – 2025 Connecticut Junior PGA & 2024 Connecticut Amateur

8:45 a.m.
Addison Claire Lee (Cupertino, Calif.) – Three-time AJGA Champion
Kate Hu (San Diego, Calif.) – Two-time AJGA Champion
Bella Ransi (El Dorado Hills, Calif.)- Champion – 2025 AJGA Alton Illinois Junior

9:05 a.m.
Lauren Connor (Westfield, Mass.) – 2024 Connecticut PGA Junior Player of the Year
Yasmini Oralkhan (Brooklyn, N.Y.) – 2024 Metropolitan PGA Player of the Year
Kaitlyn Doe (Waban, Mass.) – Champion – 2025 New England Junior PGA Championship

9:15 a.m.
Rebecca Lee (Johns Creek, Ga.) – Champion – 2024 PKBGT Tournament of Champions
Angela Liang  (Bridgewater, N.J.) – Champion – 2025 PKBGT Mid-Atlantic Championship
Adriana Eaton (Greenville, R.I.)  – Champion – 2025 World Series of Junior Golf

9:40 a.m.
Zorah Williams (Mystic, Conn.) – Champion – 2025 Connecticut Junior Girls’ Amateur
Lillian Guleserian (Westwood, Mass.) – 2024 Mass Golf Player of the Year
Jade Haylock (Hartford, Me.) – Champion – 2024 Maine Women’s Amateur & Girls’ Junior Amateur

10:20 a.m.
Angelo Martinez (Albuquerque, N.M.) – Champion – 2024 New Mexico/West Texas Junior
Michael Asselta (Ramsey, N.J.) – Champion – 2024 New Jersey Junior Amateur
North Chery (East Haven, Conn.) – Champion – 2025 Connecticut Junior Amateur

10:45 a.m.
Caden Piselli (Milford, Conn.) – Champion – 2024 Connecticut Junior PGA Champion
Alejandro Formosa (San Mateo, Calif.) – Champion – 2025 AJGA Mizuno West Coast Champion
Shayaan Kim (Rockledge, Fla.) – Champion – 2025 AJGA Mizuno Junior Championship at Sea Island

11:15 a.m.
Jesse Hellring (Miami Beach, Fla.) – Champion – 2024 Rhode Island Junior Amateur
Robby Rosati (Stratford, Conn.) – Champion – 2025 Computer Merchant Cup
Liam Moloney (Chester, N.Y.) – Champion – 2025 New York State Junior Amateur

Championship Schedule

Monday, August 4

9:30 a.m. – 1:50 p.m. – Practice Round Starting Times

Beginning at 5:30 p.m. – Players Welcome Reception, Dinner, Long Drive Contest and Ryan Lee Scholarship Presentation

Tuesday, August 5

First Round of Stroke Play

7:00 a.m. – 11:50 a.m. – Starting Times (All play will be in threesomes off #1 Tee)

Wednesday, August 6

Second Round of Stroke Play

7:30 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. – Starting Times (Players will be paired by score, with leaders going off last. All play will be in threesomes off #1/10 Tees.)

3:15 p.m. – Awards Ceremony and Trophy Presentation

Social Media: In addition to full championship coverage on our website at NorthernJunior.com, players and spectators can join the conversation using the hashtag #NorthernJunior.

– Like us on Facebook at Facebook.com/NorthernJunior

– Follow us on Instagram @NorthernJunior

– Photo Galleries on Flickr @NorthernJunior

Click here to view Championship Field

Click here for Volunteer Information