Stan Trojanowski Northern Junior
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| Tournament information | |
|---|---|
| Location | Ellington, Connecticut |
| Established | 2002 |
| Course(s) | Ellington Ridge Country Club |
| Par | 72 |
| Length | Boys 6,680 yds, Girls 5,650 yds |
| Format | 36 holes of Stroke play |
| Month played | August |
| Tournament record score | |
| Aggregate | 136 (-8) (Nick Fairweather) |
| To par | 67 (-5) (Seth Sweet- 2010, Andy Mai- 2011) |
| Current champion | |
| Will Essigs (Boys), Megan Khang (Girls) | |
The Stan Trojanowski Northern Junior is a national junior golf tournament conducted each year at Ellington Ridge Country Club in Ellington, Connecticut. The format for the event is 36-holes of stroke play. The tournament was founded in 2002 in memory of Stan Trojanowski, who died on August 21, 2001. The event is sanctioned by the US Challenge Cup and the Connecticut Section PGA. The 12th Stan Trojanowski Northern Junior will be played August 6–7, 2013.
Eligibility is similar to that of the American Junior Golf Association. Junior golfers interested in playing must be under the age of 19 and must follow the USGA's guidelines for amateur status. Golfers must also have not entered their first year of college by the date of the event. The event is ranked by both the Golfweek/Sagarin Rankings and the National Junior Golf Scoreboard.
The winner of the event receives the Champions Trophy as well as multiple AJGA exemptions. The estimated purse for the event is $2,650, one of the highest purses offered for junior golf tournaments, but in order to preserve the amateur status of the players, all winnings are distributed in the form of pro shop credit. The tournament is one of the few junior tournaments in the country to offer PGA Tour-like live hole-by-hole scoring, standard bearers and an updated leaderboard. The tournament is also supported by Titleist, and each player receives Pro V1 golf balls as part of their tee gift.
History
The Stan Trojanowski Northern Junior was established in 2002 in memory of Stan Trojanowski, father of Cindy Paladino and Gary Trojanowski. Stan Trojanowski died in August, 2001 due to Mesothelioma, a form of cancer resulting from exposure to Asbestos. 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.
Until 2009, the tournament had been open only to Boys and Girls who were members of a Connecticut Section PGA golf course, which included Connecticut and Western Massachusetts. For the 7 years that the tournament was a member of the Connecticut Section PGA Junior Golf Tour, the Stan Trojanowski Northern Junior was unquestionably the most prestigious event on the Tour. Since its beginning, the goal of the tournament has been to provide the same championship experience and red-carpet treatment that the best national events around the country offer. We have worked hard to integrate special amenities not seen at most tournaments, such as live tournament scoring, on course leaderboards, standard bearers, and up to the minute updates on the tournament website.
The 2013 event, the 12th annual, will be a 36-hole event contested over two days at Ellington Ridge Country Club in Ellington, Connecticut on Tuesday and Wednesday, August 6th and 7th. The event will also be ranked by both the Golfweek/Sagarin Rankings and National Junior Golf Scoreboard.
Eligibility and entry procedure
Entry is open to any male or female amateur golfer who has not reached their 19th birthday by August 7, 2013. All players must be an amateur golfer as defined by the USGA, and must not have entered their first year of college. The tournament field will be selected based on an individual players competitive playing resume and finishes in state, regional and national events.
The tournament field for the 2013 Northern Junior will be selected exclusively by the Tournament Committee. The official tournament application must be filled out by each candidate and may also include a playing resume. The entry fee includes two rounds of tournament play, lunch both days, tournament towel, Titleist Pro V1 golf balls, tee gifts and invitation to Players Dinner on Monday, July 23. There will also be a qualifier for the Boys Championship on Monday, July 16 at Simsbury Farms Golf Course.
Past champions
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The Ryan Lee Memorial Scholarship
Each year, the Stan Trojanowski Northern Junior awards the Ryan Lee Memorial Scholarship, which is given to a competitor in the tournament during the Players Dinner. The scholarship is intended for those young men and women wishing to play collegiate golf and who also portray the same honor and appreciation for the game of golf as Ryan. All participants in the Northern Junior can apply for the scholarship.
Following a decorated career at Berlin High School on both the varsity golf team and varsity basketball team, Ryan continued his golf career at Long Island University. As a Division I collegiate golfer, Ryan embodied the most important traits of a successful person, both on and off the golf course. Ryan was persistent and determined, and always eager to learn. He never got angry on or off the course, and always showed the utmost respect for the game of golf. He garnered invaluable life lessons from his time as a collegiate golfer, and there is no doubt Ryan could have done anything in this world. Ryan died on April 26, 2011 at the age of 19.