Fairfield University alumna R.J. Zielinski (Tolland, Conn.) captured the 107^th Connecticut Amateur Golf Championship at Woodway Country Club in Darien, Conn., last week.  The 2009 graduate rallied from as 5-down through 12 holes, to defeat Jeff Hatten on the first extra hole of the match, the 37^th hole.

For Zielinski it was his second extra hole win in as many matches, having knocked off Nick Cook in the semifinals, again in the first extra hole, this time sinking a 12-foot putt for birdie.

Hatten, the 32-second seed, took a 5-up lead through 12 holes in the morning round.  Zielinski got as close as 3-down in the morning round, but reached 18 holes down four, after Hatten chipped in for birdie on the final hole.  The former Stags captain won holes 27-29 and took his first lead on the 31^st hole, and did not look back.

Zielinski was in second place after the first 18 holes of stroke play on Monday, shooting an even par, 71.  He slipped to 10^th place after the completion of the second round of stroke play, to qualify for the Round of 32.  He defeated #23 Tom Scarrozzo, 2 and 1, and captured his Round 0f 16 match, 1-up over #26 Mike McCarthy.  Zielinski met the second-seed, Tom McCarthy in the quarterfinals, and advanced 2 and 1, setting up his dramatic extra hole wins in the semifinals and championship.

A four-year varsity letter winner in golf at Fairfield, Zielinski graduated in May with a degree in accounting.  A member of Beta Alpha Psi, an accounting honor society, he was named a GCAA Cleveland Golf All-America Scholar following his junior season.