Kyle Gallo won a Professional Golfers’ Association event at Wethersfield Country Club with a final score of 2-under par on Thursday, Sept. 18. 

Gallo graduated from Central Connecticut State University in 1998 and served as the head coach of the CCSU golf team from 2015 to 2018. 

He competed for Central’s golf team in his freshman, sophomore, and senior years, earning First Team All-New England honors in all three seasons. As a head coach, he led the Blue Devils to a Northeast Conference title in 2018, and they were also named the New England Division I Team of the Year.  

The tournament was for professional golfers in the Connecticut area. Of the 64 competitors, three were Central graduates. Kyle Hedstrom, a PGA professional at Indian Hill Country Club, and Steve Madison, a PGA professional at the Golf Club of Avon, were the other two alumni to compete. 

Hedstrom shot 10-over par to tie for 39th place, and Madison shot 15-over par and finished in 54th place. 

Gallo emphasized the influence CCSU had on his career in golf. 

“Central is my home. That’s where I grew up and went to school. My mom worked there, my brothers went there, so Central will always hold a place in my heart,” he said. “I’ve also met tons of friends who are still involved in the golf industry at Central.” 

Gallo faced tough competition throughout the day, particularly from Christopher Tallman, a PGA professional at Great Horse, constantly overtaking one another for the lead. It came down to the 17th hole.  

Both men were tied at 1-under par. Gallo teed off on 17 and Tallman on 16. Gallo made a birdie on hole 17, a 207-yard par 3, and par on 18, a 426-yard par 4.  

Tallman was unable to close the gap, making par on all three holes, which sealed Gallo’s victory.  

With the win, Gallo took home the $1,400 prize. 

The topic of discussion among participants at the tournament was the difficulty of pin placements on the day.   

Gallo explained how he remained composed despite the difficulties the course posed. 

“I didn’t really think about the pins too much. They certainly were in some interesting spots, but I’ve played enough golf now to know my skills and limitations,” he said. “I limited my mistakes and was able to play smart golf.”