BERLIN – Jackson Roman approaches his historic achievement and pulls the tee shot to the left.
He felt unstable and suddenly tired. His caddy and sister Kenna, the skilled college golfer himself, were able to support him during the 2024 Connecticut Open. She pointed to her parents, walking to hide behind the trees and try to hide her nerves. Or she told her brother, “Hey, you're fine, you're just going to hit the ball,” and he breathed and relaxed.
But this wasn't just a pressure point for the golf tournament. Jackson Roman, who manages type 1 diabetes, listens to his phone to monitor the beeps and signals that his blood glucose levels are too low, and the siren is pushed into his bag and quickly honey gel pack.
“When I feel low, I get a little unstable and things start moving quickly,” Roman recalls. “I just hit a pretty bad shot. We found the ball and managed to take a little time while searching. I went down on my knees and put the honey I had taken into my system.
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Kenna Roman, who played at Stonehill College, his solid soundboard, Jackson punched out the ball on that No. 11th hole at Shore Haven Golf Club in Norwalk on July 31, 2024, making it one of his best shots of the tournament on the next hole. He birded 12, 13 and 18 to clinch the tournament, winning 12 under on 54 holes, Connecticut's first open title in 16 years.
“I had an event. The first event started as a diabetic drug and something happened during the round and that left me off track,” Roman says. “I've definitely found some validation and some guarantees because victory in golf is on its own, especially tournaments like the Connecticut Open and many good players. I've seen PGA Tour players who are type 1 diabetes win.
Roman, 22, who will perform at Shuttle Meadow CC, still an amateur, will be repeated as the state champion at the Old Lime Black Hole Club on July 27-30. He is also looking to qualify for the US amateur golf championship in August, like last year, but will have to return to the Met Amateur Qualifying Event and return there from July 31st. Meanwhile, Roman practiced on his summer days on his home course, shooting rounds with a black hole this week, adjusting to this year's Connecticut Open.
Jackson Roman came in quite a way, as he rocks plastic sticks as a toddler for the child who began chasing his father around the shuttle meadow.
“I started competing in US kids golf events when I was five out of six,” he says. “My first year, I think I last died. My family still likes to laugh. There are different levels of what it is very good at. I played a variety of sports, swimming, basketball, soccer. In the middle of high school, I had to decide.
At Hampden Hall, Roman played alongside Ben James, one of Connecticut's greatest junior players of all time. He is currently playing for Virginia, with PGA events such as the Presignature Event Travelers playing on his resume.
“I'm going to look at Ben and he's going to practice incredible,” Roman says.
Roman had not received many college offers, but he spent his time during the pandemic when golf was one of the few activities considered safe. Before his previous year's prep school, Loyola coach Chris Baroga provided Roma with a spot on his Division I program. Roman later graduated, but a year remains behind due to a medical waiver, and he returns to Loyola.
“I'm really grateful that Coach Baroga has given me the opportunity. “I get better every year there.”
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In the summer of his sophomore year at university, Roman lost over 40 pounds and felt weak. As his symptoms worsened, he went home and was diagnosed correctly in November 2022 and was asked immediately.
“Looking up at the athletes who had it was definitely a re-asser,” Roman says. “JJ Spaun, who just won the US Open, is a type 1 diabetic (PGA player) Eric Cole has type 1 diabetes. He has no illnesses, but he has no type 1 diabetic, but he has a culture, group and a good support system.
Roman always wears an insulin pump and BG sensor, and his iPhone is in sync. The golf course has several types of snacks, honey gel, fruit, nuts and high-carb granola bars to combat the symptoms that occur. “I'm still learning,” he says. “All diabetics will say, 'I'm still learning.' ”
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As Roman navigates his condition and schedules for events this summer, behavioral design and performance coach David Knott helped with the mental side of the game.
“You don't win many times, which means you're losing a lot,” Roman says. “Understanding how to digest it and still rob the positive thing has helped a lot in the last few years.”
Jackson Roman grew up around golf in Connecticut, and he knows all his names, local legends who won the opening in front of him. Once he rejoins professional and top amateurs to win another state title, he begins to enjoy his future goals: how to reach his PGA Tour. He turns professionals after his final college season and charts courses from qualifying schools on developmental tours such as Korn Ferry and PGA Americas.
Whatever the game is, when the device he wears is thrown in his way, Roman can manage it.
“In golf, the margins are very slim,” Roman says. “It's definitely within reach and I can get there. It's very difficult to get there, but it's cool to know that it's 'there'. My goal is to get there and I expect you to have to believe in yourself.
Original issue: July 21, 2025 5:30am EDT
