BRANDON, Vermont – Alex Elia made himself right at home in Vermont on Tuesday. The Holy Cross rising junior from Connecticut fired an 8-under-par 64 Tuesday at Neshobe Golf Club, grabbing the early lead at the 96th New England Amateur Championship.
Despite the sizzling start, his margin is slim. Thanks to a flurry of red numbers in the afternoon on the 6,446-yard layout, Elia holds just a two-shot edge heading into Round 2 at the first-time host course. 
Lafayette College rising senior Harry Dessel (Rhode Island CC) is two strokes off the lead on the strength of a 5-under 30 back nine to shoot 66. Zach Pelzar (Weston GC-MA), of Emory University, also used some streaky play to finish 5-under and finish the round tied for second alongside Anthony Guerrera (Watertown GC-CT).
In the field of 144, 30 players finished Day 1 under par, while 49 were at least even through the first 18 holes.
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Playing Neshobe Golf Club for the first time in competition, Elia posted the lowest opening-round score at the New England Amateur since Matt Parziale (Thorny Lea Golf Club) fired a 65 at Baker Hill Golf Club (NH) in 2015. The Wilton, Connecticut, native who plays out of Silver Spring Country Club sandwiched an eagle on the 11th between a pair of bogeys but then proceeded to birdie holes 14-17 and adding another eagle on the 8th to build on his lead.
It's a promising start for Elia, who placed T8 last year and T21 the year prior. His only slip-ups Tuesday came on the par 3s, where he made bogey on three of four. However, he recorded a birdie on the other (par-3 17th) to erase one of those dropped shots.
"It was one of those days where you kind of feel like you got it all under control, and you don't really have to scramble for anything," said Elia, who finished two strokes shy of the course record.
Pelzar, coming of a run to the Round of 16 in the 117th Massachusetts Amateur Championship, gained some momentum with consecutive birdies on holes 14-16, the latter being a reachable par-4 (285 yards). He then did the same on holes 1-3, but gave all three of those shots back on 4-6 before making eagle on the par-5 8th to close out a 67. Guerrera, a former Post University golfer, came in three groups later on the strength of consecutive birdies on holes 6-8.
Neshobe member Walker Allen, a standout among mid-amateurs, is leading the field of Vermont players, shaking off a double-bogey in the opener to shoot 4-under 68. That puts him in a tie for 5th with Mike Rothberg (Mill River CC-CT) and one stroke ahead several players, including fellow Vermonter Lucas Politano (Ralph Myhre GC) and 2017 champion Bobby Leopold (Wannamoisett CC-RI). 
Defending champion CJ Winchenbaugh (Oyster Harbors Club) finished with a pair of birdies on 8-9 to move to 1-under in a tie with Parziale, and eight other golfers.
The second round begins at 7:30 a.m. Wednesday. The low 60 players and ties will advance to the final round Thursday.
Leaderboard (Neshobe GC - Par 72)
1 - Alex Elia, Silver Spring CC (CT); 64 (-8)
2 - Harry Dessel, Rhode Island CC (RI); 66 (-6)
T3 - Zach Pelzar, Weston GC (MA); 67 (-5)
T3 - Anthony Guerrera, Watertown GC (CT); 67 (-5)
T5 - Walker Allen, Neshobe GC (VT); 68 (-4)
T5 - Mike Rothberg, Mill River CC (CT); 68 (-4)
T7 - Lucas Politano, Ralph Myhre GC (VT); 69 (-3)
T7 - Bobby Leopold, Wannamoisett CC (RI); 69 (-3)
T7 - Michael Caparco, Agawam Hunt (RI); 69 (-3)
T7 - Elliott Spaulding, Brunswick GC (ME); 69 (-3)
T7 - Jacob Moody, Waterville CC (ME); 69 (-3)
T7 - Drew Golden, Black Rock CC (MA); 69 (-3)
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Top Scores From Each State
Connecticut – 1 (-8) Alex Elia, Silver Spring CC
New Hampshire – T14 (-2)  Mathew Gover, Atkinson Resort & CC
Maine – T7 (-3) Elliott Spaulding, Brunswick GC; Jacob Moody, Waterville CC
Massachusetts – T3 (-5) Zach Pelzar, Weston GC
Rhode Island – 2 (-6) Harry Dessel, Rhode Island CC
Vermont –  T5 (-4) Walker Allen, Neshobe GC
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About Neshobe Golf Club
Neshobe Golf Club is an 18-hole, par-72 championship course (6,446 yards) is located in the scenic hills of Brandon, Vermont, about 50 miles south of Burlington. While it offers sweeping mountain views in every direction, Neshobe sets itself apart from typical mountain courses by avoiding severe uphill or downhill lies and blind shots. Instead, players enjoy a thoughtfully designed layout across rolling farmland, woods, and pastures.
This is the first time Neshobe has hosted a New England Golf Association championship. The club previously site of the 2011 Vermont Amateur.  The Green Mountain State itself has had four New England Amateur champions in the previous 95 editions: Shawn Baker (1989), Hans Albertson (1990), Evan Russell (2013), and Jared Nelson (2022).

HAVERHILL, Massachusetts (June 26, 2025) — Playing the 18th hole at Haverhill Country Club was rarely a problematic task for Maddie Smith (Vesper Country Club), attack it with the same plan for every tee shot. A baby cut followed by a comfortable wedge was the objective, and Smith was successful off the tee four out of the five times she played the hole this week. 
Playing her 47th hole of the week Thursday in a playoff to determine the winner of the New England Women’s Amateur, Smith slipped on the dampened tee box and pulled her tee shot left. However, even with the tricky lie, Smith had an angle and committed fully to her next shot, which clipped part of a tree but rested 8 feet from the cup, unbeknownst to her, until walking up to the green.
“I thought I might be in trouble… and then I started to hear people clapping,” Smith said. “I was like, ‘Oh, it must be on the green' because I thought any chance of me getting that ball on the green was a good shot. And then I got up there, and it was 8 feet. So I was pretty excited.”
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Smith drained the putt for birdie after her competitor, Amelie Phung (eClub of Connecticut), missed her birdie bid in the head-to-head playoff. Smith then breathed a sigh of relief just before getting doused with water by 2024 champion Carys Fennessy and a few other spectators who came to watch on the breezy, overcast day. Smith is not the first of her family to take home the trophy of the New England Women’s Amateur. Her older sister, Morgan, won the event in 2022 and 2023. 
“It’s pretty exciting,” Smith said. “Coming out here playing in a great field, a great week, a great course, and there's nothing better than to come out with a trophy.”
The final round started off with the lead in the hands of Lillian Guleserian (Blue Hill Country Club), the 2024 Mass Golf Girls’ Junior Player of the Year and Penn State commit. Guleserian started with a 2-shot lead, but by the turn, it had slipped from her grasp due to an errant tee shot that led to an untimely triple-bogey on the par-5 8th. She continued to battle, shooting just 1-over the rest of the way and finishing in solo third at 2-over-par total. 
Smith climbed into the lead with a 6-foot birdie putt on hole 14, and though she bogeyed the next, she parred the remainder of the round to send her to the playoff. The first playoff hole left both players with 15-20 foot putts for birdie, each of them sniffing the hole. Returning down the hill to the 18th tee box, Phung hit her drive down the middle while Smith’s drifted to the left under a tree. While Smith stuck her next to just 8 feet, Phung left herself a longer putt, around 10.
This is not the first win for Smith, who won the 2023 Massachusetts Girls’ Junior Amateur Championship and was knocking on the door at several others over the past year. Smith, who played in the 2024 U.S. Women's Amateur, placed 4th in the 2024 New England Junior Amateur, 5th in the 2024 Ouimet Memorial Tournament, and was top 10 in this event last year. 
When she won the New England Women's Amateur at her home course of Marshfield Country Club in 1995, Tara Connelly (The Kittansett Club) called it the most gratifying victory of her career. Nearly 30 years later, she's still finding ways to win hoist trophies in this event.
Connelly captured her third consecutive Senior Division title by following up a tough opening round of 5-over 41 with back-to-back rounds of 1-under 71. Her final round on Thursday was a masterclass in staying composed, even when the margin narrowed late.

Tara Connelly won the Senior Division title for the third consecutive. (Teddy Doggett)[/caption]Despite opening with a bogey, Connelly found her groove on the front nine, carding three birdies on the 4th, 6th, and 8th holes to build a 3-shot lead heading into the final stretch. On the par-3 15th, after leaving her tee shot just short of the green, she three-putted for bogey, a rare stumble that opened the door for Debbie Johnson (Blackhawk CC-CT), who made a remarkable up-and-down for par after hitting a tree with her tee shot. That pulled Johnson within two.
Unfazed, Connelly sealed the victory in bold fashion. Playing the extremely reachable par-5 17th (409 yards), she pulled a 9-wood, a club she added to the bag at age 50.
“Yesterday, I hit the seven wood, and I should have hit the nine wood," said Connelly, whose approach skipped over the green during Round 2 on Wednesday. Today, it was a little closer, and I was like, 'Now it's not even really a nine wood, it really should be a five iron.' But I'm like, 'I like the looks of the 9-wood.' And I was like, 'Yep, we'll use it.' So I kind of hit an easy grip-up 9-wood and just let the wind take it in there.”
The result: A close approach and a made eagle putt that all but locked up her third straight title. “I just decided to start the week if it was a par 5, and I was going for it two, that I was going to go for it two. Like, don't kind of half commit to the shot. So that's kind of just how I played it, and let it fall where it may, and that one worked out.”
And the feeling of winning certainly never gets old.
“It's really neat because we have a pretty tight group in New England," Connelly said. "It's been all different kinds of ways the last couple of years and had a rough start Tuesday, so I feel fortunate enough to pull it together and get it going.”
The New England Women's Amateur also recognizes the low scorer in the Legends Division (age 65+). This year's Sydney Arnold Legend Champion Trophy went to Danielle Lee (Renaissance), who finished with a three-day, 45-hole total of 200, firing consecutive rounds of 78 over the past two days.
Next year's New England Women's Amateur is set to take place June 23-25, 2026, at Concord Country Club in New Hampshire. The club previously hosted in 1978, won by Rhode Island's Julie Greene.

HAVERHILL, Massachusetts (June 25, 2025) — With the back nine at Haverhill Country Club open for business Wednesday, players took advantage, the most notable being Lillian Guleserian (Blue Hill Country Club).
Guleserian fired a smooth 3-under-par 33 after the turn with four birdies and a bogey, contributing to her score of 3-under 69 for the day at the New England Women’s Amateur Championship.
She started the birdie train off early on the back nine, with an 8-footer catching the edge of the cup and falling in on the 10th. On holes 12 and 14, Guleserian was right on target, leaving her 7-foot and 3-foot putts. Hole 17 gave Guleserian another birdie, with a close chip from the fringe and another 8-foot make. 
The 2024 Mass Golf Girls’ Junior Player of the Year was 1-over-par after just nine holes on day 1 and set herself a strategy for the full 18 today.
“With those shorter par fours and short par fives… I tried to play a little more conservative on the front and then take advantage of the back,” Guleserian said. 
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While Guleserian sits two strokes ahead of second place, she is well aware of the full 18 open to scoring Thursday. 
“It feels good to have a little bit of a cushion, but I know there’s a bunch of people up at the top of the leaderboard that could put in some good rounds tomorrow,” Guleserian said. 
For her plans on Thursday, Guleserian will stick to her motto: patience. 
“I think my main thought out there today was just to be patient,” said Guleserian, an incoming first-year at Penn State University. “Three bogeys in a row is not great, but I felt confident that I could make up some ground and make some birdies on the back.”
Sitting right behind Guleserian on the leaderboard is Amelie Phung (eClub of Connecticut), tied for second with Maddie Smith (Vesper Country Club). With an eagle on the par-5 6th, Smith held the lead at 1-under at the turn. She gave a couple of shots back on the 13th and 14th but made a birdie on the 17th to get within two shots of the lead held by her fellow Team Massachusetts U.S. National Development Program teammate. 
Phung was tied for first after Tuesday’s round and, after bouncing between bogeys and birdies, remains at even par. Noticeable holes for Phung were 11, 14, and 17, earning birdies on each as she aims for her first title in the event.
“This is one of my favorite tournaments, I get to meet a lot of new people,” said Phung, the runner-up in a playoff in 2024. “It’s a new course for me, and any new course is an opportunity to get a new look and different experience.” 
At first glance, the course might seem easy, but it proves difficult for any length player. With tree-lined fairways on almost every hole and multiple elevation changes, Haverhill Country Club can be a challenge for anyone. Although the course is a new sight for Phung, she is paying attention to the elevation changes in the course and getting a few tips from the members.
“I paid a lot of attention to how I play the elevation,” Phung said. “A lot of the members have been friendly and giving me advice on how I play the greens and how to attack the different holes. It’s been a lot of concentration on the course and how you position yourself.” 
Jayne Pardus (Boston Golf Club) wore her motto of the day on her navy cap, “FUN” printed in large pink letters. Such was the case on the par-4 14th hole (277 yards) when she holed out from eagle using a 56-degree wedge from about 60 yards out, giving her enough for a one-stroke lead on the field. Even a dreaded four-putt on the 17th was negated by the fact that she was on the green in two.
Pardus, who has qualified for the past two U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur (Round of 32 in 2023), remains just a stroke ahead of Tara Joy-Connelly (The Kittansett Club), who has won the past two Senior Division titles. 
A previous winner of the Championship Division in 1995 and 1996, Joy-Connelly shot the low round of the day at 1-under 71, kicked off by some redemption on the opening hole. Her second shot was in the rough Tuesday and found the hazard leading to a triple-bogey. Her second shot Wednesday instead found the green and set up a birdie putt. She added two more on the 6th and 11th for a solid round.
“I was out of sorts yesterday, so starting off with the birdie today was nice,” said Joy-Connelly, who despite playing a practice round, finally got a full look at the full 18 in Round 2. “I didn’t play the back nine when I came up late Saturday afternoon, so I skipped a few holes. But I just kept picking a target and aiming at it.”
Round 1 leader Pamela Kuong (Charles River CC) and Debbie Johnson (Blackhawk CC-CT) will also give chase as they sit three strokes back at +6, 114. Haverhill member Kim Grady also made the cut, knocking down a birdie on the par-4 11th.
Top Scores (Total To Par) From Each State (Championship Division)
Connecticut – Amelie Phung (eClub of Connecticut) (E)
Massachusetts – Lillian Guleserian (Blue Hill CC) (-2)
New Hampshire –  Delaney Nadeau (Cochecho CC) (+9)
Rhode Island –  Adriana Eaton Kirkbrae CC (+4)
Vermont – N/A
Top Scores (Total To Par) From Each State (Senior Division)
Connecticut –  Debbie Johnson (Blackhawk CC) (+6)
Massachusetts –  Jayne Pardus (Boston GC) (+3)
New Hampshire – Amy Dickison (Breakfast Hill GC) (+16)
Rhode Island – Trish Labossiere (Triggs Memorial GC) (+37)
Vermont –  Amy Butcher (Lakeside-VT) (+23)
Maine – N/A
Notes & Notables

• A total of 34 players in the Championship Division and 17 in the Senior Division made the cut for the final round Thursday. The Championship cut line was +14, 122 (27 holes), and the Senior Division had a cut at +23, 131 (27 holes).

• Merrimack College made its presence known all over Haverhill CC this week, and not just because the Warriors have called it home since 2016. From tee to green, those navy and gold bags popped up across the championship field thanks to current team members Jillian Johnson (Hatherly CC-MA); June Doerr (Abenaqui CC-NH); Mya Murphy (MIAA-MA); Charlotte Cute (Ocean Edge GC-MA); Eva Gonzales (Eva Gonzales Overlook CC-NH). Merrimack alum Jacquelyn Stiles (Nashawtuc CC-MA) was also into the field.
• Amy Butcher (Lakeside-VT), 68, the oldest among the senior players in the field at age 68, made the cut on the number.
• Haverhill Country Club sits on the border of Massachusetts and New Hampshire. Next year’s event will be fully in the Granite State as Concord Country Club (NH) will host next year’s playing of the event June 23-25. The club previously hosted in 1978, won by Rhode Island’s Julie Greene.

HAVERHILL, Massachusetts (June 24, 2025) – The New England Women’s Amateur Championship began on a blistering day, with the opening round limited to only nine holes for the 96 players in the field. 
Day 1 delivered what most expected: a crowded leaderboard and not a ton of separation. Maddie Smith (Vesper Country Club-MA) and 2024 runner-up Amelie Phung (eClub of Connecticut-CT) set the early pace at even-par 36. But with a brutal heat and just nine holes to work with, big mistakes loomed, and many players were simply trying to hold steady. In the end, eight players finished within a shot of the lead, leaving the door wide open heading into a full 18-hole round on Day 2.
Online: Round 1 Scores | Round 2 Starting Times | Past Champions | Event Home
This week, Smith will look to win the title that her older sister, Morgan Smith, won in 2022 and 2023. The University of Memphis commit started her campaign with a birdie on the par-4 5th and managed the course well throughout. Her only slip was a three-putt on the uphill 9th green playing back toward the clubhouse. 
Phung is back in the field after making it into a playoff with eventual champion Carys Fennessey in the 2024 New England Women’s Amateur. Since then, Phung has graduated high school, committed to play on the inaugural Rice University women’s golf team, and has competed in several elite junior events across the country. In 2021, she competed in the Drive, Chip & Putt National finals with her sister Alexandra. On Tuesday, she took advantage of the short par-5, 6th (440 yards) to get back to even par.
As for the rest of the field, six players finished tied at 1-over 37, including Holy Cross rising junior Julianna Megan, who is spending her summer at the Orchards Golf Club (MA) as a Product Engineering Intern at Callaway Golf. 
In her New England Women’s Amateur debut, Megan made birdie on the opening hole and added another on the par-3 4th to help keep her in contention. 
“The yardage was playing well for me,” said Megan, a native of Hooksett, New Hampshire. “I’m usually on the shorter side of hitting, so it was nice that I didn’t have to worry about that for this tournament. I had some key drives that set me up, so just looking to hopefully take this momentum into tomorrow.” 
Megan was also paired with two fellow Division I golfers, Merrimack’s Charlotte Cute (Ocean Edge GC-MA) and Stonehill’s Jaelyn Deboise (Springfield Country Club-MA), who was celebrating her 21st birthday. “There’s a lot of great players here, so it’s cool to play with them and see all my friends,” Megan said. 
Blue Hill members Lillian Guleserian and Mekhala Costello, who led Massachusetts to a Griscom Cup week a few weeks ago, also carded 37 along with Sophia Lewis (Newton Commonwealth GC-MA) and Cindy Cao (eClub of Connecticut-CT), the 2025 Massachusetts Women’s Stroke Play champion. 
Even par set the pace in the Senior Division as well, with Jayne Pardus (Boston Golf Club-MA) and Pamela Kuong (Charles River Country Club-MA) tied at the top after nine. The two are no strangers to a tight race, as they have competed in several USGA Championships in recent years and battled it out for last year’s Massachusetts Women’s Senior Amateur title.
Kuong stayed steady on the scorecard throughout her round, carding a bogey on the third hole but earning a birdie on the ninth with a 5-foot-putt. On her best approach of the day, Kuong thought her shot was short and was pleasantly surprised to find a tap-in birdie available to her. 
“I know I can’t go long on that [green], and obviously I must have hit it well enough that I was so sure that was Deb’s ball,” said Kuong, who congratulated her playing partner Debbie Johnson (Blackhawk Country Club-CT) upon walking up to the green.“I mean, you get lucky breaks here and there.”
The top of the leaderboard has been a familiar place for Kuong, who won the 2024 Massachusetts Senior Women’s Amateur, as well as this event in 2011. 
While the birdie pushed Kuong to the top of the leaderboard, her short game was the steadiest part of her day. 
“My short game saves on one and two were my best because that could have set my round off so poorly,” Kuong said. “I think the start, getting up and down on those holes, helped me a lot.”
Fellow Mass Golf members Irene Haley (Ferncroft Country Club-MA) and Susan Curtin (Boston Golf Club-MA) finished the day three shots off the lead. Another notable performance on the course was from Kim Grady, a Haverhill member. Grady has a recent string of wins on the home course, with the Women’s Club Championship in 2023 and 2024 and the Tournament of Champions in 2024. Currently, Grady sits at solo fifth in the senior women’s division, firing off a 40 with five straight pars in the middle of the round.

Tournament Format
The 2025 New England Women’s Amateur Championship is a 45-hole stroke-play tournament divided into two divisions. The Championship Division is played from a course length of roughly 6,000 yards and is open to players with a Handicap Index of 10.0 or below. The Senior Championship is played from approximately 5,500 yards in length, open to players 50 years and above, and requires a Handicap Index not exceeding 18.0.

Top Scores From Each State (Championship Division)
Connecticut – Amelie Phung; 36 (E)
New Hampshire –  Eva Gonzales; 38 (+2) Maine – Jade Haylock; 38 (+2)
Massachusetts – Maddie Smith; 36 (E)
Rhode Island –  Kylie Eaton; 38 (+2)
Vermont – N/A
Top Scores From Each State (Senior Division)
Connecticut –  Jen Holland; 41 (+5), Debbie Johnson; 41 (+5)
Massachusetts –  Jayne Pardus; 36 (E), Pamela Kuong; 36 (E)
New Hampshire –  Amy Dickison; 41(+5), Julie Rivers; 41 (+5)
Rhode Island – Trish Labossiere; 47 (+11)
Vermont –  Kimberly Barkyoumb; 45 (+9)
Maine – N/A

About Haverhill Country Club 
Since opening in 1925 on the old Brickett Farm, Haverhill Country Club has remained a hidden gem on the Massachusetts–New Hampshire border. Designed by renowned architect Wayne Stiles, the course was praised early on as “ideal in every way,” with broad fairways threading through native woods and natural elevation. The blind downhill tee shot on the first hole and the towering flagsticks on the 9th and 18th greens paint that picture clearly. 

​This year marks the first time Haverhill is hosting this championship. The inaugural winner, Joanne Goodwin, a 2014 inductee into the Massachusetts Golf Hall of Fame, claimed the title in 1957 and again in 1958. Her father, Hal Goodwin, was the longtime head professional at the club. 

Now celebrating its 100th anniversary, the club continues to stand out for its championship-caliber golf course and deeply engaged membership. Despite the heat, several members graciously volunteered their time as spotters and live scorers. 

“I feel like this place is one of a kind in this area and stands the test of time against most golf courses in the state,” said Director of Golf Todd Cook. “Having the players here at this ability level and a championship run by the New England Golf Association and Mass Golf is special. It’s nice to have it here in the 100th year and see what they think of the golf course.” 
“The course is in absolutely mint condition,” Pam Kuong said after her round. “There were no ball marks, the greens were very fast and tricky, but they prepped this course well.”  

Recent enhancements, including work to holes 8 and 16 and a master plan by architect Robert McNeil, have elevated the experience. The formerly tree-lined right side of eight had become a drainage nightmare. With McNeil’s guidance, the area was reshaped by tree removal and is now far more playable and visually striking. 

At its core, the layout remains faithful to the Stiles blueprint. The 100-year-old greens are among its defining features. “[Superintendent] Max Sheridan takes so much pride in this place,” Cook said. “We don’t need to do anything crazy; the course is already in fantastic shape.” 

THOMPSON, Connecticut – The Final Round of the New England Senior Amateur Championship was contested on a cloudy, yet pleasant day, at Quinnatisset Country Club.
 
It was anything but a walk in the park, but overnight leader Andy Drohen (The Ranch GC, MA) was able to slam the door shut with an incredible up-and-down for birdie on the final hole to take home the New England Senior Amateur Championship.
 
Craig Steckowych (Portsmouth CC, NH) mounded a furious comeback, playing the final five holes at 3-under-par to claim the Super Senior Championship.
 
ONLINE: RESULTS | PAST CHAMPIONS

Senior Championship Final Leaderboard
1 – Andy Drohen (MA); 66-72 (-6)
T2 – Dean Godek (MA); 71-68 (-5)
T2 – David Marshall (CT); 71-68 (-5)
T4 – Doug Clapp (MA); 71-69 (-4)
T4 – Timothy Murray (CT); 68-72 (-4)
 
Senior Championship
Early in the day, it looked like newly minted senior, Andy Drohen was going to pick up where he left off yesterday, and easily birdie his way to victory. A couple of opening pars followed by back-to-back birdies put Drohen at -8 and out in front.
 
Hometown favorites Timothy Murray (Quinnatisset CC, CT) and David Marshall (Quinnatisset CC, CT) hung around the top of the leaderboard for the entire day. Joining them was former champion Doug Clapp (Old Sandwich GC, MA), Dean Godek (Agawam Municipal GC, MA), as well as a smattering of others.
 
As the clock read 4:45 p.m., there were six players either tied or within one shot of the lead.
 
But what makes golf such a beautiful game is the rhythm of rounds and the ability for late fireworks, especially when a reachable par-5 is awaiting on 18.
 
At first it looked like Clapp was set to etch his name on the trophy once again, as he was four-under on his round through 12 holes. As his round slowed, it was Godek’s that started humming. After a birdie on the par-5 14th, Godek played a crafty, low chip into the face of the hill on the par-3 15th, perfectly deadening the ball. As the ball released off the hill it slowly inched its way towards the hole, before falling for birdie.

After Godek’s birdie bid on the closing hole lipped out, it was Marshall who looked primed to grab victory. But like Godek, his birdie bid was no good, setting the stage for Drohen.
 
The forgotten man, the one that came into the day leading, needed a birdie on the last to win the championship.
 
“I leave the phone in the car, because work gets in the way of that,” joked Drohen in explaining that he was unaware of his standing coming into the final hole. “I was playing with Tim there, and I kind of thought Tim was, I think he was one back, and I figured he was going to make a birdie there. So I was just trying to make the birdie (to) hold him off that, so I had no idea what's going on with the field.”
 
Nevertheless, Drohen found himself greenside in two, but well left of the green. A high, soft pitch landed loudly on the green and bounded past the hole for Drohen. After a full examination, Drohen stepped up and buried the long birdie putt for the win.
 
“It's been good to be the young guy again,” added Drohen. “Been looking forward to being old for a long time, so getting in that range of 50 years old and above, and can't really compete with the young guys anymore. So, it's kind of good to compete with the all the old legends again.”
 
Super Senior Championship Final Leaderboard
1 – Craig Steckowych (NH); 74-69 (-1)
2 – Kevin Carey (MA); 72-74 (+2)
3 – Donald Reycroft (MA); 74-73 (+3)
4 – John Herbert (CT); 74-74 (+4)
5 – Richard Stevens (CT); 74-75 (+5)
 
Super Senior Championship
Craig Steckowych, of Portsmouth Country Club in New Hampshire, doesn’t consider himself a Super Senior, but he played spectacular during the two-day event to finish as the champion in that division. He was the only Super Senior to shoot below par, posting 74-69 – 143 (1-under). Despite a double-bogey on his second hole of Round 2, he settled down and cruised to victory with seven birdies. It’s been nearly a year to the day since Steckowych won the New Hampshire Senior Match Play Championship at the Golf Club of New England Sept. 19, 2023 in Stratham, N.H. He continued his New England success this week at Quinnatisset Country Club.
 
Top Finishers From Each State
Connecticut – David Marshall (T2)
New Hampshire – Craig Steckowych (T9)
Maine – Thomas Caron (T65)
Massachusetts – Andy Drohen (Winner)
Rhode Island – Jeffrey Dantas (T15)
Vermont – Greg Birsky (T44)
 
What’s Next
The New England Senior Amateur Championship was the final event on the New England Golf Association calendar for 2024. Next year, this event will be contested in Maine at site that yet to be determined.

THOMPSON, Connecticut – It took a bit longer for Mother Nature to awaken on Tuesday. Thanks to lingering, heavy fog, the first round of the New England Amateur Championship at Quinnatisset Country Club was delayed by one hour.

The wait was worth it. What unfolded was a picture-perfect day accompanied by a gentle breath of wind. Outside of the occasional tee shot, the only break in silence was that of race cars accelerating their way around Thompson Speedway, located 3 miles through the woods.

With one day of play in the books, Andy Drohen (The Ranch GC, MA) leads the way in the Senior Championship at 6-under-par, and Kevin Carey (Dennis Pines GC, MA) sits atop the Super Senior Championship leaderboard at even par.
 
ONLINE: LEADERBOARD | ROUND 2 STARTING TIMES | EVENT HOMEPAGE
 
With two holes left in his round, former Massachusetts Amateur Champion Andy Drohen sat one back of the lead. On 17, he became just the fourth player to birdie the hole on the day, pulling into a share of the clubhouse lead. Then, on the par-5 finisher, Drohen hit a nifty little downhill chip that came to rest six feet from the hole.

The short, hard-breaking putt tried to sneak past the left edge, but caught just enough of the hole to spin a full 360° before dropping. The birdie vaulted Drohen into the lead heading into Wednesday’s final round.

On a day when the navigating the greens seemed to be of utmost importance, Criag Platt (Mill River CC, CT) was the quickest to get there. After missing his first green of the day (hole 10), he went on to hit the next 17 in a row.

“The key was no three-putts today,” said Platt. “That was my goal coming in, just hitting a lot of greens, and not trying to three-putt.”
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Platt is no stranger to this stage, or position. He was the leader after one round of play back in 2022 at Black Rock CC (MA). That year he held his own in the final round, and finished T3, but was bested by Doug Clapp (Old Sandwich GC, MA) who fired a 65 to claim victory.

“Two years ago, I was in the same position, so hopefully I can finish it off this year and get it done.”

Former Champion (2021) John McNeill (Amateur Golf Tour of NE, MA) is also still in contention after shooting even-par (72) in the opening round. And while the leaderboard shows McNeill at level, his round was anything but.

“I probably won’t make a 47-footer tomorrow, but if I don’t hit it in the water on nine, yeah,” added McNeill. “Golf isn’t always about getting what you deserve. But, you know, overall, I had some bad breaks, some good breaks, even par – I am happy to take it.”

The New England Senior Amateur is a no-cut event, where players are re-paired for the final round, which is scheduled to begin at 8 a.m. The leaders will tee off at approximately 1:45 p.m.
 
Super Senior Championship
One of the unique aspects of the New England Senior Amateur Championship is the fact that it is essentially two championships in one. All players in the field play the same tee set and are eligible for the Senior Championship. Those players ages 65 and older are also eligible for the Super Senior Championship.

Leading the way amongst the Super Seniors is Kevin Carey (Dennis Pines GC, MA). His round was highlighted by an eagle on the 17th hole, and birdie on the 18th.

Bob Reni (CC of New Bedford, MA) is just one back of the lead after offsetting four bogies with three birdies in carding a 73 (+1).
A couple of Massachusetts stalwarts Jack Kearney (Westover GC, MA) and Donald Reycroft (Bayberry Hills/Bass River, MA) are lingering close behind, having shot 74 (+2).

Alongside them at 2-over-par is Craig Steckowych (Portsmouth CC, NH), a former New England Amateur Champion, who made five birdies on the day, including two-straight to close out his round.

“I four-putted twice today, so you get kind of sensitive to it,” said Steckowych in describing the birdie on nine, his last hole of the day. “So, I hit the putt. It was a bad putt. Happened to go in. You saw me walk off, I was like ‘got no chance’, and it went in.”

Steckowych also echoed what many others were saying about the test at Quinnatisset. “If you leave the shots in all the right places, you can do okay here. I made some birdies, but I made a couple of doubles too, and it’s easy to do.”

Also at 2-over-par is John Herbert (Rockledge, CT), Richard Stevens (EClub of Connecticut).
 
Ace Alert
Playing the par-3, 7th hole on Tuesday, Thomas Caron (Bangor Municipal GC, ME) took an 8-iron and knocked it in the hole. It was the second ace of his career. His first also came during a competitive round, some years back at Waterville CC during the Maine Amateur Championship. Luckily for Caron’s wallet, Quinnatisset does not sell beverages of the adult type, on site.
 
Senior Championship Leaderboard
1 – Andy Drohen (MA); 66 (-6)
2 – Craig Platt (CT); 67 (-5)
3 – Timothy Murray (CT); 68 (-4)
4 – Jeff Fisher (MA); (-2)
 
Top Scores From Each State
Connecticut – Craig Platt; 67 (-5)
New Hampshire – Craig Steckowych; 74 (+2)
Maine – Thomas Caron; 77 (+5)
Massachusetts – Andy Drohen; 66 (-6)
Rhode Island – Brian O’Leary; 73 (+1)
Vermont – Greg Birsky; 78 (+6)

About Quinnatisset Country Club
Like many golf courses situated alongside state borders in New England, Quinnatisset Country Club (Thompson, CT) is a proud member club of both the Connecticut State Golf Association and the Rhode Island Golf Association.

The golf course was originally constructed as a 9-hole layout in 1901 by over 200 craftsmen and laborers, imported from Italy. The group cleared 100 acres of woodland, built magnificent stone walls, and laid out what was probably the first significant golf facility in Northeastern Connecticut.

In addition to the huge walls surrounding and running through the course, the Italian craftsmen constructed a large stone water tower standing alongside the first tee, and four large stones cairns around the pond.  The water tower and wells not only supplied water for the course but for several area farms and houses.  The massive stone walls, which greatly add to the beauty and uniqueness of the property, were large enough for the owner, Norman B. Ream, to walk his horse on as he supervised the construction of the course.

The 9-hole course opened in 1901 and expanded to 18-holes in 1966. The course was then reconstructed by Roger Rulewich in 2004, which brought a completely new layout to the storied land.

It is now a course which rivals all in the area. Quinnatisset Golf Course has contributed to the cultural significance and played a colorful role in the lifestyle of the community for over a century. Today it provides a means of recreation for over 400 members residing in Connecticut, Massachusetts and Rhode Island, who come to challenge the par 72 layout.
 
*Source - Quinnatisset Country Club

HAMPDEN, Massachusetts - The New England Junior Amateur Championship is an event unlike others seen on a young golfers' slate throughout the year. The invitational, featuring boys and girls aged 18 and under from the hexad of New England states, is like a brief stay at summer camp. Sporting matching shirts corresponding with the state they represent, the event presents one the opportunity to share memories and bond over laughter with their fellow statewide competitors. That was especially the case Monday afternoon when impromptu indoor putting contests replaced the previously scheduled second 18-hole round, which was canceled due to inclement weather. 
While this week is part showcase, much of it presented an opportunity to soak up the last moments of summer and share some laughter along the way before the players all go their separate ways for the new school year — several to their long-awaited college destinations. 
In the meantime, their talents were on display at a course, unlike many others, GreatHorse, which often draws the same reaction as watching the collective talent in the field, "Woah." That was indeed the case in the first of two 18-hole rounds Monday, as New England Amateur champion CJ Winchenbaugh raced out to a lead at 7-under-par 65, sinking a 20-foot eagle putt on his second hole of the day (par-5 8th) and adding six birdies to lift Team Massachusetts, the defending team champion on the boys side.
On the girls' side, New Hampshire women's amateur champion Carys Fennessy also opened a commanding lead. The College of Charleston verbal commit was the only player under par in the morning (1-under 73). Her score puts Team New Hampshire in the lead as the Granite State tries to capture its first girls team title.
Format: Seven boy golfers and three girl golfers from each of the New England state golf associations are selected to compete in a team and individual stroke play competition. Boys and girls will compete for separate team and individual titles. Team scores are calculated by taking the best five out of seven scores each day for the Boys’ Division and the best two out of three scores for the Girls’ Division. The low team score will be named the team champion, while the low individual will be named the individual champion. A playoff will be used to determine individual champions.
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Winchenbaugh is plenty familiar with the GreatHorse track, having made it to the final match in the Mass Junior Amateur just over a year ago when he faced his fellow teammate this week, Carson Erick. It showed. Winchenbaugh was firing at pins throughout the round, hitting 17 greens, including two approach shots within 6 feet on the 18th and 1st holes, and making both birdie putts. He then buried a 20-footer for his sixth and final birdie, placing him at 7-under.
"I love this golf course," said Winchenbaugh, who will depart for Georgetown on Thursday. "I played so many rounds here in the past 1-2 years that I know where to leave myself, so I gave myself a bunch of good looks and made some putts."
As for finishing out his junior golf tenure here, "Even though I'm one of the older guys, it doesn't feel like I'm like a leader, but I've known everyone on this team for so long, and it kind of just feels like you're playing with your friends.
Stennett, his calling card being mismatched blue and white FootJoy Classics, has also played GreatHorse several times over the years. The Connecticut Junior Amateur winner finished two strokes off the lead, making eagle on the par-5 2nd to shoot a bogey-free, 5-under 31 on the front nine. Eli Spaulding, who won the Maine Amateur and competed in the U.S. Amateur last week, nearly had a bogey-free round, only giving one back on the par-4 18th, but playing the remaining 16 holes at 5-under. He'll play alongside Winchenbaugh on Tuesday.
On the girls' side, Carys Fennessy continued her solid summer campaign as she was the lone player on the girls' side to finish in the red figures. Despite not getting a chance to play much of the starting stretch thanks to a curtailed practice round the day prior, Fennessy made a birdie on the seventh and ninth to finish 2-under on the front nine, adding another birdie on the getable par-5 14th to take a six-stroke lead into Tuesday.
"It's a great course, and the greens are quick so you definitely have to be focused the entire time that you're playing," said Fennessy, who added she was most captivated by the par-5 8th which opens up to reveal the water hazard on the right, bunkers on the left and OB, plus bunkers scattered all over the fairway and over the green. "It's rewarding if you hit good shots." 
What's also rewarding is an opportunity to connect with teammates she's seen throughout her junior golf upbringing."I travel a lot during the summer, so this is probably one of the only events where I get to see the kids that I grew up playing in events with," she said. "It's always a fun time, and I look forward to this event every year."
Lillian Guleserian and Mya Murphy, who made deep runs in the Mass Girls' Junior Amateur two weeks prior, finished tied with a 78. Each made birdie on the opening hole, with Guleserian starting strongly with a birdie on two of the first three. Guleserian, a Penn State Verbal commit, and Murphy, who will attend Merrimack College this fall, will play in the final girls' group.
​Their teammate Maddie Smith is in a three-way tie for fourth at 79 (+6) with Lily Dessel and Olivia Williams of Rhode Island, the defending girls team champions. Dessel won the Rhode Island girls' junior amateur two weeks prior.