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ROCKPORT, Maine (June 27, 2024) – The skies have cleared to make way for the final round of the New England Women’s Amateur Championship. The overnight rain set in and the players were faced with some wetness under each shot, but it was no match for our golfers. The sunny skies remained throughout the day until the leaders reached the final hole. In classic New England fashion, the clouds became moody as the leaders approached the 18th green. Umbrellas covered the excited crowd and a playoff for the title began shortly after the last putts dropped. Online: Leaderboard | New England Women’s Amateur Homepage It was a two-person race as the final group rounded the turn. Amelie Phung and Carys Fennessy were working at keeping the scores low and their heads high as they went back and forth for first. Amelie closed out the first nine with a solid birdie after sticking her approach to a good 10-feet. Carys came off a tough 8th hole bogey to safely get up and down for par. Their scores continued to battle back and forth with a tie for the lead coming down the final two holes. As each player made a solid par on 18, they went back to the tee for a playoff hole. Amelie played out safe with her second shot leaning left to the fairway instead of over the greenside pond. As her ball trickled into the penalty area, she recovered with an approach shot a mere 5-feet from the pin. Carys laid up to the pond, and sailed her approach to 3 feet. As Amelie knocked in her putt, Carys knew she needed to make a solid birdie to capture the title. “I didn't know what was gonna happen. I never looked at the leaderboard, but I kind of had a rough idea and then went to the scoring tent. It really hit me. I was like, Oh, wow, I gotta go back to 18” said Fennessy. ”At the time it was raining, so I really just wanted to get it over with as quickly as possible. I knew the only way to do that would be to make birdie on 18. So luckily, that's what I did. And it worked out well.” The New Hampshire golfer worked through the week to improve her weak points and make a difference in her game. “I struggled with putting on the first day so that was something that I practiced after my rounds and early mornings too, and I think that was a big improvement throughout the three days.” In the senior division, Tara Joy-Connelly carded 5-birdies on the day to close out a back to back title. “It feels good. I'm kind of focused on the drive and the lobster. Just one more lobster meal while we're in Maine? No, but it was a beautiful setting. I mean, so gorgeous out there that, you know, if things went a little sideways. It was easy to just look up and say this is really beautiful. Like, we're lucky to be doing this. So yeah, that's kind of been my approach all week and just rolled with it” said Joy-Connelly. All week she has had a good mentality and a strong approach to the game, especially when it came to the changes in New England weather. “I bet you can tee off in the fog and you can, you know, play three holes and it could be windy and then it could be sunny and then it can be foggy again. So kind of just expecting everything was probably a good mentality.” In the Legends Championship, Thea Davis (ME) secured her title with a 3-stroke lead over Danielle Lee (MA). It was an incredible three day event at the beautiful Samoset Resort in Maine. The New England Women’s Amateur Championship will head back to Massachusetts in 2025. Connecticut 2. Amelie Phung, (eClub of Connecticut); 216 +3 6. Alexandra Phung, (Gillette Ridge GC));225 +12 13. Cindy Cao, (USGA/CSGA GC); 238 (+25) T14. Kenna Roman, (Shuttle Meadow CC); 239 (+26) Massachusetts 3. Lillian Guleserian (Blue Hill CC); 221 (+3) 4. Megan Buck (Thorny Lea GC); 223 (+10 ) 5. Shannon Johnson (Thorny Lea GC); 224 (+11) 7. Maddie Smith (Vesper CC); 229(+16) T8. Isabel Brozena); 231 (+18) New Hampshire 1. Carys Fennessy, (Cochecho CC); 216 (+3) 19. Delaney Nadeau, (Cochecho CC); 243 (+30) Rhode Island T8. Kylie Eaton, (Kirkbrae CC); 231 (+18) 12. Adriana Eaton, (Kirkbrae CC); 234 (+21) Maine T8. Jade Haylock, (Turner Highlands CC); 231 (+18) 11. Maria Cianchette, (Woodlands Club); 232 ( +19 ) ROCKPORT, Maine (June 26, 2024) – Rare in a New England golf season is bluebird skies for multiple days. The bubble that surrounds the Samoset Resort and Rockport, Maine continued to prove it’s beauty and persevere through the surrounding area storms that were nearing as the final groups began to make the turn. The bubble popped as the final putts dropped and the rain settled in for the evening. The challenge increased during the second round with whipping winds in the form of a nice seabreeze drying out and firming up the greens, and the rain is only going to decide who will fare well in the final round. Online: Starting Times & Scores | New England Women’s Amateur Homepage As the waves crashed a little louder along the breakwater than they did on Day 1, the bay in the distance continued to give the resort vacation feeling to the championship at stake. Circulating near the top of the board yesterday, Carys Fennessy (NH) rounded out Day 2 as the only player in the Championship division to finish under par. With a 2-under, 69, on the card, she sits at even, 72 with the solo lead headed into Day 3.  “I definitely want to focus more on my wedge and iron approaches into greens but keep trying to hit the ball straight and down the middle of the fairways. I think that would definitely be best to keep scoring low and making birdies” said Fennessy. Trailing closely all day was Connecticut's Amelie Phung who finished even on the round and 1-over for solo-second. Massachusetts’ Lillian Guleserian sits three back in third. In the senior championship, Tara-Joy Connelly (MA) maintained a steady lead over Pam Kuong (MA). Joy-Connelly carded 2 birdies on the back nine to round out day 2 and remains the only player in the field under par.  “Wind came from three different directions today. Starting on one we were downwind, so I was trying to keep my wedge under the wind and that didn’t work out. SO that was a change of gameplan out of the gate when I went over one and bogeyed” said Joy-Connelly. “So then I just kept it low and in front of me for the rest of the front nine, and then it died down at the turn. We thought maybe some thunder, and then just completely got docile. The wins came from the other direction the last couple of holes and I was just trying to figure it out. And it was so nice when it finally calmed down.” In terms of the final round at stake and the changes in weather on the course, Joy-Connelly has plans to read where the wind blows and take it from there. “I definitely was over reading the putts. They were a little crispier and dried out so I was over reading them. I think they were a whole lot faster today. I’m kind of judging on the conditions [for tomorrow]. I know it was supposed to rain overnight. I’m sure the wind is usually always up here. So I will take it from there.” Closing out the top-5 in the senior division were Natalie Galligan (MA) and Sue Curtin (MA) tied in third and Ruth Colucci (ME) in fifth with a one-stroke difference. In the Legends Championship, Thea Davis (ME) retains her lead going into day 3. With a 5-stroke lead over Kathi O’Grady (ME) and a 7-stoke lead over Danielle Lee (MA). The cut was made at the end of round 2 with the top 25 players from each tee set. Round 3 will begin Thursday morning at 8:00 a.m. where the tournament division will tee off first followed by the championship scores high to low. Championship Round 2 Leaderboard (By State):
Connecticut 2. Amelie Phung, (eClub of Connecticut); 72-71, 143(+1) T8. Alexandra Phung, (Gillette Ridge GC)); 76-78, 154 (+12) T15. Cindy Cao, (USGA/CSGA GC); 81-78, 158 (+17) T17. Kenna Roman, (Shuttle Meadow CC); 80-80, 160 (+9) Massachusetts 3. Lillian Guleserian (Blue Hill CC); 75-71, 146 (+4) 4. Megan Buck (Thorny Lea GC); 74-74, 148 (+6 ) 5. Shannon Johnson (Thorny Lea GC); 77-73, 150 (+8) T8. Maddie Smith (Vesper CC); 75-79, 154 (+12) 10. Amanda Adams (Winchester CC); 75-80, 155 (+13) New Hampshire 1. Carys Fennessy, (Cochecho CC); 73-69, 142 (E) T17. Delaney Nadeau, (Cochecho CC); 81-79, 160 (+18) Rhode Island 12. Kylie Eaton, (Kirkbrae CC); 78-79, 157 (+15) T15. Adriana Eaton, (Kirkbrae CC); 75-84 (+17) Maine T6. Jade Haylock, (Turner Highlands CC); 69-83, 152 (+10) T6. Maria Cianchette, (Woodlands Club); 74-78, 152 ( +10 ) ROCKPORT, Maine – It was a picturesque day for the Women’s Amateur Championship at the beautiful Samoset Resort in Rockport, Maine. While the resort is host to many events for Maine Golf, including the 2023 Maine Amateur, this is the first time Samoset has hosted the New England’s Women’s Amateur Championship. Noted in Golf Digest as the Pebble Beach of the East, Samoset Resort is a premier golf championship course in New England. The course sits along seaside woods and gardens, while showcasing its most challenging holes along the seawall that offers breathtaking views of the Atlantic, almost making you forget about the challenge on the course. First played in 1957, the New England Women’s Amateur Championship is a 54-hole stroke play competition that is contested annually in one of the six New England states, with hosting duties rotating among the states every six years. Online: Starting Times & Scores | New England Women’s Amateur Homepage Representing Massachusetts, last year’s senior division champion, Tara Joy-Connelly (The Kittansett Club, MA) is the only title defender in the field this year. She opened round one with a strong title defense at 4-under, 67. Joy-Connelly remains one of the only players in the entire field under par, thanks to a handful of birdies on the course. “When I got to 14, I knew I should just hit it in front of me, hit it where I can see it, that’s usually my mantra on a course I’ve never seen before. And so I just hit my three wood off the tee and then you can’t see anything going down the hill to the water, so I was like alright, I did the match last night in the yardage book and knew not to be closer than 70 yards because you can tell it gets really narrow so I think I laid it back to like 90 yards with the seven wood and then just wedged it down.” Early in the day, Carys Fennessy (Cochecho CC, NH) was off to a hot start, being the only player in the championship division to card a bogey-free front nine. While Manchester, CT may have been far out of the woods for our fellow competitors from Maine, not only were they represented in the field, but Jade Haydock (Turner Highlands CC, ME) ended with the solo lead 2-under, 69, after a strong start with three birdies on the front nine. Round 2 will begin at 8:00 a.m. Wednesday with new pairings based on scores. The Championship division will head off first followed by the Tournament division. At the end of 36 holes, the cut will be made to the low-50 players and ties (prorated based on field size within each division). Championship Top - 5 Round 1 Leaderboard (By State):
Connecticut 2. Amelie Phung, (eClub of Connecticut); 72 (+1) T10. Alexandra Phung, (Gillette Ridge GC)); 76 (+5) T18. Kenna Roman, (Shuttle Meadow CC); 80 (+9) T20. Cindy Cao, (USGA/CSGA GC); 81 (+10) T20. Morgan Peterson, (eClub of Connecticut); 81 (+10) Massachusetts T4. Megan Buck (Thorny Lea GC)); 74 (+4 ) T6. Lillian Guleserian (Blue Hill CC); 75 (+5) T6. Amanda Adams (Winchester CC); 75 (+4) T6. Maddie Smith (Vesper CC); 75 (+4) T10. Skylar Kotzen (Belmot CC); 76 (+5) New Hampshire 3. Carys Fennessy, (Cochecho CC); 73 (+2) T20. Delaney Nadeau, (Cochecho CC); 81 (+10) T28. Teagan Nadeau, (Cochecho CC); 83 (+12) T31. Nicole Butkus, (Abenaqui CC); 88 (+17) T33. Tara Watt, (Derryfield CC); 89 (+18) Rhode Island T6. Adriana Eaton, (Kirkbrae CC); 75 (+4) T15. Kylie Eaton, (Kirkbrae CC); 78 (+7) Vermont 33. Kanika Gandhi, (Vermont National CC); 85 ( +14) 38. Jazz Bruce, (Links at Lang Farm); 98 (+27) Maine 1. Jade Haylock, (Turner Highlands CC); 69 (-2) T4. Maria Cianchette, (Woodlands Club); 74 ( +3 ) T26. Ruby Haylock (Turner Highlands CC); 82 (+11) |
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