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).