Past Champions Prevail As Field Was Trimmed to 32
Rye Beach, NH – The third day of the 119th New Hampshire Amateur Championship presented by Smuttynose Brewing Company began with a playoff for the final seeds into match play and concluded with 32 golfers moving on to the next round of matches. Top seeds, including Rob Henley (Lake Sunapee CC), Ryan Kohler (Hooper CC) and Craig Steckowych (Portsmouth CC) are all moving forward. Two-time defending champion, James Pleat (Nashua CC) also finds himself in the Round of 32 again, joined by five other past champions.
Seven players arrived at the 15th tee of Abenaqui Country Club to playoff for the four remaining spots in the Round of 64 which was slated to begin later in the morning. The first player to secure a spot was none other than nine-time State Amateur Champion, Bob Mielcarz (Concord CC) who, in over 40 years of competing in this championship, has never had to playoff for a position into match play. Mielcarz was the lone golfer to birdie the short par-4, 15th hole to take the 61st seed to play against Bryce Zimmerman (Nashua CC).
From there, it took two more holes for Gavin Richardson (Beaver Meadow GC) to roll in a birdie putt for his spot in match play, followed by a par by Reese Woodbury (North Conway CC) to also find himself in match play. It came down to Bill Everett (Laconia CC) and Noah LeClair (Nashua CC) who headed to the 14th hole for their second time. LeClair closed it out with a par to take the 64th seed.
The Round of 64 began at 9:15AM with Rob Henley, the top seed, facing off with Noah LeClair who was fresh off a four-hole playoff. LeClair gave the match a good battle, but Henley ended up closing it out on the 16th hole at Abenaqui to win 3&2. Henley will go up against Will Ducharme (Golf Club of New England) in the next round as Ducharme defeated 15-year-old Josiah Hakala (Beaver Meadow GC) in his first match.
Second seed, Ryan Kohler took on Reese Woodbury, who was also a playoff participant. Unfortunately for Woodbury, Kohler has been on a hot streak with his game, and it was going to take a lot of birdies to be able to keep up with him. Kohler ultimately won the match 4&3. Kohler now moves on to face Michael Fiacco (Golf Club of New England) who defeated Ryan Scollins (Bald Peak Colony Club) on the 18th hole, taking the match 1up.
Craig Steckowych, long-time competitor and past champion of the New Hampshire Amateur, faced Gavin Richardson, a player who shot 87-71 in the stroke play qualifying rounds to end up in the playoff. Richardson had a tough competitor to go against as Steckowych is no stranger to match play. They brought the match to the 17th hole where Steckowych closed it out 3&1. Steckowych will face Jack Meehan (Carter CC) in the Round of 32.
Of the 12 past champions that began the tournament on Monday, six still remain in the championship, including two-time defending champion, James Pleat. Pleat earned himself the 11 seed for match play, the same seed he had last year at North Conway Country Club when he won for the second time.
Pleat faced Jeremy Burke (Hoodkroft CC) in his first match of the tournament. While Burke lacks the experience that James has in this tournament, he gave it a good run, getting up one on James early in the match, but James was able to get it back quickly.
“I was down one after two but kind of settled in mid-way through the round and hit some good approach shots”, stated Pleat after the round
The match was closed out on the 15th hole, where numerous other matches during the day ended. Pleat won it 4&3 and moves on to face a tough competitor in Ryan Brown (Manchester CC). Brown defeated fellow Manchester Country Club member, Dave Larrivee on the 18th hole, 2up.
James Pleat knows exactly what it takes to make it to the end and win this championship. He knows it came be a long week both mentally and physically. In talking about his gameplan and mindset, he commented, “I think Brandon Gillis said it earlier, it’s kind of survive and advance, so that’s the name of the game this week.”
Like many of the other golfers in the field, the main plan is to focus on the usual part of the game, but the greens are where they need to focus. Pleat talked what he plans to do moving forward stating, “Just hit fairways and greens and get the speed down on these quick greens as soon as possible.”
As it has been said many times already this week, the golfer who is able to figure out the greens at Abeanqui Country Club, specifically the speed and where to place the ball on the approach, will be the most successful. Despite the heavy rain from the storm the night before, the course remains in impeccable condition as the tournament continues.
The Round of 32 and Round of 16 will be played on Thursday, July 14th beginning at 7AM.
Seven players arrived at the 15th tee of Abenaqui Country Club to playoff for the four remaining spots in the Round of 64 which was slated to begin later in the morning. The first player to secure a spot was none other than nine-time State Amateur Champion, Bob Mielcarz (Concord CC) who, in over 40 years of competing in this championship, has never had to playoff for a position into match play. Mielcarz was the lone golfer to birdie the short par-4, 15th hole to take the 61st seed to play against Bryce Zimmerman (Nashua CC).
From there, it took two more holes for Gavin Richardson (Beaver Meadow GC) to roll in a birdie putt for his spot in match play, followed by a par by Reese Woodbury (North Conway CC) to also find himself in match play. It came down to Bill Everett (Laconia CC) and Noah LeClair (Nashua CC) who headed to the 14th hole for their second time. LeClair closed it out with a par to take the 64th seed.
The Round of 64 began at 9:15AM with Rob Henley, the top seed, facing off with Noah LeClair who was fresh off a four-hole playoff. LeClair gave the match a good battle, but Henley ended up closing it out on the 16th hole at Abenaqui to win 3&2. Henley will go up against Will Ducharme (Golf Club of New England) in the next round as Ducharme defeated 15-year-old Josiah Hakala (Beaver Meadow GC) in his first match.
Second seed, Ryan Kohler took on Reese Woodbury, who was also a playoff participant. Unfortunately for Woodbury, Kohler has been on a hot streak with his game, and it was going to take a lot of birdies to be able to keep up with him. Kohler ultimately won the match 4&3. Kohler now moves on to face Michael Fiacco (Golf Club of New England) who defeated Ryan Scollins (Bald Peak Colony Club) on the 18th hole, taking the match 1up.
Craig Steckowych, long-time competitor and past champion of the New Hampshire Amateur, faced Gavin Richardson, a player who shot 87-71 in the stroke play qualifying rounds to end up in the playoff. Richardson had a tough competitor to go against as Steckowych is no stranger to match play. They brought the match to the 17th hole where Steckowych closed it out 3&1. Steckowych will face Jack Meehan (Carter CC) in the Round of 32.
Of the 12 past champions that began the tournament on Monday, six still remain in the championship, including two-time defending champion, James Pleat. Pleat earned himself the 11 seed for match play, the same seed he had last year at North Conway Country Club when he won for the second time.
Pleat faced Jeremy Burke (Hoodkroft CC) in his first match of the tournament. While Burke lacks the experience that James has in this tournament, he gave it a good run, getting up one on James early in the match, but James was able to get it back quickly.
“I was down one after two but kind of settled in mid-way through the round and hit some good approach shots”, stated Pleat after the round
The match was closed out on the 15th hole, where numerous other matches during the day ended. Pleat won it 4&3 and moves on to face a tough competitor in Ryan Brown (Manchester CC). Brown defeated fellow Manchester Country Club member, Dave Larrivee on the 18th hole, 2up.
James Pleat knows exactly what it takes to make it to the end and win this championship. He knows it came be a long week both mentally and physically. In talking about his gameplan and mindset, he commented, “I think Brandon Gillis said it earlier, it’s kind of survive and advance, so that’s the name of the game this week.”
Like many of the other golfers in the field, the main plan is to focus on the usual part of the game, but the greens are where they need to focus. Pleat talked what he plans to do moving forward stating, “Just hit fairways and greens and get the speed down on these quick greens as soon as possible.”
As it has been said many times already this week, the golfer who is able to figure out the greens at Abeanqui Country Club, specifically the speed and where to place the ball on the approach, will be the most successful. Despite the heavy rain from the storm the night before, the course remains in impeccable condition as the tournament continues.
The Round of 32 and Round of 16 will be played on Thursday, July 14th beginning at 7AM.