LACONIA, New Hampshire (July 17, 2024) – In three of the past four years, the player who has won the New England Amateur has held at least a share of the lead through Round 2. That looks promising for 2020 champion John Broderick (Dedham C&PC), who sits in the top spot at 8-under-par through the first 36 holes of the 95th New England Amateur Championship, taking place at first-time host Laconia Country Club (6,813 yards, par-72).
Round 2 on Wednesday was delayed by weather for 71 minutes in the afternoon, however, play was able to finish as 67 players made the cut, which settled at 3-over. The final 18-hole round begins Thursday at 7:30 a.m. Players will compete in twosomes Thursday, with the leaders set to tee off at 12:10 p.m.
For the second straight day, Broderick kept a clean card. The Vanderbilt lefty made birdie on the holes 1-2 for the second straight day, and despite a bogey on the par-5 17th, he answered with a birdie on the 18th to finish the day with a one-stroke lead.
“I played smart. I hit a lot of greens and made good decisions in terms of where I was leaving the ball,” Broderick told the New Hampshire Union Leader after Wednesday’s round. “I hit it to spots and tried to two-putt.”
One stroke back is Elliott Spaulding (Brunswick GC), who is fresh off his victory in the Maine Amateur Championship. The Loyola University incoming freshman set the bar for lowest round of the tournament so far with a score of 6-under 66. Mathew Gover (Atkinson Resort & CC-NH) then matched Spaulding in the afternoon with a 66 of his own.
Spaulding made four consecutive birdies on holes 2-6, adding another on the 9th to shoot 32 on the front nine, making three more birdies on the back. Gover, who won the MASCAC individual title this past fall as a member of the Mass College of Liberal Arts men’s golf team, shot 5-under 31 over his final nine Wednesday (holes 1-9) to move into solo third place, two strokes back of Broderick.
“Made seven birdies each day, but fewer mistakes (Wednesday),” Gover said afterward. “I’m definitely happy with the way I’ve played these two days because this summer has been a struggle. “I’m in the mix, but I’d say it’s going to take a really good day (Thursday). It’s going to be a fun day.”
Sitting just three off the lead are UConn’s Connor Good (Glastonbury Hills CC) and Temple’s Ethan Whitney, while Rhode Island amateur champion Bobby Leopold is in solo sixth at 4-under. Austin Giroux (Newport CC-VT), the leader among Vermont players, fired a bogey-free round of 2-under and is among 11 tied in 9th place.
Established in 1922, Laconia Country Club is nestled in the picturesque Lakes Region of New Hampshire. The championship layout 6,813-yard, par 72 course, reimagined by Wogan & Sargent in 2002, honors the inherent beauty and intent of the original design while ensuring playability at all levels. The property spans more than 200 acres of pure natural beauty with undulating terrain and grand stands of mature trees lining forgiving fairways. The practice facilities are some of the largest in New Hampshire: 8,000-square-feet of putting surfaces, 28,000 yards of natural grass driving range, and a short-game area with sand bunkers and plenty of space to practice pitching.
This is the first time Laconia has hosted the New England Amateur, with Baker Hill GC being the state’s most recent host in 2015. Craig Steckowych (2001) is the most recent New Hampshire player to win the tournament.
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