Laconia, NH – The opening round of the New Hampshire Mid-Amateur Championship presented by Johnnie Walker tested the patience and precision of the field at Laconia Country Club, where firm and fast greens proved to be the biggest challenge of the day. Players who couldn’t quite adjust to the quick speeds found themselves facing three-putts for bogey or worse, making consistency on the greens the key to success.
At the top of the leaderboard, Jalen Rines (NH Golf e-Club) and A.J. Correia (Laconia Country Club) share the lead at even-par 72, each navigating the demanding conditions with poise to set the pace heading into Wednesday’s second round.
Rines set the tone early with strong play on the par-5s and confident putting throughout the day. He said, “My round started off pretty well, I birdied all the par-5s. I was able to keep a lot of my putts between 5 and 10 feet, and if I was able to make them, it was huge for today. I was just really good with the putter today and kept my round going.”
Heading into Round 2, Rines plans to stay composed and stick to his approach, stating, “I plan to just take it one shot at a time, keep the ball in play, pick my shots and just stay patient. That will help me out a lot tomorrow.
Despite going head-to-head with many of the state’s top mid-amateur competitors, Rines remains focused on his own game. He commented, “I’m just trying to do the best that I can. I haven’t won anything yet but I’m getting close. I think my time will come, but I’m just trying to focus one shot at a time and hopefully bring my best tomorrow.”
Correia, representing the host club, also impressed with a steady performance built on precision and resilience. Despite opening his round with a bogey and carding another on Laconia’s 8th hole, Correia regrouped and went two-under par on the back nine to post an even-par 72. He was particularly sharp on the par-3s, playing them one-under for the day, an area where many in the field struggled. His local knowledge and composure down the stretch positioned him perfectly for a strong run at the championship.
Trailing the leaders, a tightly packed group sits within striking distance. Ryan Kohler (NH Golf e-Club), Stephen Quillinan (Beaver Meadow Golf Course), Phillip Johnson (NH Golf e-Club), Eric Emeneau (Souhegan Woods Golf Club), and David Sherborne (Laconia Country Club) are all tied for third at +2 (74).
Seven players sit just one stroke further back at +3 (75), including Jake Nutter (Derryfield Country Club), Ryan Zetterholm (NH Golf e-Club), Zach Hutton (NH Golf e-Club), Colin Brennan (NH Golf e-Club), Jeffrey Barnes (Pease Golf Course), Jim Cilley (Laconia Country Club), and Will McLaughlin (Concord Country Club).
With only a handful of shots separating the leaders from the rest of the field, Round 2 promises plenty of movement atop the leaderboard as competitors battle for position heading into Thursday’s final round. An added layer of challenge for the second round will be true New England fall weather with temperatures dropping and rain in the forecast, completely different weather from what Round 1 brought.
NH Mid-Amateur | Leaderboard
