North Conway, NH – The leaderboard is stacked with star power at the New Hampshire Senior Championship, hosted this year at North Conway Country Club. After Wednesday’s opening round, three of the Granite State’s top senior competitors, Craig Steckowych (Portsmouth CC), Philip Pleat (Nashua CC), and Jeffrey Fay (Atkinson Resort & CC), sit tied at the top after matching scores of 1-under par 70. With 18 holes left to decide this year’s champion, avoiding mistakes and rolling in birdie putts will be essential to earning a victory.
For Steckowych, who will be inducted into the New Hampshire Golf Hall of Fame later this year, a victory this week would be particularly meaningful. Despite being named the New Hampshire Golf Senior Player of the Year the last five seasons, the New Hampshire Senior Championship is one of the few major state titles that has eluded him. His round included four birdies, one bogey, and one double bogey.
“I hit the ball pretty good tee to green,” Steckowych said after his round. “One under is probably the worst I could have done, I missed a handful of putts that I should have made. I’m pleased with it though.”
As he looks ahead to Wednesday’s final round, Steckowych acknowledged the weight of what’s at stake saying, “I probably put a little too much pressure on myself sometimes. I want it too badly at this point. I just want to play well, I’m going to worry about myself and just try to go out and play some good golf.”
Just last week Steckowych finished as the low New Hampshire senior competitor in the New England Senior Amateur Championship at The Ledges Golf Club in Maine. Despite that, he feels a win this week would be important for him on many levels, saying, “I’ve had an overall disappointing tournament year this year. I don’t feel like I’ve played badly, I’ve just played poorly in tournaments so it would be a bit of redemption for me.”
Pleat, already an eight-time New Hampshire Senior Champion, showed why he’s one of the state’s most decorated golfers. He opened with a flawless front nine, for him it was on North Conway’s back nine, making the turn at three-under par, before two bogeys on the back nine brought him back to 70 (-1). Having played numerous rounds at North Conway through competitions over the years, Pleat will look to use his course knowledge and consistency to capture his ninth New Hampshire Senior title.
Fay, one of the newer senior competitors, mixed three birdies with two bogeys to join Steckowych and Pleat at the top. Taking advantage of North Conway’s par-4’s, Fay played them at two-under par in his opening round, however, he was unable to really capitalize on the par-5’s as he played those at one-over par. Heading into the final round, he will look to continue his strong play on the par-4’s, but look to make a birdie or two on the longer holes on the course.
Just one shot back are Eric Emeneau (Souhegan Woods GC) and Dave Larrivee (Manchester CC), both carding even-par 71s to stay in the mix. Defending champion Keith Stone (Pease GC), who has won the last two New Hampshire Senior titles, is only two shots behind at 72 and very much in contention to chase a three-peat. Last year at Portsmouth Country Club, Stone began the second round three shots back of Round 1 leader, Craig Steckowych, and was able to card a three-under par final round to take the win. He will set out in tomorrow’s round in hopes of doing the same.
With a Hall of Famer seeking redemption, an eight-time champion chasing another trophy, and the two-time defending champion within striking distance, Wednesday’s final round promises plenty of drama at North Conway Country Club.
NH Senior | Leaderboard
