Goffstown, NH – Tara Joy-Connelly (Bald Peak Colony Club) put together the day’s only under-par round, firing a 1-under-par 71 to take a one-shot lead after the opening round of the New Hampshire Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship at Stonebridge Country Club. With one round remaining, Joy-Connelly holds a slim advantage over home course member Sarah DesRuisseaux (Stonebridge Country Club) and Beth Hamilton (Beaver Meadow Golf Course), who share second place at even-par 72.
Joy-Connelly wasted little time making her move, playing the front nine in 3-under-par 33. She birdied three holes on the front side, rolling in birdie putts on Nos. 4, 6 and 8 while playing the two front-nine par-3s in a combined 2-under-par. Her strong start gave her separation from the field before Stonebridge’s back nine began to test the championship contenders.
The back side proved much more demanding, as Joy-Connelly recorded bogeys on the challenging par-5 14th and the par-3 16th. Despite playing the back nine in 2-over-par, she avoided any bigger mistakes and finished at 1-under-par to carry a one-shot lead into Wednesday’s final round.
DesRuisseaux, competing on her home course, pieced together a steady round of even-par 72. She opened with an even-par front nine that featured one birdie and one bogey before matching that score on the back side with two birdies and two bogeys. Her consistent play kept her within striking distance throughout the day, leaving her just one shot off the lead entering the championship’s final 18 holes.
Hamilton’s round followed a rollercoaster finish. After an even-par front nine that included one birdie and one bogey, she soared to the top of the leaderboard with back-to-back birdies on the back nine’s opening two holes. Hamilton stood at 2-under-par for her back nine and overall heading to the 18th tee, but a double bogey on the closing hole dropped her back to an even-par 72 and into a tie for second.
Kat Bordeau (Canterbury Woods CC) and Julie Rivers (Indian Mound GC) sit in fourth place after posting a 2-over-par 74’s, keeping themselves well within reach of the leaders with one round remaining.
Amy Dickison (Breakfast Hill Golf Club), the 2024 New Hampshire Women’s Mid-Amateur champion, is fifth at 4-over-par 76 and will look to make a move during Wednesday’s final round.
Three players share seventh place at 5-over-par 77: Corey Richardson (Duston Country Club), Joan Cyr (Rochester Country Club), and June Ferland (Rochester Country Club). With the leaderboard tightly packed behind the leaders, all three remain within six shots of the top entering the championship’s final day.
The final round of the New Hampshire Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship will take place Wednesday at Stonebridge Country Club, where the champion will be crowned after 36 holes of competition. With only one shot separating first and second, and several experienced competitors within striking distance, the title remains very much up for grabs.
NH Women’s Mid-Amateur | Leaderboard
