PORTSMOUTH – Nick McLaughlin might not play in as many high-level tournaments as he once did but he’s still more than capable of going low.
More: Seacoast Am notes: Defending champion Ferullo within striking distance going into Sunday
He proved that Saturday with a 3-under-par 68 at Pease Golf Course to surge into the lead of the 44th annual Seacoast Amateur Golf Championship.
More: 43 years at the Seacoast Amateur Golf Championship. Who won each year.
The two-time Seacoast Am champ shot 78 at Portsmouth Country Club on Friday for a two-day total of 146. McLaughlin holds a one-stroke lead over Will Delano and Gabe Felch heading into Sunday’s third-and-final round at Breakfast Hill Golf Club in Greenland. Delano carded an even par 71 on Saturday, while Felch shot a 1-under 70.
“I’ve been chipping and putting really well the last couple rounds,” said McLaughlin, whose last Seacoast Am title came in 2019. “Didn’t hit it great (Friday). Combine that with the wind. When I got home, I realized I hit six greens out of 18 (Friday) so that was the focus for (Saturday).”
Crowded second tier
Kirk O’Quinn sits alone in fourth at 148 with four tied for fifth at 149, a group consisting of defending champ Jamie Ferullo, Peter Lown, Josh Trivilino and Alec Hurd, who shot a 1-under 70 on Saturday.
First-round leader Harvin Groft shot 79 on Saturday for a two-day total of 150. Groft entered Saturday’s round with a two-stroke lead after a 1-under-par 71 at Portsmouth CC on Friday.
McLaughlin takes advantage of par-5 holes
“I played the par 5s in 4-under so that was a key,” McLaughlin said. “I played the rest of the course in 4-over. I really took advantage of the fives and that’s the formula out here.”
McLaughlin’s mastery of the par-5s included an eagle on No. 15.
Felch, Delano within striking distance
Felch is in contention for the first time after missing the cut in all of his previous appearances in the Seacoast Am. His short game has improved as evidenced by his chip-in for birdie on 18.
“I played good today,” Felch said. “I kept it in play, and I hit a lot of putts.”
Delano, who won the Seacoast Am in his first appearance and was the runner-up last year, played the last seven holes Saturday in 2-under. He finished with five birdies and five bogeys.
“I haven’t been playing quite as much this year so I’ve had a fair amount of errant shots, so I’m trying to just manage the misses,” Delano said. “As long as you’re near the final group (Sunday) it seems like anything can happen. Play well and you’ll have a chance. That’s all you can ask for on the last day of a tournament.”
O’Quinn, Trivilono both get off to strong starts
O’Quinn, who was a member at Pease for seven years before joining Portsmouth CC, got off to a good start with birdies on three of his first four holes.
“I played pretty steady the rest of the way,” he said. “I bogeyed the 17th hole but I made a nice par putt on 18 and that kind of lessened the blow a little bit on that one. Overall, I’m very pleased.”
Trivilino was even par through 13 holes but played the last five in 4-over.
“I hit the ball great for the most part but didn’t make any putts, really,” he said. “I made a really good one from the fringe on 18 for bogey but other than that the longest putt I made was probably seven feet. I hit a lot of good shots within 10 or 15 feet but just wasn’t able to get them to go in.”
Ferullo, who birdied 1 and 2, was 2-under through 10 holes but double bogeyed 11 and tripled 12.
“I scored well,” he said. “I got the ball in the hole. I didn’t hit it great. I just kind of stayed with it out there. My game is very rusty but I’m happy where I’m at right now.”
Lown finished with six bogeys versus just one birdie.
“Didn’t hit the ball very well,” he said. “Didn’t putt all that well. Just kind of made a lot of careless errors. Made some bogeys on some easy holes which was a little frustrating.”
Groft’s revamped swing is still a work in progress. He had six bogeys Saturday, three doubles and just four pars. Although he is only four strokes off the lead there are eight players ahead of him.
“I just didn’t have the confidence in my golf swing to make good shots,” Groft said. “I made a lot of tentative swings. I hit a lot of balls out of play. Just a little more pressure with today being the second day and being in the lead, I just wasn’t able to swing as confidently off the tee.”
The low 48 plus ties advanced to Sunday’s final round.
This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Two-time champ McLaughlin holds second day lead at Seacoast Amateur
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