A long-time veteran and a teenager are atop the leaderboard at the annual Maine Women’s Amateur Golf Championship at the Biddeford-Saco Country Club after the first day of the three-day, 54-hole event on Monday. Play continues Tuesday.
Cecily Whiting played in her first Maine Women’s Amateur before Jade Haylock was born and she holds a one-shot lead over Haylock, who will be a senior at Leavitt High School in Turner this fall.
There were 89 golfers in the field.
Whiting, who plays out of the Woodlands Club in Falmouth, shot a four-over-par 76 under sultry conditions at the 5,368-yard, par-72 course.
Haylock, who plays out of the Turner Highlands Country Club, carded a 77 with Maria Cianchette of the Woodlands Club alone in third at six-over-par 78.
There was a four-way tie for fourth at seven-over-par 79 involving Meredith Koerner of the Val Halla Golf Course in Cumberland Center, Ruth Colucci from the host Biddeford-Saco Country Club, Micki Meggison from the Spring Meadows Golf Club in Gray and Ruby Haylock of Turner Highlands, Jade’s older sister.
Ruby Haylock will be a junior at Bates College in Lewiston in the fall and is a two-time Maine Women’s Amateur champ (2020, 2022).
Mary Brandes of the Woodlands Club, a four-time winner of the tournament (1999, 2004, ‘06, ‘07), was alone in eighth place at eight-over-par 80 and defending champ Erin Holmes of Val Halla Golf Course, Hermon Meadows’ Thea Davis and Elizabeth Holden from the Natanis Golf Course in Vassalboro were tied for ninth at nine-over-par 81.
Holmes is the assistant women’s golf coach at the University of Southern Maine.
Whiting had two birdies and six bogeys during her round.
She had birdies on the par-three second and 10th holes and bogeys at 4, 11, 13, 14, 16 and 18.
Haylock, three-time state Class B girls individual titleist, birdied the par-five third and 17th holes and had bogeys on 2, 6, 11, 14 and 16 and a double bogey six on 18.
