Peters Leads Final 16 Players to State Amateur from Bretwood Qualifier
Keene, NH – The final qualifier for the 119th New Hampshire Amateur Championship presented by Smuttynose is complete with 16 golfers filling out the 156-player field headed to Abenaqui Country Club. Ben Peters (Lake Sunapee) led the way on the South Course at Bretwood with a four-under par round of 68. He was followed close behind by James Kinnunen (The Shattuck GC). Those moving on shot 77 (+5) or better in the qualifying round.
Ben Peters had himself a great day on the course as he safely secured himself a spot in the State Amateur happening in just over a week. He got himself off to a great start with birdie on the 2nd hole at Bretwood but went back to even-par with a bogey on the 4th hole. He quickly followed up his bogey with back-to-back birdies to move to two-under par. Before he closed out his front nine, he made one more bogey but made the turn at one-under par.
Despite a bogey on the 11th hole, his highlight of the day came on the par-5, 13th hole where he made eagle and continued that momentum to make birdie on the 14th hole. He rolled in one more birdie on the 17th hole to finish his back nine at three-under par and four-under par, 68, for the day. He will look to keep those birdies rolling at he heads into the championship.
Right behind Peters with an equally great day out on the course was James Kinnunen who has repeatedly found success in qualifying for the State Amateur. Kinnunen’s first hole of the day resulted in a birdie to quickly get to one-under par. Like Peters, he bogeyed the 4th hole at Bretwood to get back to even-par on the day. Kinnunen’s last two holes on the front nine were strong as he went birdie-birdie to turn at two-under par, with the lead.
Kinnunen had a steady back nine, making pars until the 14th hole where he rolled in another birdie putt. He did card one bogey on the back nine, on the 17th hole, but followed that up with a birdie to close out his round. He carded a three-under par, 69 to find himself a ticket to the New Hampshire Amateur.
Those qualifying to the championship being held at Abenaqui fired 77 (+5) or better. It came down to a playoff with four players playing off for one qualifying spot. Colin Stroshine (Bretwood GC) made things very easy he was the only one to birdie the first playoff hole to move on.
Ben Peters had himself a great day on the course as he safely secured himself a spot in the State Amateur happening in just over a week. He got himself off to a great start with birdie on the 2nd hole at Bretwood but went back to even-par with a bogey on the 4th hole. He quickly followed up his bogey with back-to-back birdies to move to two-under par. Before he closed out his front nine, he made one more bogey but made the turn at one-under par.
Despite a bogey on the 11th hole, his highlight of the day came on the par-5, 13th hole where he made eagle and continued that momentum to make birdie on the 14th hole. He rolled in one more birdie on the 17th hole to finish his back nine at three-under par and four-under par, 68, for the day. He will look to keep those birdies rolling at he heads into the championship.
Right behind Peters with an equally great day out on the course was James Kinnunen who has repeatedly found success in qualifying for the State Amateur. Kinnunen’s first hole of the day resulted in a birdie to quickly get to one-under par. Like Peters, he bogeyed the 4th hole at Bretwood to get back to even-par on the day. Kinnunen’s last two holes on the front nine were strong as he went birdie-birdie to turn at two-under par, with the lead.
Kinnunen had a steady back nine, making pars until the 14th hole where he rolled in another birdie putt. He did card one bogey on the back nine, on the 17th hole, but followed that up with a birdie to close out his round. He carded a three-under par, 69 to find himself a ticket to the New Hampshire Amateur.
Those qualifying to the championship being held at Abenaqui fired 77 (+5) or better. It came down to a playoff with four players playing off for one qualifying spot. Colin Stroshine (Bretwood GC) made things very easy he was the only one to birdie the first playoff hole to move on.