Steady Steckowych Leads NH Senior on Home Course with One-Under Par Opening Round
Greenland, NH – In a typical New England fall day at Portsmouth Country Club, 72 players teed it up in hopes of being crowned this year’s New Hampshire Senior Champion. With home course advantage on his side, Craig Steckowych displayed steady and consistent golf, limiting bogeys and rolling in a few birdies along the way to a one-under par, 71. He shot the only under-par round of the day to lead the field by two strokes with 18 holes ahead of them and a strong field right behind him.
Starting out on the back nine with Danny Arvanitis and Phil Pleat as playing partners, Steckowych looked calm and confident in his game. He rolled in his first birdie putt on Portsmouth’s 11th hole, one of the three par-5’s he was able to birdie today. He stumbled on the par-3, 13th hole with a bogey but immediately bounced back on the next par-5 with another birdie. Despite a bogey on the 17th hole, Steckowych made the turn at even par, among a crowded leaderboard.
As the round went on, Steckowych’s name began to emerge as the leader as other golfers slipped down the leaderboard. He made all pars on his second nine until the last three holes where he went birdie-bogey-birdie to finish up at one-under par for the day. Ultimately, his 71 held up as the low round of the day and he will head into the final round with the lead by two strokes over Danny Arvanitis who sits in second place.
With home course advantage on his side, Steckowych commented on it, saying “It's a double edge sword to be honest with you. I hoped to play well, and I did but you also put a little extra pressure on yourself sometimes -- its your home course, you should play well.”
“I was happy with the way I played”, continued Steckowych. “I could have made a putt or two more perhaps.”
The added pressure did not seem to phase him, though. He played his usual game and found success with that. He stated, “I kept the ball in play pretty well. I didn’t hit as many greens early on as I would have liked to, but I was able to save my pars. I played the par-5’s well and I think that was the key for me.”
Steckowych has won many NHGA championships, including the New Hampshire Amateur, Stroke Play, and Mid-Amateur, however, the New Hampshire Senior is one he has yet to claim. He now looks focus on the upcoming round with a solid opening round under his belt. He commented, “The weather is a big factor. To me it was important to play well today for that reason.”
With rain projected for much of Round 2, the field will be chasing down Steckowych, including Danny Arvanitis who sits in solo-second place with a one-over par, 73 in the first round. Arvanitis’s round was arguably more consistent than Steckowych’s as only made two bogeys and one birdie with pars the rest of the way, including a phenomenal par save on his last hole from the bunker.
Arvanitis was not able to capitalize on the par-5’s like Steckowych but played steady golf to sit two shots back. Just one shot back of Arvanitis are four strong competitors who could make a move up the leaderboard in the final round, including defending champion, Keith Stone. Stone had an up and down round but held it together enough to shoot a two-over par, 74 which is three shots back of the leader. Stone is joined at two over par with Peter Keilty, Paul Ralston, and Dan Mulkern.
18 holes remain before a champion is crowned. With the weather forecast calling for a full day of rain, it will be the person who can manage the wet conditions best that will come out on top.
NH Senior | Leaderboard
Starting out on the back nine with Danny Arvanitis and Phil Pleat as playing partners, Steckowych looked calm and confident in his game. He rolled in his first birdie putt on Portsmouth’s 11th hole, one of the three par-5’s he was able to birdie today. He stumbled on the par-3, 13th hole with a bogey but immediately bounced back on the next par-5 with another birdie. Despite a bogey on the 17th hole, Steckowych made the turn at even par, among a crowded leaderboard.
As the round went on, Steckowych’s name began to emerge as the leader as other golfers slipped down the leaderboard. He made all pars on his second nine until the last three holes where he went birdie-bogey-birdie to finish up at one-under par for the day. Ultimately, his 71 held up as the low round of the day and he will head into the final round with the lead by two strokes over Danny Arvanitis who sits in second place.
With home course advantage on his side, Steckowych commented on it, saying “It's a double edge sword to be honest with you. I hoped to play well, and I did but you also put a little extra pressure on yourself sometimes -- its your home course, you should play well.”
“I was happy with the way I played”, continued Steckowych. “I could have made a putt or two more perhaps.”
The added pressure did not seem to phase him, though. He played his usual game and found success with that. He stated, “I kept the ball in play pretty well. I didn’t hit as many greens early on as I would have liked to, but I was able to save my pars. I played the par-5’s well and I think that was the key for me.”
Steckowych has won many NHGA championships, including the New Hampshire Amateur, Stroke Play, and Mid-Amateur, however, the New Hampshire Senior is one he has yet to claim. He now looks focus on the upcoming round with a solid opening round under his belt. He commented, “The weather is a big factor. To me it was important to play well today for that reason.”
With rain projected for much of Round 2, the field will be chasing down Steckowych, including Danny Arvanitis who sits in solo-second place with a one-over par, 73 in the first round. Arvanitis’s round was arguably more consistent than Steckowych’s as only made two bogeys and one birdie with pars the rest of the way, including a phenomenal par save on his last hole from the bunker.
Arvanitis was not able to capitalize on the par-5’s like Steckowych but played steady golf to sit two shots back. Just one shot back of Arvanitis are four strong competitors who could make a move up the leaderboard in the final round, including defending champion, Keith Stone. Stone had an up and down round but held it together enough to shoot a two-over par, 74 which is three shots back of the leader. Stone is joined at two over par with Peter Keilty, Paul Ralston, and Dan Mulkern.
18 holes remain before a champion is crowned. With the weather forecast calling for a full day of rain, it will be the person who can manage the wet conditions best that will come out on top.
NH Senior | Leaderboard