Moore Rolls in Six Birdies for Medalist Honors in First State Amateur Qualifier of the Season
Canterbury, NH – It’s not the way he wanted to start, but a double bogey on the opening hole at Canterbury Woods Country Club may have been what Matt Moore needed to really get his round going in the first New Hampshire Amateur qualifier of the season. Moore went on to a card a 69 (-3) to claim medalist honors at the qualifier and comfortably earn a spot into the 120th field of the New Hampshire Amateur Championship presented by Wedü. Three additional golfers found themselves in red numbers at the qualifier with 71’s, Cam Sheedy, Scott Underhill and Travis Banga. 17 golfers in total will head to Manchester Country Club next month for the ultimate test of amateur golf here in New Hampshire.
Playing on his home course, Moore came into qualifying with confidence and course knowledge on his side. For some, a double bogey on the first hole of the round would have set them back, but Moore utilized it as motivation for the rest of the round.
“I unfortunately started out with a double and then kind of put it back together and birdied 3, 4 and 5. I almost had 6”, Moore recapped after the round.
He was able to make the turn at one-under par, hoping to continue his momentum to the back nine. He stated, “I made a silly bogey on 10 but held it together and then birdied 14, 15 and 16 on the way in.”
Again, he started his back nine with another blemish on his card but found a way to turn things around for the best with three more birdies. Finishing the day with a 69 (-3) was certainly a highlight and helps to forget the opening holes to each nine. When asked how he can bounce back so strong after a tough start Moore said, “Just know that you are a good player and keep at it.”
Joining Moore as they head to Manchester Country Club next month are Cam Sheedy, Scott Underhill and Travis Banga. All three shot 71 (-1) to sit well within the cut line. Sheedy, the 2020 New Hampshire Amateur Runner-up, also had a tough start to his day, in fact, he was five-over par after seven holes. From then on, he only recorded birdies and pars. He closed out his front nine with two birdies to be just three-over par at the turn and he poured in four-straight birdies on the back half of the back nine to return a one-under par round.
Underhill had a strong and steady front nine with two birdies and just one bogey. While his back nine included a double bogey on the par-3, 11th hole, he had a stretch of three birdies and just one bogey to hold strong at one-under par.
“The game plan today was I was just trying to hit fairways and greens and not make any mistakes”, stated Underhill after his round. “I missed my first green on 11 so I played a solid front and made a couple more birdies on the back and I’m happy with how I finished.”
With Canterbury Woods being his home course, he was able to use his course knowledge to keep his game in check, even when it strayed from the gameplan a little. And now looking ahead, Underhill is excited about his prospects at Manchester Country Club. He commented, “I grew up playing a lot of golf at Manchester so I’m happy to go back there. I’m really familiar with the course.”
Banga, another Canterbury Woods golfer, started off bogey-birdie-bogey but carded a birdie on the 5th hole to get back to even-par and was able to maintain even-par for the remainder of the front nine. Despite another bogey on the 11th hole, Banga made two more birdies on the back nine to gain confidence and get himself in red numbers with a ticket straight to Manchester for the championship.
17 golfers who shot 77 (+5) or better are advancing on to Manchester Country Club for the 120th New Hampshire Amateur Championship presented by Wedü.
State Amateur Qualifier @ Canterbury Woods CC | Results