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HAMILTON – Seven Oaks Golf Course is one of the more difficult layouts in New York State.

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Lindsay May tamed it on a breezy Tuesday afternoon, shooting a personal-best 5-under 67 during the first round of the New York State Girls' Amateur Championship.

May, who has won three New York State High School titles, leads Taylor Miano by eight strokes heading into Wednesday’s final round.

“It’s my best round so far,” said May, who’s previous best was a 68 in 2015 state high school tourney. “My wedges into the greens were good. If I had pitching wedge or gap wedge in, I was hitting it close and my putter was on.”

Bailey Shoemaker, and 11-year-old star who has won several major national and worldwide tournaments in her age group, shot 78, and is in solo third. Alexis Kim is in fourth after shooting 80 and Madison Braman posted an 81 and is in fifth place.

May, a rising junior at Auburn High School, carded eight birdies and three bogeys during an impressive round of golf. May three-putted the par-3 2nd hole, but answered with three consecutive birdies on Nos. 5, 6 and 7. After bogeying Nos. 9 and 10, May played lights out, birdying five of her final eight holes.

After back-to-back birdies on the par-3 11th and par-5 12th, May made three straight pars despite having makeable birdie opportunities. May responded by draining a 20-foot uphill putt for birdie on the par-4 16th, then knocking in a six-footer for birdie on the par-4 17th. She then closed out her round in style on the par-5 18th hole. She hit her drive down the left side of the fairway, and then knocked her hybrid onto the green. Her eagle putt came up just short and she tapped in for birdie for a 67.

“Today was just about hitting fairways and greens,” May said. “Two-putt pars are golden. I did have two three-putts today … so they weren’t my best moments. But tomorrow I will be looking to hit fairways and greens.”

May is a top Division 1 recruit, and will be visiting North Carolina, Wake Forest, Clemson and Vanderbilt in the coming weeks. However, winning this tournament would be very meaningful.

“This would mean a lot,” May said. “I won high school three times and I travel around the country playing, but I love playing in New York. It would be great to win and it would give me an AJGA Tour exemption.”

Miano and other players were shocked to see May’s 67 on the board. Several boys and junior players walked by and smiled when seeing that glaring red number.

“I know she’s really good,” said Miano, who will be playing in the final group Wednesday with May and Shoemaker. They tee off No. 10 at 9:10 a.m.

Miano, a 14-year-old from Dobbs Ferry, was 3-over after four holes, but really held it together, playing even-par over the remainder of her round.

“I could’ve done better,” Miano said. “I had a lot of opportunities for birdies from seven to eight feet, but overall I’m pretty happy with my round. It was a tough wind and there are a lot of hazards.

Miano will get a chance to compete with May, but will be more focused on just playing her game and posting another solid round.

“That score pleases me,” Miano said. “Maybe shoot around that type of score … maybe a little better and putt a little better. My lag putting wasn’t great today.”

Malini Rudra and Caroline Hodge shot 82 and are tied for sixth. Pasqualina Tartaglione and Carley Sawyer are tied for eighth after carding 83. Melanie Green and Olivia Durant shot 85 to round out the top 10.

-Nick Sardina – Mid-York Sports Report