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COOPERSTOWN, N.Y. – The seventh New York State Women's Amateur and Senior Amateur Four-Ball is officially underway. Forty-two sides (5 in Amateur, 37 in Senior) took to Leatherstocking Golf Course on Monday for the first round of competition.

With a five-over-77 on Monday, Merrilyn Gibbs (LPGA Amateur Golf Association) and Lorraine Vultaggio (NYC, LPGA Amateur Golf Association-Long Island) hold a five-stroke lead in the Open Division field. 

In the senior category, Laura Couch (Mohawk Golf Club) and Mary Scatena (Pinehaven Country Club) turned in an even par 72 to lead by one. Last year’s champions, Kim Kaul (East Aurora Country Club) and Janice Lavigne (Ravenwood Golf Club), were right behind with a 73, posting a first-round score of 1-over. 

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Gibbs and Vultaggio were last year's runner-up in this championship and now own a big gap going into the final day on Tuesday. Gibbs is from Brooklyn, N.Y., while Voltaggio is from Long Island, making the trek up north for this tournament for the second year in a row. Sitting at one-over on the front nine, a closing double bogey dropped the pair to 77, as they will look to extend their lead tomorrow morning. 

"We both saved each other a lot today; we were a good team. We played off of each other well. Some things to keep in mind for tomorrow. We have a lot of room for improvement." 

The duo added on what it will take to get it done.

"Improvements from today, and stay with it. Capitalizing off of what we did well and hurting from what we didn't do well today." 

In second place in the Open Division, Barb Nacewicz/Kathy Garbooshian (Crestwood Golf Club) posted an 82. Despite sitting 10 shots back of the lead, the group probably had the most memorable hole of the day

On hole 17, a 135-yard par-3, Nacewicz holed out with her 9-wood. The first hole-in-one of the tournament, and the 2025 championship season, was dedicated to her favorite player, Josh Allen, using a numbered 17 ball for the Buffalo Bills quarterback.

In the senior field, Couch and Scatena, both from the Albany area, take a one-shot lead into the second round over the defending champions. The side shot two-over on the front and two-under on the back nine for an even-par showing. Scatena played in this event once in 2021 when the tournament was a one-day event. Couch and Scatena met through golf and have been playing together for over 10 years.

Couch / Scatena’s 72 proved to be the day's lowest score across both fields. They had a shaky start with a pair of double bogeys on holes two and three. After those holes, the two went on a run, with four birdies and 11 pars. 

“We had two holes where we both had a double on, and that was our downfall, but we got it back with birdies from each of us," said Couch in a post-round interview. 

“Hitting the pin on 6, landing the ball next to the hole for a birdie” was the biggest takeaway from the round for Couch.

Two sides - Kaul / Lavigne, Susan Kahler (Ballston Spa Country Club) / Heidi Harkins (Ballston Spa Country Club) came in at one over par (73) and will begin play one behind the leaders on Tuesday. 

Barbara Harrison (Oswego Country Club) / Monica Harrison (Kanon Valley Country Club), along with two-time senior four-ball champions Teresa Cleland (Bellevue CC) / Carina Watkins (Drumlins GC) are tied at four over, and will look to overcome a four-stroke deficit on Tuesday. 

The course played at 5,035 yards for the Senior field, and 5,364 yards for the Open field. The final round will resume Tuesday morning with a shotgun start scheduled for 9:30 am.