Monaco and Blyth Lead in NYS Women's Championships
Elmira, NY - With the 8th NYS Women’s Amateur Golf Championship at Elmira CC, their key to success is simple. The front nine on the hilly course is a time to hold on, to grind out pars, to survive. To go low, you need to make birdies on the backside, a par 38 that includes three reachable par-5s. Marianna Monaco of Dunwoodie GC followed this formula en route to a 1-under 72 in her first round, good for a 3-stroke lead over the field.
Monaco, who is heading into her senior season at South Carolina, opened her round with a bogey on the first hole, a 322 yard par-4. The only other blemish on the front side was a double-bogey 6 on the treacherous 6th hole. Turning in +3 at 38, Monaco birdied 10, 11 and 16, all par-5s. She then drove the 310 yard par-4 17th, two-putting for another birdie. A par on the 18th secured her 72.
In second place is Kyra Cox, who won her first women’s title in 2015 at Syracuse’s Tuscarora Golf Club. Her 2-over par round of 75 included 2 birdies and four bogeys. Jenny Buchanan of Schuyler Meadows and Marah Penn of Crag Burn are in third place with opening rounds of 76, four shots off the pace set by Monaco.
In the 8th NYS Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship, Monroe GC’s Tammy Blyth holds a 1-stroke lead after opening with a 6-over 79. Blyth followed the formula set by Monaco, playing the difficult front in a 4-over par 39 on the front and turning in a 2-over par 40 on the back side.
NYS Women’s Mid-Am Leaderboard
Yahnundasis GC’s Lauren Cupp is a shot behind Blyth at 80. Kim Kaul of Gowanda CC, who is the defending NYS Women’s Senior Amateur Champion, is 2-shots back after her 82.
The second round begins at 8:00am on Wednesday, with the leaders of both divisions playing off the first tee. There is a cut after 36 holes to the low 50% and ties in each division, to play in Friday’s final round.
