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WILTON, N.Y. – After 36 holes of stroke play on Monday, two players separated from the pack at the 92nd NYS Women’s Amateur Championship at McGregor Links Country Club.

Related: Results / Photos / Pairings / Championship Central

Local standout Kennedy Swedick finished the day at 6-under 138 after rounds of 67-71 on the tricky Devereux Emmet layout. 

“I was feeling pretty good, my game is in a pretty good place,” Swedick said. “I’ve been learning a lot from all the experiences; I’m just so blessed to have all the opportunities.”

In her morning round, she knocked down six birdies and only allowed one bogey, on the tough 225-yard par-3 third hole at McGregor.

“All the putts were falling, I was playing really well the first eighteen,” she said. “The second [round] I wasn’t really clicking. I missed a couple of putts, but that’s golf.”

She claimed the NYSPHSAA Girls’ Championship at her home course, McGregor, earlier this season.

One stroke behind is Lauren Peter of MET PGA Junior Golf Club, who fired rounds of 68-71 and sits at 5-under.

“First round I had a lot of really good holes,” Peter said. “A lot of the par fives are reachable for me, so they’re almost like par fours to be honest.”

The Ohio State player compiled ten birdies and one eagle throughout the 5,844-yard layout.

“If I just stick to my game I think I can make it happen,” she said of her chances of taking home the title tomorrow. 

Emily Montagnino of Indian Hills Country Club was the only other player to break par today. She opened with 2-under 70 in the morning, and followed up with 3-over 75 in the afternoon round to sit seven strokes back at 1-over 145.

A cut was applied to the field leading into Tuesday morning’s final round of competition. Thirty players advanced into tomorrow’s round, with the cut line falling at 183.

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In the 13th NYS Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship, the field competed over 18 holes on Monday morning.

Defending champion Christy Schultz of Oak Hill CC finished atop the leaderboard, posting 2-over 74 in her first round at McGregor.

“I was very relaxed, I wasn’t nervous,” Schultz said. “I’m managing my misses, after years of golf I’ve learned that you can still score if you’re not hitting it well.”

The eight-time NYSGA champion had trouble on her way in, losing a few strokes on the final holes, but was still able to hold a lead heading into Tuesday’s final.

“Overall, I putted really solid and made a lot of good up and downs and just kept the ball in play,” she said.

2017 champion Lauren Cupp is one stroke back at 75. The two past champions finished tied after 36 holes in 2021 at Teugega, and needed to head into a sudden-death playoff to determine the winner.

“I played very steady on the front side,” Cupp said. ‘I need to take better advantage of the par fives; I didn’t take advantage of the par fives today. A couple birdies on the par fives tomorrow will go down smooth.”

Ariana Gaeta is two strokes behind the leader at 76. Three-time champion Teresa Cleland Bellevue Country Club sits at 79.

2021 Women’s Super-Senior champion Mary Kelly of Wolferts Roost Country Club opened at 81.

The course was setup for the Mid-Ams at 5,453 yards.

Tee times on Tuesday will begin at 6:30am due to the potential for severe afternoon thunderstorms.