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CANANDAIGUA, N.Y. – Mary Sicard of Queensbury Country Club leads by three strokes at Bristol Harbour Golf Club after the opening round of the 67th New York State Women’s Senior Amateur Championship.

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Her round began with a triple-bogey on the 12th hole (her third hole), but then cleaned up the scorecard with two birdies, one bogey, and pars the rest of the way en route to a 2-over 74.
 
“I tried not to get ahead of myself. I wasn’t thinking about the ending score, just the next shot.” Sicard, of Lake George, mentioned of her strategy.
 
The two-time champion won at Whiteface Club in 2016 and defended the following year at Corning Country Club.
 
Chasing is Patricia Mayne of Western Turnpike Golf Club who posted a 5-over 77 and sits in second. 
 
She birdied her first two holes (Nos. 10 and 11) and turned at 35, but stumbled a bit on the front nine of the course.
 
“The front seemed to play a little trickier because of the wind. I thought it was a good test, got to hit every club. I putted well, that helped a lot and avoided mistakes.”
 
Bristol Harbour’s Robert Trent Jones design has two vastly different nines, with a links-style front side and a tighter backside laid out through the property’s forest.
 
“I will try to focus on playing those holes on the front side a little better,” Mayne said about tomorrow. 
 
Carolyn Mancini of Binghamton Country Club and Ellen Weeks of the host club sit tied at 79. They will join Sicard and Mayne in the lead group, who will be teeing off #1D tomorrow during the 9am shotgun start.
 
Penny Scheik of Hiland Park Country Club and 2011 champion Carina Watkins of Beaver Meadows Golf Club opened with 80.
 
Nine players sit at 82 including defending champion Tammy Blyth of Monroe Golf Club.
 
“I just didn’t feel it today, I couldn’t make any putts. I started off with two doubles on my backside so it was a struggle going in.”
 
Joining her at that number is Nikki Fowler who made a hole-in-one on her first swing of the tournament. She aced the 15th hole from 121 yards with a 7-iron. “I thought to myself, just get over.” She said referring to the ravine guarding the green. She birdied the next hole and was 4-under after two holes. “I was shaking.”
 
The penultimate group teeing off #1B includes Watkins, Schiek, Hamm and Lucas.
 
The course played to a par of 72 and setup at 5,240 yards for round one.
 
In the Super Senior Championship, played at a shorter yardage of 4,619 for women 65 and older, two players are tied atop the leaderboard after 18 holes.
 
Kitty Colliflower of Oak Hill Country Club and Grace Grosso of Beaver Meadows Golf Club both posted 9-over 81 in the opening round.
 
“The nines are totally different. On the front side, I made some nice putts, then we got to the back nine and the greens played tougher. It’s a great layout, very challenging and you have to hit some good shots to score here.”
 
2014 champion Michelle Marquis of Pompey Club is one stroke back at 82.
 
Jo Ann Shupe of Beaver Meadows Golf Club posted an 83. Two-time Women’s Senior champion, Maggie Kril of Durand Eastman Golf Club shot an 84. 
 
Last year’s champion Ronnie Levine-Ribble of Penfield Country Club and Maxine Tucker of Ballston Spa Country Club posted 86s to sit five strokes back.
 
“The course was great, played a little difficult. I hope to do better tomorrow, and that the weather is just as good,” said Ribble.
 
The lead group will tee off #1C and includes Colliflower, Grosso, Maquis and Shupe. The penultimate group will tee off #1A and includes Kril, Levine-Ribble, Tucker and Yarnall.