Jordan Laplume follows through on her drive on the 17th tee at Brunswick Golf Club during the first round of the Maine Junior Golf Championship. (Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal)
Mitchell Tarrio follows through on his approach shot to the 18th green during Tuesday’s Maine Junior Championship at Brunswick Golf Club where he shot the best round of the day. (Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal)
BRUNSWICK — The girls might be headed for a shootout, but the boys are all chasing Mitchell Tarrio at the Maine Junior Championship at Brunswick Golf Club.
Tarrio, of Augusta, made six birdies on the first nine holes and eight overall to finish the first day with a score of 3-under-par 69 on Tuesday.
“My putting was lights out today,” Tarrio said.
After a par on the first hole (players tee off on No. 10 in tournaments at Brunswick), Tarrio had six birdies over the following eight holes. He finished the first nine at 4-under, his one blemish being a four-putt on the fourth hole for a double bogey.
“Besides the four-putt, the putting was phenomenal,” Tarrio said. “That’s all it was, the wedges into the greens and then the putting. I made a few 20-footers, 15-footer for birdie. I birdied two out of the first three (holes), and from there on out I played pretty lights out.”
Tarrio added two more birdies on the second nine, giving him eight in total compared to four bogeys.
Portland’s Jeremy Baker is second at even-par 72. Cape Elizabeth’s Ryan Collins and Steuben’s Percy Zentz are at 1-over.
Last year’s runner-up, Thomas Higgins of South Portland, joins Saco’s Armand Ouellette, Lincoln’s Max Woodman and Scarborough’s Brogan Kane at 2-over.
“I just wasn’t striking the ball well,” Ouellette said. “I was kind of grinding for everything, ended up at 2-over. I’m not too unhappy with (my score).”
Making Tarrio’s three-stroke cushion even more daunting is that he’s been playing great golf recently.
“Just last week, I shot 65 at Natanis, 7-under there,” Tarrio said.
He added: “I think I’m … 12-under-par in the last four tournaments I’ve played, all together.”
Lewiston’s Alex Robert is tied for 17th at 9-over, and Monmouth’s Trevor Flanagan is 20th at 10-over.
Laplume up two
Elizabeth Lacognata says the second day will be more fun than the first.
And it should be, considering all four girls in the 16-18 flight are within five strokes.
Jordan Laplume of Old Orchard Beach grabbed a first-day lead at 2-over-par 76, which included a 2-under on the first nine holes.
“I’m proud with how I played today,” Laplume said. “And I’ve never shot a 2-under on a nine before, so I’m excited about that, too.”
Lewiston’s Stephanie Rodrigue is in second place at 4-over, Cumberland’s Rachel Smith is 5-over and Lacognata is at 7-over.
Lacognata, of Scarborough, was 4-under through nine holes, but her lack of familiarity with the course made for a harsh second nine.
“It’s very obvious the front nine and the back nine were just two opposite courses,” Lacognata said. “Course management is huge, especially when I’m playing the ladies’ tees, as far as understanding yardages and what I do and do not need to take off the tee, because that’s where I struggled.”
Rodrigue’s familiarity with Brunswick showed with the steady 2-over she shot on each side of the turn.
“I had a lot of par putts that fell (that) I was really thankful for,” Rodrigue said. “Rolled the ball really well.”
Laplume will be playing high-stakes golf for the second week in a row. She was in the final group of last week’s Women’s Amateur in Rockland. She settled for second, three strokes behind Bailey Plourde after starting the day with a one-stroke lead.
While that final round was a struggle, it also was a learning experience.
“I just wasn’t even focused on golf, it was just the leaderboard, and them playing,” Laplume said. “I wasn’t focusing on my game or myself. So tomorrow I just can’t focus on anybody else, just need to focus on my game and the course.”
Younger leaders
Turner’s Mia Hornberger tops the girls 13-15 flight with a 13-over 87. Hartford’s Ruby Haylock is next at 17-over, Turner’s Morghan Dutil is at 19-over and Jade Haylock finished with a 34-over.
Bennett Berg of Portland leads the boys 13-15 flight with a 9-over 81. Portland’s Nick McGonagle and Scarborough’s Alden Griffiths are tied for second a 10-over.
Owen Moore of Pittsfield has a three-stroke lead in the 12-and-under after firing a 3-over 36 over nine holes. Yarmouth’s Sebastien Martinez and South Portland’s Lucas Flaherty each finished at 6-over.
Stephanie Rodrigue follows through on her drive on the 18th tee of Monday’s first round of the Maine Junior Championship tournament at Brunswick Golf Club. (Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal)
Mia Hornberger blasts out of the sand trap on the second hole of Tuesday’s Junior Championship golf tournament at Brunswick Golf Club. 3(Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal)
Ruby Haylock follows through with her drive on the 3rd hole of Tuesday’s Junior Championship golf tournament at Brunswick Golf Club. (Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal)
Thomas Higgins yells out in frustration as his chip shot from the fringe of the 16th hole stops short during Monday’s first round of the Maine Junior Championship tournament at Brunswick Golf Club. (Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal)
Elizabeth Lacognata tries to coax her putt into the hole to no avail as she settled for an 8 on the 15th hole of Monday’s first round of the Maine Junior Championship tournament at Brunswick Golf Club. (Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal)
Willie Kavanaugh chips onto the green of the 18th hole of Monday’s first round of the Maine Junior Championship tournament at Brunswick Golf Club. (Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal)
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