Chesterfield's Ryan Kohler in seventh place after Day 1 of N.H. Mid-Amateur Championship
Oct. 4—CAMPTON — Ryan Kohler's bid for a third consecutive N.H. Mid-Amateur Championship is very much intact after Day 1 at Owl's Nest Resort and Golf Club in Campton.
The Chesterfield resident is trying to add to what has been already a scrapbook season. Kohler reached the semifinals of the State Amateur at Abenaqui CC in Rye in July and last month won the NH Golf Association's Stroke Play title — a three-day, three-course grind — by seven shots.
Monday, in the methodical fashion for which he is known, Kohler fired an opening-round 72. He made three birdies and three bogeys and sits three shots back of leader Jim Cilley with two rounds to play.
"I played pretty solid," Kohler said. "I only missed only a couple of greens but struggled with the putter. Hopefully I can get up near the leaders going into the final round Wednesday."
The event is the final major piece of the NHGA season and features the state's top amateur talent.
Cilley surged into the lead with a 5-under 31 on the back nine. He had three straight birdies starting at the 13th hole on the back, five in all.
One shot off the lead pace are two regular leaderboard toppers, Will McLaughlin and Craig Steckowych, the veteran out of Portsmouth CC who at 63 years of age remains a threat to win each time he tees it up. Like Cilley, Mclaughlin had a five-birdie round.
Tom Fitzgerald, himself 61, Zach Hutton and two-time State-Am champion James Pleat are another shot back at 1-under, and the only other players to break par Monday. The three players are tied for fourth. Kohler shares seventh with Jeremy Duhamel.
Gabe Roy of Bretwood managed just a single birdie and shot 78. He is bunched with a pack of players tied for 26th. Another area player in the field, Jalen Rines of The Shattuck in Jaffrey, got off to a blistering start in the morning cold with a 3-under first nine, but came unraveled in the inward nine, shooting 44, and finishing with 77.
Two other Shattuck members, Cameron Salo and Damon Salo, shot 75 and 76, respectively, and are well positioned to make the cut.
The field will be trimmed after Tuesday's second round to the low 40 players and ties.
