James Pleat wins N.H. Mid-Amateur Championship, Ryan Kohler finishes tied for second

Oct. 6—CAMPTON — James Pleat captured his third N.H. Mid-Amateur Championship, at Owl's Nest Resort and Golf Club in Campton, winning a four-player shootout over the final 18 holes Thursday.

The two-time State Amateur champion and Nashua Country Club member shot an even-par 72 in the third and final round to score a two-shot victory over three players, area standout Ryan Kohler, Jim Cilley and Jeremy Duhamel.

Kohler, of Chesterfield, was the two-time defending champion, and led the event through at one stage Thursday, through the first nine holes.

Pleat's other victories in this late-season event were also back-to-back. He finished at 4-under for the event, with rounds of 71-69-72.

Kohler (72-68-74) and Duhamel, of Manchester CC, each shot 2-over 74 Thursday and Cilley, who went into the day with a two-shot lead on Pleat, Kohler and Duhamel, shot 76. Cilley plays out of Laconia CC.

Cameron and Damon Salo, of The Shattuck in Jaffrey, were two of just three players to card sub-par rounds Thursday, each with 2-under 70s. They finished fifth and sixth, respectively. Harvin Groft of Candia Woods also shot 70, to finish tied for seventh.

It was a good tournament for Bretwood's Gabe Roy, who finished tied for 18th at 11-over the for the competition, with a final-round 77. Roy tied for fifth with birdies made over the three days, with 11. Cilley and Groft each had 13.

Cameron Salo made five birdies in his final round.

Through six holes, Kohler, who plays out of Hooper in Walpole, had erased the two-shot deficit he began the day with and surged into the lead alone, after Cilley made his third bogey of the early round at the short par four sixth hole. Of the four players under par starting the round, only Kohler was blemish-free to that point, and led Pleat, Duhamel and Cilley by one.

Kohler held his lead at the turn, thanks to nine straight pars to start, but birdies by Pleat and Cilley at the par three 10th hole and Kohler's first bogey of the day, at the par four 11th, pushed Pleat into the lead for the first time in the event, by one over Kohler and Cilley.

Pleat, 32, did all he needed to on the back nine, going 1-under in that pivotal stretch.

Kohler led the field in longest bogey-free streak, 20 holes, and tied for most holes played in par or better, 47. Cameron Salo matched that number.

Pleat, meanwhile, played the par fives better than anyone in the field, at 8-under, one better than Roy. The course played its easiest Thursday, statistically at least. The average score of 76.72, was more than four full shots better than the previous day.