ROCHESTER – Carys Fennessy has high standards, so she was determined to prove Monday’s roller-coaster ride that included an eagle and a double bogey was an aberration.
The rising Dover High School senior responded 24 hours later with a sizzling 3-under par 69 on Tuesday to take a commanding seven-shot lead going into Wednesday’s third-and-final round of the New Hampshire Women’s Amateur Championship at Rochester Country Club.
“(Tuesday) was definitely more constant between holes,” said Fennessy, the defending champ who will tee off at 10:21 a.m. on Wednesday. “It felt more like my typical game. I was on most of the greens (in regulation). I think I only missed a couple. It makes it a lot easier, so I was able to roll in a few birdies and definitely made my score lower.
“I’m not sure exactly what to chalk it up to,” she added. “I guess I would say a belief in my ability and confidence over the ball. Definitely the back nine coming in helped a lot.”
Fennessy fires a 3-under on back-nine
Indeed it did. After playing the front nine in even par, Fennessy had four birdies and one bogey on the back side and birdied three of the final five holes, including a mid-range putt at 18 to cap the round in style.
She also drained a tricky putt on the 14 th for birdie.
“I had a really, really difficult downhill, sidehill putt and I was somehow able to make it for birdie,” said Fennessy, a member at Dover’s Cochecho Country Club. “Being able to do that definitely led to the next two (birdies) coming in.”
Takes seven-shot lead going into final round
Despite shooting an even-par 72 on Monday, she still led the tournament by one stroke over Mady Savary of Youth on Course. Savary is seven back going into Wednesday’s final round at plus-4. No one else is closer than 12 shots.
“I think it was a little bit of nerves,” Fennessy said of Monday’s round. “I only had one other tournament in July so coming into this and trying to defend your title is always a difficult task. I finally got cooled off (Tuesday) and was able to play my game.”
She felt fortunate to have the lead after one round.
“Definitely lucky to come out on top there,” Fennessy said. “Even a one-stroke lead is something, so you’ve got to go with it and try not to lose it.”
Focused from the start
Fennessy also avoided disaster on the par-5 11th on Tuesday with a par-saving putt that kept the momentum going.
“On the 11 th hole I hit one wayward and I made a really, really good par,” she said. “I was on the green in four and somehow managed to save a five there, so that was very good.”
Fennessy, who captured the Women’s New England Am in late June, was focused from the start on Tuesday.
“I just tried to calm myself down on the first tee and then really pay attention to every shot coming in,” she said.
Fennessy had a two-shot lead over Savary at the turn Tuesday before pulling away. Savary carded a 3-over 75, leaving her at plus-4 for the tournament, seven shots back.
Fennessy also excels at damage control when she does get in trouble.
“I try to get up and down when I can if I’m not hitting greens and make the best out of a round for sure,” she said. “The putts count as much as the drives do. I think golf is definitely between the ears more than anything, especially at this level. Everyone is good and can hit the ball well so it’s just how you deal with the bad breaks.”
Game-plan going into final round
Fennessy’s strategy for Wednesday’s final round?
“Definitely keep playing the same game I’ve been doing,” she said. “(Tuesday) was definitely better than (Monday). Go at pins when you can and take your medicine when you have to and be confident over my putts. Usually I’m a pretty good ball-striker whether that be irons or off the tee. So when I get that going I get in a pretty good groove and can hit a lot of fairways and a lot of greens.”
Rochester CC presents a challenge, particularly the hilly back nine.
“Some of the holes are a little tricky,” Fennessy said. “Definitely have to shape shots a little bit. Off the tee it’s pretty nice, not too tight. The greens are definitely difficult so you have to hit shots and play target golf really.”
This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: NH Women's Amateur: Dover's Carys Fennessy takes 7-shot lead into final round
Most Popular
Comments / 0