Seacoast Am notes: Defending champion Ferullo within striking distance going into Sunday

PORTSMOUTH - Of the 43 previous Seacoast Amateur golf tournaments, there have been four players to win back-to-back tournaments, and no player has won three straight years.

Jamie Ferullo, last year's winner, shot an opening round of 75 Friday at Portsmouth Country Club, and then followed with a 74 on Saturday at Pease Golf Course. His two-day score of 149 has him in a four-way tie with Peter Lown, Josh Trivilino and Alec Hurd for fifth place.

More: Seacoast Am: Two-time champ holds 1-shot lead entering final round; defending champ 3 back

Nick McLaughlin , with a two-day score of 146, has a one-shot lead over Will Delano and Gabe Felch, and a two-shot lead over Kirk O'Quinn entering Sunday's final round at Breakfast Hill Club. Ferullo has a chance to be the fifth to win back-to-back titles.

"It's always good to give yourself a chance going into the third day," Ferullo said. "There's a lot of really good golfers in the mix (Sunday) and I'll have to play my best to give myself a chance. (Third) day being a couple (shots) back, I'll have to take a few more chances, but will try to pick my spots."

Ferullo is grouped with Hurd and Harvin Groft on Sunday; the group is scheduled to tee-off at 10:10 a.m.

Harrity was first to win in consecutive years

Four-time winner Peter Harrity was the first to win in consecutive years in 1984 and 1985.

Then 10 years later Neil Kelly, another four-time winner, won in 1995 and 1996. Ben Daughan won in 2001 and 2002, and Brett Wilson , the only five-time winner, has two back-to-back stints, the first in 2007 and 2008, and the second in 2016 and 2017.

More: Seacoast Am: Wilson ready for another special weekend with caddie; ex-champion withdraws

Wilson needs a 'miracle' for sixth title

With five championships, no one has seen as much success in the Seacoast Am than Wilson, who enters Sunday tied for 13th, with Nick Fiste and Scott Rolph, six strokes behind McLaughlin.

Wilson shot a 79 Friday at Portsmouth Country Club, and a 73 on Saturday to give him a better chance to attempt a comeback. The Wilson trio is scheduled to tee off Sunday at 9:30.

"I think the golf course was set up very fair," Wilson said after Saturday's performance. "It was there for the taking, and I didn't capitalize."

Wilson shot a 39 on the front nine, and 34 on the back.

"I've got to play really well (Sunday) to make it happen," Wilson said. "The mindset is don't play yourself out of it the first day, and I came pretty close. If I played better (Friday), maybe I would've had a chance to dig myself back close, but it's going to take a miracle tomorrow."

Final cut for Senior Championship

Tony Fournier, last year's winner of the Tony Loch Senior Championship, is tied with Joel Johnson for third place, six strokes behind leader Keith Stone in this year's senior field.

John Mumford is second with a two-day score of 152. Mark Cartier has a two-day total of 160 and Kevin Doherty is sixth at 161.

The Tony Loch Senior Championship is named after Tony Loch who passed away in October 2022, and served as a head professional for Portsmouth Country Club for 34 years.

This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Seacoast Am notes: Defending champion Ferullo within striking distance going into Sunday