Stormy weather made for a tricky opening day for the local contingent at the 88th New England Amateur Championship at the par-70 Metacomet Country Club in East Providence, R.I. Play was suspended for more than two hours Tuesday, with three of the four local golfers forced to sit and wait to finish their first rounds.
The suspension came at 4:50 p.m., as storms rolled through the Providence area and the horn sounded. It was not until after 7 p.m. that players were allowed back on the course, and things were called due to darkness just after 8 p.m. with several competitors still on the course. The rest of the first round will be completed beginning at 7:45 a.m. today.
Turners Falls’ Cody Booska, fresh off a quarterfinal appearance at last week’s Massachusetts State Amateur, managed to close out his round just before darkness hit. Booska, playing out of Country Club of Greenfield, shot a par-70, putting him in a tie for 15th place.
Booska had an eventful front nine, where he shot an even-par 36 with three birdies and three bogeys, and he was 2-over through 14 holes before sinking birdies on Nos. 15 and 18 to get back to even.
South Deerfield’s Jonathan Elkins, playing out of Crumpin Fox Club, was unable to finish his round before the darkness halted play. He was 5-over through 17 holes, in a tie for 66th.
The 16-year old teed off on the back nine and found himself 3-over before a birdie on his seventh hole of the day (No. 16) to make the turn at 2-over 36. He’ll play one hole this morning to finish up the opening 18.
Greenfield native Nate Burdick, playing out of CC of G, was also unable to finish his round before darkness overtook East Providence. Burdick was 8-over through 14 holes, putting him in a tie for 116th place.
After starting 5-over through seven holes, Burdick rebounded with five straight pars before going double bogey-bogey on Nos. 13 and 14.
Greenfield’s Brandon Bete was the lone local with a morning tee time, and he managed to get his round in before the late-afternoon suspension of play. The Assumption College alum, who also attended Northfield Mount Hermon, shot a 9-over round of 79 on Tuesday to put him a tie for 125th place.
Bete carded a 39 on the front nine and registered a 40 on the back while sinking birdies on two holes during his round — No. 8 and No. 15, both par 4s.
Kevin Silva found himself in sole possession of first-place of the 156-player field after Tuesday. The Montaup Country Club (R.I.) member shot a 4-under 66, giving him a one-stroke advantage over two players who shot 67s.
The rest of Round 1 and all of Round 2 are slated for today, while the four-round tournament will finish with 36 holes on Thursday. Booska tees off this morning at 8:50 a.m., while Elkins (9 a.m.), Burdick (9:40 a.m.) and Bete (1:30 p.m.) follow with their scheduled tee times.