Phil Moore of Canterbury Woods lines up a putt during NHGA Mid-Am play Monday at Windham Country Club. (Photo courtesy of NHGA)

WINDHAM — The Mid-Amateur and Senior Match Play Championship officially got underway with the Stroke Play Qualifying round Monday being held at Windham Country Club as Phil Moore (Canterbury Woods CC) and Eric Emeneau (Souhegan Woods GC) tied at the top of the Mid-Amateur leaderboard, both firing even-par, 72.

Moore ultimately grabbed the top seed as they prepare for match play next month. Defending champion, Craig Steckowych (Portsmouth CC) earned his No. 1 seed in the Senior division with an even-par round as well.

Moore was playing professional golf for much of his life when a back injury took him out of the game for 10 years. He made his amateur and competitive return in this tournament and had a very strong showing. His front nine was very consistent with one birdie and one bogey, making the turn at even par.

“I managed to make some really good par saves when I was staring at bogey or double,” he said.

From there, he had a rocky start to the back nine where he bogeyed the 10th hole and triple bogeyed the 11th to quickly get to four-over par. He turned things back around in a hurry by making birdies on five of his next six holes to then move to one-under par. Capping his round off with a bogey on 18, he finished the day at even-par 72.

“I was really proud of myself, how I hung in there,” commented Moore. “I fired off five birdies coming in and three-putted on 18 for a 72.”

Next up are the match play rounds which begin next month at Beaver Meadow Golf Course. Moore will face Jim Tokanel (Nashua CC) in the Round of 16, while second seed Eric Emeneau will face Derek Mahoney (Derryfield CC). Emeneau took a slightly different road to even-par as he made the turn at one-over par and by the time he reached the 14th tee box, he was three-over par. He ended up with an eagle on the par-5, 15th hole and birdie on 18 to work his way back up and tie Moore at the top of the leaderboard.

In the Senior division, three-time Senior Match Play Champion, Craig Steckowych is in a familiar position with the top seed of the tournament. He began his day on the challenging back nine at Windham CC, making the turn at two-over par, with three bogeys and one birdie on his card. With a blemish-free second nine, he managed two more birdies on Windham’s front nine to finish his day off at even-par, 72.

Steckowych will move on to face Tom Fitzgerald (The Golf Club of New England) in the Round of 16. Steve Haselton (Newport GC) also had a good day on the course, earning the second seed with a one-over par 73. Hasleton moves on to face Steve Thompson (Pease GC Online) in the Round of 16.

For the other four brackets of the championship, Reno Fuller (Breakfast Hill GC) grabbed the top spot of the First Flight of the Mid-Amateur division, while Joshua West (Bretwood GC) will be the No. 1 seed in the Second Flight. Fuller will face Jeffrey Sovis (Atkinson Resort & CC) in his first match and West will square off against Gabe Roy (Bretwood GC).

For the Seniors, Paul Cino (Windham CC Online), the top seed in the First Flight will face Douglas DeCaprio (Wentworth by the Sea CC) and Richard Peek (Exeter CC) will face Don Dinwoodie (Farmington CC) in the first match of the Second Flight.

The first round of matches will take place at Beaver Meadow Golf Course on June 14. Following that, the golfers who advance will head to Bretwood Golf Course (South) on July 1st. Golfers advancing from Bretwood will play at Lake Sunapee CC on August 9th and the final matches of the Championship Flights will take place at The Golf Club of New England on September 22.

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