PORTLAND, Maine – Freshman
Sean Bonneau shot a six-over 76, and every Keene State College golfer shot a 79 or better as the Owls ended the first day of the Little East championship in second place as a team in their second ever appearance at the event, this year at the Riverside Golf Course hosted by the University of Southern Maine.
Bonneau was only one stroke from third place individually, and aside from a three-hole stretch on the fourth through the sixth where he bogeyed three straight, he was three-over the rest of the round and birdied the 16th hole before parring the final two to close his round of 76.
Sean McCaffrey was close behind with a 78 (+8) while another newcomer,
Aysen Chancey, finished with a 79.
Cade Williams did the same, including a birdie on holes seven and eight. His score was bogged down by a pair of sevens on No. 4 and No. 10.
Even still, the Owls demonstrated a massive improvement on the first day from a year ago when they shot a 350 as a team and were in fifth (of six) at the Ellington Ridge Country Club in Connecticut, bettering their mark this year by 38 strokes. KSC shot a 354 the following day and wound up in sixth.
Eastern Connecticut State University, the defending league champion, is currently in first with a 303 (+28) as a team. KSC is nine strokes ahead of Rhode Island College and Vermont State University Castleton, each of whom are tied for third at plus-41. The host Huskies are plus-46 and Western Connecticut State University plus-47 to round out the field.
RIC's Jasper Bruins Slot is the current leader of the pack, shooting an even par 70 that featured three birdies (No. 7, No. 15, No. 17) and three bogeys (No. 1, No. 12, and No. 16). VTSU Castleton's Brady Hathorn is in second with a plus-3, posting a birdie on an impressive five different holes. However, he also had a pair of double bogeys and four bogeys to send him to an over par round. He is followed by ECSU's Nick Dinino, the Warriors' No. 5 slotted golfer, who is in third.
"It was a good day, and the team played focused," said Keene State head coach Jeff Timmer. "Hopefully tomorrow we can make a little bit of a move forward and get closer."
Defending medalist Ashton Lewis of Eastern Connecticut shot a six-over 76 to open the championship. He finished plus-one (71, 74 – 145) a season ago and won the 2022 individual title by six shots over Jonah Dupuis. ECSU as a team finished with a 615 (+39), while Castleton was the second-place finisher a year ago with a 631 (+55).
Tee times for Friday's final round begin at 10:00 a.m.
