BRUNSWICK — Round two of the Maine Women’s Amateur championship seemed to be a grind for just about every player in the tournament at Brunswick Golf Club – with the exception of Erin Holmes.
Holmes, who held a three-shot lead after Monday’s first round, was once again the only golfer to go under par. Holmes shot a 1-under par 73 on Tuesday, putting her 4-under for the tournament. Holmes carries an eight-shot lead into Wednesday’s final round. Tied for second are Jade Haylock and Shivani Schmulen at 4-over par. Defending champion Ruby Haylock is fourth at 5-over.
Holmes, Schulmen, and Jade Haylock will tee off their final round at 10 a.m. Wednesday.
“Honestly, this is the most confident I’ve ever felt with a golf club. Definitely the most relaxed. I didn’t stand over any tee shots stressed out. I just felt really good,” Holmes said. “I think this course plays to my strengths, because I can hit it long off the tee. So I can attack a lot of holes confidently without really risking much.”
Holmes shot 3-under in the first round, and was at 3-under again Tuesday before a double bogey on 18, her only double bogey of the round, dropped her back to 1-under. Her round included six birdies, including three consecutive on holes four, five, and six. She also made birdie on 11, 12 and 15. Monday, Holmes took a double bogey on 12.
“I had the exact same shot off the tee. Left, hit a tree, and it came straight down. But it’s a short par-5, so I just chipped it out and ended up having 150 (yards) in,” Holmes said. “Today I stuck it close, so that was great. It’s a green that slopes back to front. Yesterday I was long on the green so I had a tough time putting. Today I left it short and tapped it in.”
The highlight of Holmes’ front nine was a 30-foot birdie putt on the par-3 sixth hole, her second birdie on the hole in as many days.
“I made a lot more putts today. I felt good with the lines. I felt like I learned from yesterday and read the greens a little better,” she said.
Ruby Haylock, who has won two of the last three Maine Women’s Amateurs, began the day four shots behind Holmes, but could never find a rhythm and finished her round with a 78. She sits nine shots off the lead.
Erin Holmes celebrates after sinking a long putt for a birdie on the sixth hole during the second round of the Maine Women’s Amateur on Tuesday at Brunswick Golf Club. Joe Phelan/Kennebec Journal
“It was tough. I had three doubles (bogeys) out there, which mentally, that’s hard to take. I missed a putt that was six inches. Little things like that,” said Haylock a Bates sophomore out of Turner Highlands Country Club. “You can’t complain. You take what you get. You go out there and you try to do your best. Mentally, it’s hard to keep that mindset, but it’s what you have to do. I’m happy I had my dad out there (Harry Haylock) to keep me sane. He’s done a really good job on the bag these last two days, and he’s the best caddy I could have.”
Schmulen began her round with back-to-back double bogeys. She finished strong, shooting 1-under par over the back nine, to finish the day with a 4-over 78.
“It was definitely a little tougher than yesterday. I had some issues on the front nine getting into the swing of things,” said Schmulen said. “At the turn, I just kind of figured out what to tell myself, and it worked for the reminder nine.”
Holmes knows her eight-shot lead heading into Wednesday’s final round is strong, but she also knows it can evaporate quickly if she loses focus.
“It feels great to think of that as a cushion, but as long as I stay even tempered and don’t get too excited or stressed out, I should be good,” Holmes said. “But again, I can’t get too comfortable. It’s golf. Anything can happen.”
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