Nashua's Phil Pleat will begin play in the United States Senior Open Championship Thursday at the Indianwood Golf & Country Club in Lake Orion, Michigan. Pleat is scheduled to tee off at 8:10 a.m.
Pleat is grouped with Joel Edwards of Irving, Texas, and Kiyoshi Murota of Japan.
The 156-player field will be trimmed to the low 80 scores plus ties after 36 holes. Golfers who make the cut will play 18 holes Saturday and complete the tournament with 18 holes Sunday.
Pleat, 56, was the runner-up in last year's U.S. Senior Open, which was held at the Kinloch Golf Club in Manakin-Sabot, Va. The runner-up finish gained Pleat entry into this year's tournament.
Pleat has won three New Hampshire state amateur championships. He will attempt to become the first New Hampshire golfer to win a national event since Austin Eaton III won the U.S. Mid-Amateur title in 2004.
Indianwood is a par-70 course.
U.S. Public Links
Chelso Barrett of Keene was eliminated 6 and 5 by Greg Condon of Monte Vista, Colo. in the first round of match play in the USGA's 87th United States Amateur Public Links on Wednesday at the Soldier Hollow Golf Course in Midway, Utah.
Condon set the tone of the match early, converting birdies on the first and fourth hole for a quick 3-up lead. Barrett bogeyed holes No. 6 and No. 7 to fall five down. Barrett got one hole back when Condon bogeyed the par-4, ninth hole, but the match ended when Condon birdied the par-4, 13th hole. Barrett was 5-over-par in the 13-hole match, while Condon shot 2-under-par.
NHWGA Girls Juniors
Lauren Thibodeau, a 12-year-old member at Windham Country Club, will defend her title in the New Hampshire Women's Golf Association Junior Girls Championship today at Intervale CC in Manchester. Tee times begin at 8:30 am.
A total of 31 golfers are in the field this season. Colette Schmidt of Eastman Golf Links of Grantham, Jocelyn Ojala of The Shattuck Golf Club of Jaffrey, Morgan Delapena of Green Meadow of Hudson and Samantha Reed, Shelby Reed and Haley Reed, all of Beaver Meadow of Concord are among those who will be looking to dethrone Schmidt.
Junior girls, under the age of 18, will compete in one of eight divisions.
Four divisions will cater to the younger golfers, ages 5-11. The Munchkin and Cricket divisions play a shortened layout of five or seven holes. The Pee Wee and Mini divisions play nine shortened holes.
Golfers in the Junior and Senior divisions, ages 11-17, compete in one of four divisions and play nine or eighteen holes, depending on their ability.
For more information call 603-356-9051 or 603-798-5589.
NEWGA Championship
Lisanne Schmidt of Eastman Golf Links in Grantham shot a 4-over-par 76 Wednesday at Natanis Golf Course in Vassalboro, Maine, and finished sixth in the New England Women's Amateur Golf Championship.
Schmidt posted a three-day total of 235. Kristen MacDonald, a 23-year-old Billerica, Mass., resident, won the tournament by shooting 222.
Alexandra Schmidt, Lisanne's sister, finished 14th with a 243 total. No other New Hampshire golfer finished in the top 20.
