Smith is 9 over after two days
She is in danger of missing the cut
MANCHESTER-BY-THE-SEA — Molly Smith’s first round at the Massachusetts Amateur — one in which she became the first woman believed to compete in the event’s 115-year history — took two days to complete.
Fog and rain delays pushed back the 18-year-old Smith’s tee time on Monday by almost six hours, and darkness ended her opening day after just eight holes. She returned to Essex County Club on a sunny Tuesday at 7:30 a.m., and wrapped her opening round at 4over-par 74.
She started the second round just 31 minutes later, carding a 75 that put her at 9 over at the day’s close. The projected cut is 5 over. John Broderick is the clubhouse leader at 6. He was 1 under in his second round through 14 holes before play was suspended because of darkness.
“Probably should have been a little bit better than where I ended, but that’s all right,” Smith said after the first round.
She bogeyed three of her first four holes Monday, as some lengthy putts were left short or skipped over the hole.
On the par-3 fourth hole, Smith’s tee shot landed in a bunker. Her next shot looked like it had been launched too far, but it had backspin to bring it closer to the pin. But again, a medium-length par putt escaped her.
She birdied two of the next three holes and was 1 over in difficult conditions, including some sprinkles.
Tuesday brought much better weather, but started with tough results for Smith. She parred the ninth and 10th holes to remain 1 over, but struggled from there.
Her tee shot on the par-3 11th ended up in a bunker, leading to a bogey.
Smith missed her approach on 12 but with a sprinkler head in her path, she was able to get relief. But two putts later, she threw up one hand up in brief exasperation as she made another bogey.
Smith needed a strong tee shot on the next hole but didn’t get it. Instead, it landed out of bounds. She took the penalty and scrambled for a bogey.
Her struggles on those holes stemmed from indecision on clubs.
“I just never got comfortable with the shot and hit it anyways, which isn’t exactly what you want to do,” she said. “Cost me a couple shots there.”
But Smith refocused, closing here round with five straight pars.
Smith’s parents, Phil and Lynn, were in attendance both days, walking the course.
Phil was supposed to caddie for his daughter, but he suffered a heart attack a few weeks ago.
“I thought it would be too much because it’s a tough golf course to walk,” he said. “I have to take a push cart and going up and down the hills . . . I just didn’t think I was up for it.”