CARRABASSETT VALLEY, Maine — Fifteen-year-old Cole Anderson of Camden is in contention after two rounds of the American Junior Golf Association Coca-Cola Junior Championship being held at the Sugarloaf Golf Club.
The rising sophomore at Camden Hills Regional High School in Rockport shot a 6-over-par 78 during Wednesday’s second round for a total of 152, three strokes behind leader Nicklas Staub of Boynton Beach, Florida, in the boys division.
Staub, 13, shot a 2-over-par 74 on Wednesday after an opening-round 75 to enter Thursday’s final round at 5-over 149.
Anderson, the reigning Maine Class A individual state champion from last fall and the recent winner of the New England junior championship, led the tournament after shooting a first-round 74.
He is tied for third with Christopher Francoeur of Amesbury, Massachusetts, also at 152 after rounds of 78 and 74.
Another Mainer, Eric Dugas of Pittsfield, is tied for seventh after 36 holes with rounds of 77 and 78 for 155. The incoming senior at Maine Central Institute is tied with Mithran Denbow of Sandwich, Massachusetts (75-80-155).
Other Pine Tree State golfers to make the cut were Caleb Manuel of Topsham (76-83-159) and Austin Legge of Cape Elizabeth (87-78-165).
Maine golfers missing the two-day cut of 167 were Drew Powell of Bangor (90-84-174), Tom Higgins of South Portland (92-84-176), Anthony Burnham of Scarborough (101-91-192) and Max Altznauer of Cape Elizabeth (92-101-193).
Only the top 50 players in the field advance to the final round, which begins at 7 a.m. Thursday.
The AJGA Coca-Cola Junior Championship is a 54-hole stroke play event spanning four days with three rounds of competitive play. The tournament field is comprised of more than 130 male and female competitors ages 12-18, hailing from eight countries and 17 different states, including eight players from Maine, all in the boys field.
Dery wins Maine Senior Amateur
Ron Dery opened the 2016 Maine Senior Amateur Championship at his home course at Biddeford-Saco Country Club in the first group and went out victorious in the final group on the final day.
It was a tight contest through most of the back nine, but Dery finished in style with a birdie on each of the last two holes Wednesday to cap off six-shot victory over runner-up Jim Quinn.
Tied for third in the tournament were Jim McFarlane, Gary Manoogian and Daniel Falcone.
Dery shot a two-day total of 1-under-par 141 with scores of 70 and 71 to capture his first solo Maine State Golf Association major. He previously won the 2014 Senior Four-Ball Championship with partner Randy Sawyer at Waterville Country Club.
With the win, Dery earned a berth on the Maine’s 2016 Tri-State team that will battle top golfers from New Hampshire and Vermont later this summer at the Belgrade Lakes Golf Club.
