Imagine having a functional highlight on a large stage.
Portsmouth’s Peter Lawn doesn’t have to imagine it, he already had a great experience last year after shooting a 7-under 64 in the first round of the playoffs at the New Hampshire Amateur Golf Association at North Conway Country Club.
“Everyone in the state played that day,” he said. “There were 156 players playing and I was up by three. It was a huge confidence booster and gave me the confidence that I can beat anyone. I know I can beat anyone if I’m at my best. This has kind of pushed me over the last year. Even when it’s bad, I know I can make a day like this out of nowhere.”
Lown reached the quarter-finals of the match losing two slots with two to play. He chased 17 to pull inside one, but failed to extend the match by three placing 18.
“This keeps me going,” he said. “I can’t wait for State Am this year and get some redemption. … I was really proud of the way I played last year so I kept that with me.”
Lown hopes to maintain the positive vibes as he advances Friday morning into the first round of the 42nd annual Seacoast Golf Championship at York (Maine) Golf & Tennis Club.
He will play in his fourth offshore coast. He’s made the cut in the previous three with his best result last year.
“I just love competitive golf,” Lun said. “It is full of fun. There are not many tournaments where you can go to three different courses. I like this aspect a lot.”
Round two will take place on Saturday at The Oaks Golf Links in Somersworth with the third and final round on Sunday at Wentworth By The Sea Country Club in Rye.
Lown will be part of the Friday trio featuring Craig Steckowych and Nick McLaughlin. Steckowych won three, Seacoast Ams and McLaughlin two. McLaughlin played Division I golf at the University of Virginia.
Lown recently finished his junior season at Division III Dickinson College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania where this spring he finished second in two championships.
“I love it (there),” he said. “Our conference is one of the most competitive conferences in all of Division Three. There are four really high-quality teams. It’s fun because there’s always good competition and good players. Coming back and playing at State Am is a better competition, I think.”
Lune even convinced Oyster River’s Jacques Poitras that he would fit in well at Dickinson both academically and athletically.
“I was kind of shocked when he said he was going to apply but he made an application and he’s coming,” Lawn said. “I can’t wait to get him involved. He will be a good addition to our team.”
Digging into State Am last year made Lown exempt from qualifying next month for New England Amateurs in Rhode Island.
But for now his focus is on Seacoast Am with the first four groups coming out on Friday featuring seven players combined in 14 titles led by Dover’s Brett Wilson at his all-time high of five. Previous winners Harvin Groft, Will Delano, Kevin Strong and Mike Mahan are also in the 102nd field.
“I think it’s important to point out that it’s an amateur tournament and anything can happen,” said Lun. “If I go out to York on a Friday and shoot 80’s or something, I definitely won’t get out of it.”
Northampton’s Ryan Quinn, last year’s winner, is recent proof of that. After the first round 80 cards, he went up the next two days and won by nine hits with a three-day score of 3 on an equal footing.
“You don’t have to do anything fancy, just spin, hit shots on the tee, and keep the ball in play,” Lawn said. “You just have to be somewhere on par at the end of three days. I definitely have the goal of winning this tournament at some point in my life.”
However, Quinn will not return to defend his title after turning professional last winter. Coincidentally, he’ll be playing in the New Hampshire Open this weekend at Breakfast Hill Golf Club in Greenland, his home course where Lawn is also a member.
“It must be a favourite,” said Lun. “He’s got the game. He knows his way there. He won’t have any surprises. He knows exactly what he’s going to do.”
In earlier years he represented the Lown First Tee of New Hampshire where he got his start in golf as a young man.
“The first T is amazing,” he said. “They taught me that it doesn’t really matter how you play, it’s just a game you can play your whole life. They kind of inspired me to take it more seriously I guess.”