CUMBERLAND - Two-time champion Jane Fitzgerald, from Kensington, played her last 10 holes in 1-under en route to a 2-over 73 and the first-round lead in the annual Middle Atlantic Golf Association's Women's Amateur championship at Cumberland Country Club yesterday.
Natalie McNicholas, from Baltimore CC, was a stroke back with 38-36-74, followed by Deborah Williams, Congressional CC, 39-37-76. They were the only ones in a 36-player field to break 80 over the 5,603-yard, par-71 layout.
Fitzgerald started slowly, with bogeys at three of her first eight holes, before settling down. Neither Fitzgerald nor Williams had seen the rolling Western Maryland course prior to this week.
McNicholas had three bogeys for the par 36-35 course. Defending champion Jennifer Thompson, from Chestnut Ridge CC, had an 81.
The event will conclude with another 18-hole round this morning.
The leaders:
Jane Fitzgerald, unaffiliated, 39-34-73; Natalie McNicholas, Baltimore CC, 38-36-74; Deborah Williams, Congressional CC, 39-37-76; Vicki Huggins, Montgomery CC, 45-35-80; Jane Mason 45-36-81; Chris Kefauver, Cress Creek GC, 39-42-81; Jennifer Thompson, Chestnut Ridge CC, 40-41-81; Mary Beth Weaver, Whitetail Resort, 42-40-82; Lynda Bindseil, Montgomery Village, 43-39-82; Sandy Terrill, Naval Academy, 40-43-83; Stacy Brewer, International CC, 42-41-83; Janet Wolf, Newark CC, 42-42-84; Laurene Kuhar, Montgomery CC, 44-40-84; Amy Pappas, Sparrows Point CC, 44-40-84.
