Fran Gacos Takes Lead After First Round Of Women's Senior

Three-time champion Fran Gacos of Copper Hill carded a 9-over-par 81 to lead a field of 71 golfers in the first day of the 36-hole 44th NJSGA Women’s Senior Championship at the 5,763-yard par-72 Manasquan River Golf Club in Brielle.

Gacos, who won the event in 2005, ’06 and ’07, led Kathy McGrorry of Jumping Brook by three strokes and K.C. Maloney of Bella Vista, Sue Dahabsu of Jumping Brook and Maggie Pizzone of White Beeches by four shots each.

Defending champion Peggy Ference of Cherry Valley is not playing this year.

PHOTO GALLERY COMPLETE SCORING

“I love playing this course,” said Gacos, who next week will be playing in the U.S. Mid-Amateur for an 11thtime. “My teaching pro, Brent Studer is here, and my brother-in-law, Peter Gacos, is on the board here.

“It’s very challenging. I normally play from the white tees here. I was here last month when we celebrated my husband’s (Chris)( birthday. I shot 74 that day.”

Gacos, a three-time runner-up in the NJSGA Women’s Amateur, found trouble on two holes. She scored a double bogey on the par-4 18th hole, twice finding her ball deep in the rough. She also recorded a triple bogey on the par-3 third hole.

On the third hole, her drive hit a rake and the ball ricocheted onto the lip of the bunker, leaving her on the downhill side of the bunker. Her sand shot flew the green. The chip back to the green ran down to the bottom of the putting surface and it took three putts from there to finally get it in the hole.

Gacos birdied the par-5 11th hole.

McGrorry, who counted two birdies, tripled the par-3 sixth hole when she shanked her drive into a bunker and flew the green on a chip. She also added two double bogeys.

“I do play this course in Interclub matches every two or three years. It is gorgeous with the vistas and scenery here,” she said. “The greens are great and they were really rolling well today. It’s target golf; pick a spot and hit it there.

“I try to keep it in the fairway. That’s the most important thing for my game.”