Hom & Horowitz Share Round One Lead of Long Island Mid-Am
GLEN COVE, N.Y. (September 5, 2023) – Nassau Country Club proved to be a tough test in the opening round of the 2023 Long Island Mid-Am with only five players shooting par or better on Tuesday.
Two players share the lead at 1-under—Ryan Hom of North Hempstead, Sam Horowitz from Inwood.
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In the afternoon session, Horowitz tallied a 1-under 69 with four birdies, including one on the par-4 18th. Horowitz double-bogeyed the par-5 fourth before playing his final 14 holes in 3-under. He was one of three players to shot even or better in the afternoon.
Gerard Connolly of Cherry Valley went out in 1-under 34 after collecting birdies on the par-3 third and par-4 ninth. Connolly missed the fairway to the left on 14 but stuck his approach shot inside of 10 feet and converted the birdie. Connolly bogeyed two of his final three holes to finish at even par.
Grey Miller—a member of the MGA eClub New York City—shares fourth place with Michael Auerbach from Bellport and Connolly at even par. Miller went out in 3-under 32 before carding three bogeys on the back nine.
“The course is in pristine condition,” said Miller. “The greens are firm and quick and [you have to] remember that par is a good score [out here].”
Only two players were at even par or better in the morning wave.
Hom posted a 1-under 69 in the morning with Auerbach posting an even-par 70. Hom recorded two birdies, and a bogey—all on the back nine—to lead after morning wave of players finished. Auerbach had a pair of birdies and bogeys in his round.
“Staying below the hole is always the idea at Nassau," mentioned Auerbach. “The greens are rolling at a 14 or 15 and the rough is up, so striking the ball down the middle is at a premium.”
Colby Anderson from Nassau Country Club is alone in sixth place at plus-1. The top 10 is finished by Craig Brewer from Southward Ho, Marc Coleman from the Nassau Players Club, Bryan Pendrick from Meadow Brook, and Joseph Capo from Nassau Country Club at plus-3.
Forty-one players made the cut and will return to Nassau Country Club on Wednesday for the second and final round. The cut line was 7-over, which rose as the afternoon went on.
The final round gets underway at 7:45 on Wednesday morning. The final pairing of Hom and Horowitz is scheduled to tee off 11:15 a.m.