Hooksett golfer Julianna Megan wins New Hampshire Women’s Amateur Championship

Julianna Megan began the final round of the New Hampshire Women’s Amateur Championship with three tees tucked into her bun. She lost two along the way, then gained a trophy.

The 20-year-old Hooksett native pulled victory together with three consistent rounds across the 54-hole tournament. Though a double bogey on the final hole threatened her title, she stayed ahead of Beaver Meadow’s Mady Savary by one stroke for the win at Manchester’s Derryfield Country Club.

Megan posted a 12-over-par 222 for the tourney.

“It was a marathon, definitely,” Megan said. “I knew that it was no one’s trophy yet, so I just needed to stay focused … decision by decision, all the way home.”

Thanks to two consecutive rounds of 3-over 73, Megan entered the final day of competition with a four-stroke lead. The Holy Cross golfer and two-year runner-up appeared to pull away for good when she put up the best front nine of the morning field.

But 16-year-old Savary refused to make the win simple. With her father on the course for the first time all tournament, the Bishop Brady golfer locked in on her putts and chipped away at Megan’s lead. Back-to-back birdies on the 15th and 16th holes — coupled with two back-nine bogeys from Megan — brought Savary within two strokes heading into the final hole.

As both golfers stepped up for their last putts, the sun and the pressure took their toll. Neither athlete managed to hit the four-stroke par on the 337-yard 18th hole. Though Savary’s ball found the hole on the fifth putt, Megan’s did not.

If she missed again, the rising college junior faced a tie, but Megan sank the last shot of the tournament with a confident stroke. She smiled in relief and embraced Savary as fellow competitor Teagan Nadeau splashed water on her head in celebration.

Savary credited her competitor, with whom she tied for the tournament’s second-place spot last year.

“She’s a great player and super nice person, so she deserves the win,” Savary said. “She played super solid throughout the three days.”

Megan turned to her former high school coach from Pinkerton Academy, Jeff Sojka, for support during the tournament. The two hadn’t played together often since she went off to college two years ago, but they fell into a familiar rhythm as he caddied for her on the course.

“It just fun to be out there with her, because she loves the game, and she plays very happy,” Sojka said. “She truly is one of my favorites, hence being out here in 100-plus degrees the last couple days with her and not swinging my own clubs.”

Savary also brought a special caddy for the final round: her father. His experience — and a second read on her putts — helped the high schooler close in on Megan’s lead.

“Having him to steady me out there was definitely nice,” Savary said. “He’s been like a solid rock throughout my whole golf career. I was getting a little upset with the first couple holes, some bogeys, but he just told me to stay confident and putts will start dropping, and eventually those did come.”

The elevation shifts and uphill lies on the Derryfield course offered plenty of challenge for the young golfers. Both struggled with club selection and ball position over the three days of competition. Savary navigated the course best on the final day, putting together a tournament-low round of 2-over-par.

Other Capital Area golfers also turned in impressive performances. Kat Bordeau, three-time New Hampshire Women’s Player of the Year, finished fourth with at 231. Concord Country Club’s Caroline Fang tied for fifth, and Henniker’s Corey Richardson lagged just one stroke behind for sixth place.

Most of the golfers gathered around the final green to see Megan and Savary claim their trophies. The community among the group shone through, especially among the other junior girls, who see each other often at tournaments.

“We’re always cheering for each other,” Nadeau said.