Dante Bertoni of En-Joie GC held the early lead after shooting 4-under par 67 on the links course.

The 2023 New York State Public High School Association Boys Golf Champion’s opening round included four birdies, along with an eagle on No. 3.

“I’m just going to keep everything the same,” Bertoni said. “I had one three-putt today, I’m going to try not to three-putt and I’m going to keep being aggressive. I don’t want to hold back anything and stuff will start getting wild, so I’m just going to keep playing my game.”

One stroke behind the leader was Tyler Berkman of Potsdam Town and CC. He posted a bogey-free 68.

Berkman qualified for the U.S. Junior Amateur and failed to advance past the stroke play qualifying rounds at Daniel Island Club in South Carolina on Monday and Tuesday. He rushed back to New York and was able to make his tee time this morning after a busy day of travel.

Six players sat at 1-under 70 including Spencer Cohen of North Shore CC, Dean Muratore of Met PGA Junior Golf Club, Braydon Dock of Glens Falls CC, Tommy Mangan of Apawamis Club, Owen Jessop of Westhampton CC and Kellen Dean of McGregor Links GC.

Four more posted even par in the first round, including Jack Tebeau of Crag Burn GC, Matthew Difiore of Youth on Course/MGA, Jakub Sutor of MET PGA Junior GC and YiWen Wang of Saxon Woods GC.

In the 66th New York state Boys’ 14U Championship, Cobblestone Creek’s Ethan Domajnko shot 1-under 70 and held a four-stroke advantage entering Thursday’s final round.

“I was playing pretty well, hit a lot of good tee shots and birdied the par 5s,” Domajnko said. “I also had my brother caddying, so that helped. It was definitely a tough walk but I just paced myself.”

Tied at three-over par 74 were Jeff Fumarola of Ballston Spa CC and Connor Jackson of East Aurora CC.

Wykagyl CC’s Colin McAskin sat at 4-under 75. John Paddock of Monroe GC sat at 76, while Drew Mancini of RDGA Junior was at 77.

Girls divisons

In the opening round of the 2023 New York state Girls’ Junior Amateur Championship, one player was able to break par on Wednesday.

Jordan Levitt of Bedford managed to finish at 1-under par 70, by sinking a 10-footer for birdie on the final hole. She recorded two other birdies on the front side of the course, on numbers 3 and 7.

“First hole took my group by surprise a little bit, there was a lot of wind,” Levitt said. “After that small adjustment, it was really just a good rest of the round. I made some important putts.

“It was definitely important to look at my pin sheet because some of the holes where the fairway ends here and the green is way down here,” she added. “You really need to know where that pin is … how far to hit it and what club to hit because you kind of have to hit off those slopes.”

One shot behind was 2022 champion, Sophia Li of MGA eClub/NYC at 71. She recorded three bogeys to offset her three birdies on the day.

Pelham CC’s Nina Choe was next at 72, while Daniella Elisabeth Sutor of Met PGA Junior GC and Amelie Phung of Bonnie Briar CC were tied at 74. Five strokes off the leader was Rosalie Dinunzio of Transit Valley CC at 75.

In the inaugural New York state Girls’ 14U Junior Amateur, one player dominated in the opening round by matching even-par 71 on the 5,102-yard setup.

Alexandra Phung of Bonnie Briar CC had a quick start with birdies on Nos. 3 and 4 on the mountain course before giving a stroke back to the field on the No. 5 with a bogey.

“It was a very nice course. I had some up and downs, but other than that it was great and I really enjoyed playing out there,” Phung said. “I felt calm and was just looking to do my best and enjoy the mountain view.”

She collected three more birdies on numbers 7, 10 and 14, but a few dropped strokes, along with a bogey on the home hole ensured she would hold no more than a ten-stroke lead with 18 holes left to play.

The 12-year-old is making her first appearance in the championship and has already established herself on the national level, competing in three Drive, Chip and Putt National Finals at Augusta National. She won the Girls’ Age 10-11 in April and previously competed in 2019 and 2021.