OAKLAND — Emily Bouchard, the defending Maine Women’s Amateur champion, was happy with her first round at Waterville Country Club. Liz Wiltshire of Natanis was pleased with her round, too. Waterville’s Debby Gardner knew she can play better.

Whatever they felt about their early morning rounds was made moot by the heavy rain that came in the afternoon and washed out the Maine Women’s Amateur Championship opening round. With a number of holes deemed unplayable and more than half the field still on the course, the Women’s Maine State Golf Association decided after a rain delay to postpone the tournament until Tuesday. None of Monday’s scores will carry over, and players will start over with their same groups on Tuesday at 8 a.m.

“If the rain stopped, we need another hour to dry out, and then there’s not enough light (to finish the round),” Waterville Country Club Pro Don Roberst said. “It looks good the next two days.”

Among the players who completed their round, Bouchard led with a even 73. The two-time defending tournament champ from Biddeford birdied the first hole, and was under par until a double bogey on 18.

“On 18 I made a bad mistake that cost me, but I made some birdies to make up for it,” Bouchard said. “With it being a little soft out here, a little wet, it’s holding the ball well. The ball sat there when you hit shots on to the green, which allows you to kind of go for the pins, be a little more aggressive.”

The strong first round was a little different for Bouchard, who struggled on the first day of the tournament in each of the last two years.

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“At Augusta (in 2012), I played terribly in the first round, and last year at Brunswick, not poorly, but I wasn’t in the lead after the first round,” Bouchard said.

Wiltshire shot a 76, and said she had an adventure on the par 3 13th hole. Wiltshire’s tee shot hit a rake and sailed well over the green. After chipping on to the green, Wiltshire sank a long putt for par.

“I thought, maybe this is going to be a day for me, when things start going your way,” Wiltshire said. “I just played pretty consistently, and my putting was good. I didn’t make too many mistakes.”

Gardner, who played in the day’s first group with Bouchard and Kristin Kannegieser of Martindale, was disappointed in her score of 86. The dampness made the course play long, Gardner said.

“A mundane round for me today. I’m a little disappointed,” Gardner said, before Monday’s scores were wiped out by the rain. “I’m looking forward to (Tuesday). A lot of room for improvement.”

Travis Lazarczyk — 861-9242

tlazarczyk@centralmaine.com

Twitter: @TLazarczykMTM


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