Concord’s Gavin Richardson did not end the New Hampshire Golf Junior Amateur Championship the way he hoped. Round three was tough, and he finished tied for second, one under par behind Bedford’s Braden Kiley, who was crowned champion with an impressive 12 under par.

Over three days at the Mount Washington Resort, competition between the two junior golfers remained close until the last 18 holes. After 36, Richardson only trailed by two strokes and was right in contention for first place, but Kiley managed to pull away with a four-under third round.

“Gavin’s a great player. I knew I had to bring my A-game and get the win. So, I felt really solid, kept it really steady all week, tried to minimize mistakes when I could and take advantage of my distance off the tee, let the birdies come,” Kiley said after his win.

On the girls’ side, rising Oyster River High senior Teagan Nadeau won the championship with a two-stroke advantage over Josie Lefebvre of Manchester.

With his win, Kiley earned an automatic same-year exemption into the U.S. Junior Amateur, but he and Richardson both still have more golf ahead in the New Hampshire circuit.

When the 122nd New Hampshire Amateur Championship starts on Monday, Richardson, Kiley and a few others from the boys’ junior championship will hit the links at the Rochester Country Club alongside some of the best golfers in the state.

“The first two days, I was good and keeping the ball in play,” Richardson said. “I’ve never played Rochester, but I feel like if I’m able to keep the ball in play and put myself in scoring position and be good off the tee, I gotta keep it good.”

Kiley echoed that sentiment. In order to keep his rhythm in the state championship, he’ll have to focus on the little things, stay patient and minimize mistakes, especially during the last five holes of the Rochester course, he said.

Defending champion Rob Henley of New London is eyeing a repeat title and a third consecutive trip to the final match.

“I’ve had some success at Rochester, won the Mid-Am there a couple years ago, so I’ve got some good feelings and familiarity,” he said. “In terms of how my game stacks up, your guess is as good as mine.”

The championship is the state’s most prestigious golf event. The winner will earn not only a spot in Granite State golf history but an automatic exemption into the 2025 U.S. Amateur at The Olympic Club in San Francisco, Calif.

More than 150 of New Hampshire’s top amateur golfers will compete during the six-day test, beginning with 36 holes of stroke play qualifying, after which the top 64 players advance to match play, culminating in a 36-hole final match on July 12.

Henley is hungry for a win and is equally interested in seeing younger golfers rise to the top and challenge more seasoned veterans. It will be a high-stakes, competitive environment with 10 former champions participating and lots of new, promising golfers.

Last year, 18-year-old Josiah Hakala narrowly fell to Henley, This year, he will be back with more experience under his belt to try and win it all. Last year’s New Hampshire Junior Amateur champion, Andrew Suprenant, will also make a push coming off his first collegiate season at Southern New Hampshire University.

“I’m always interested in what new players the junior program is producing,” Henley added. “Beyond that, it’ll be the usual familiar faces and maybe a few new ones. I’m thinking (Lebanon’s) Nick MacDonald could be pushing for a strong comeback this year.”

The Rochester Country Club course spans 6,687 yards from the championship tees on a par-72 layout. It requires patience on the front end and demands skill and precision on the back end.

The stage is now set for the biggest New Hampshire golf event of the year.`

Alexander Rapp can be reached at arapp@cmonitor.com.