John Broderick (David Colt/Mass Golf Photo)

That looks promising for 2020 champion John Broderick, who sits in the top spot at 8-under-par through the first 36 holes of the 95th New England Amateur Championship, taking place at first-time host Laconia Country Club. 

Round 2 on Wednesday was delayed by weather for 71 minutes in the afternoon. However, play was able to finish as 67 players made the cut, which settled at 3-over.

The final 18-hole round begins Thursday at 7:30 a.m. Players will compete in twosomes Thursday, with the leaders set to tee off at 12:10 p.m. 

For the second straight day, Broderick kept a clean card. The Vanderbilt lefty made birdie on the holes 1-2 for the second straight day, and despite a bogey on the par-5 17th, he answered with a birdie on the 18th to finish the day with a one-stroke lead.

“I played smart. I hit a lot of greens and made good decisions in terms of where I was leaving the ball," Broderick told the New Hampshire Union Leader after Wednesday's round. "I hit it to spots and tried to two-putt.” 

One stroke back is Elliott Spaulding, who is fresh off his victory in the Maine Amateur Championship. The Loyola University incoming freshman who set the bar for lowest round of the tournament so far with a 6-under 66. Mathew Gover, then matched Spaulding in the afternoon with a 66 of his own.

Spaulding made four consecutive birdies on holes 2-6, adding another on the 9th to shoot 32 on the front nine, making three more birdies on the back. Gover, who won the MASCAC individual title this past fall as a member of the Mass College of Liberal Arts men's golf team, shot 5-under 31 over his final nine Wednesday (holes 1-9) to move into solo third place, two strokes back of Broderick.

​“Made seven birdies each day, but fewer mistakes (Wednesday),” Gover said afterward. “I’m definitely happy with the way I’ve played these two days because this summer has been a struggle. “I’m in the mix, but I’d say it’s going to take a really good day (Thursday). It’s going to be a fun day.”

Sitting just three off the lead are UConn's Connor Good and Temple's Ethan Whitney, while Rhode Island amateur champion Bobby Leopold is in solo sixth at 4-under.  Austin Giroux, the leader among Vermont players, fired a bogey-free round of 2-under and is among 11 tied in 9th place.