CONCORD — Three teenage golfers posted better scores than 18-year-old Joe Leavitt after Monday's opening stroke-play round at the 109th State Amateur Championship.

Leavitt responded with a 1-under-par 69 on Tuesday at Concord Country Club. The score, combined with his earlier 2-over 72, earned him the Ty Abate Award for the second consecutive year.

The award is presented annually to the tournament's golfer, age 19 or younger, who posts the lowest score in medal play.

Leavitt, whose home course is Atkinson Resort & Country Club, won the New Hampshire Golf Association's 2011 State Amateur Junior Championship at Campbell's Scottish Highlands in Salem.

A year ago, Leavitt earned the State Amateur's No. 8 seed for match play. This year, he is the No. 2 seed. He draws Concord's Mark Douglas at 10 a.m.

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THE TREND for Buzzy Francis continues. The former baseball standout for Manchester West High (Class of 1998) and Keene State College (2005) played well during Day 2 State Am play.

It was his Day 1 score, Francis said, that cost him a chance to make the cut for the first time.

“I knew the cut would be (around) 155. At that point, I had to try and make birdies to make the cut. When you try to make birdies, it's tough,” he said after posting an 84-76—160.

A three-year pitcher for KSC, Francis said his introduction to golf was “playing a Tiger Woods video game” during college. He previously played in the State Am three times, after professional baseball stints in multiple leagues, including the Can-Am League.

The 33-year-old works for his father's company, Absolute Data Destruction. The company specializes in the secure and certified destruction of digital data devices.

Francis also has a 2-year-old daughter. Bella keeps him busy.

“It's taken away from golf,” he said.

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BEYOND ATTEMPTING to qualify for the Round of 64, Ryan Friel (The Overlook) spent his second-day round making mental notes while watching one of the best.

Friel teed off with nine-time State Am king Bob Mielcarz, who's making a bid to capture title No. 10 on his home course.

“It was really good to watch Bob play because he plays here all the time,” said Friel, who carded a 75-72—147. “Just to see how to play this place, what he does.”

Friel said he never played Concord's course before Sunday. His biggest takeaway from Tuesday, however, was that Mielcarz may be tough to oust in the tourney.

“His short game is pretty impressive,” said Friel, a State Am finalist in 2008. “Every chip is within a foot.”

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Marc Thaler may be reached at mthaler@unionleader.com.