NEWTON CENTRE, Mass. – Keegan Fennessy of Minot fired a four-under-par 66 to grab a one-shot lead after the first round of the 79th New England Amateur Championship at the Charles River Country Club.

Fennessy’s round included six birdies and two bogeys on the 6,677-yard, par-70 course.

Four players stand one shot back of Fennessy with scores of 3-under 67 – David McAndrew (Barrington, R.I.), Evan Beirne (North Haven, Conn.), Chris DeJohn (Rocky Hill, Conn.) and Cody Paladino (Kensington, Conn.) all posted.

A total of 12 players finished under par in the first round.

Fennessy, who works at the Point Sebago Golf & Beach Resort, played flawlessly on the front nine, finished at 2-under with two birdies and no bogeys. He was more up-and-down on the backside with four birdies and a pair of bogeys, including one on No. 18. Fennessy did birdie the consecutive par-5s at Nos. 15 and 16.

The tournament continues Wednesday. After cutting the field to the top 40 and ties, golfers will conclude the tournament with the final 36 holes Thursday.

Fennessy finished 11th in last year’s New England Amateur.