Vermont

Teenager seizes 118th Vermont Amateur in four-person playoff, youngest champion since 1999

Published

2 years ago

July 11, 2024

Teenager seizes 118th Vermont Amateur in four-person playoff, youngest champion since 1999

Lucas Politano shanked his second shot on the second playoff hole of the 118th Vermont Amateur, his ball plunged deep in the soaked rough some 170 yards from the green on the par-5 No. 18.

The teenager stayed upbeat.

“The first thought I had was, ‘I couldn’t believe I just did that.’ Next thought, ‘We still have a chance at making birdie here,’” Politano said.

The senior-to-be at Otter Valley Union High School delivered a delicate yet brilliant shot, softly bouncing his approach about 20 feet from the pin. He then rolled in the birdie attempt.

“I had to refocus real quick. I had a gap but I had to get it over a little tree and I just it a perfect shot, I guess,” said Politano, who used a seven-iron to get out of trouble.

And after Walker Allen just missed his retort to send the playoff to another hole, Politano hugged his caddie for a rare moment in the tournament’s cherished history: The 17-year-old became the youngest Vermont Amateur champion in 25 years, surviving a four-person playoff to close the rain-shortened, 54-hole championship at Burlington Country Club on Thursday.

At 16 years old, only Dustin Cone (1999), Tommy Pierce (1935) and Les Mercer (1921) were younger than Politano when they claimed their titles.

[Editor’s note: See below for the full leaderboard]

Politano also joined his sister, Mia, as Vermont Amateur champions. Mia Politano captured the women’s title in 2022.

“I think it’s awesome to do it a couple years after her,” Lucas Politano said. “It’s great, you always want to write your name on the Amateur trophy.”

Politano’s victory capped a tournament that dealt with heavy rain and thunderstorms this week. Vermont Golf Association officials were forced to suspend play Wednesday and then shortened the tournament from its traditional 72 holes to just 54.

Politano, Allen, Michael Walsh and Travis Russell all finished at 1-under 212 — the only golfers in red in a remarkably tight leaderboard. Two-time champions Bryson Richards (2021, 2023) and Evan Russell (2013, 2014), Travis Russell’s younger brother, were one and two shots, respectively, back of the leaders. Garren Poirier, the 2020 winner, finished three shots behind.

On the 18th hole before the playoff, Politano rattled in a birdie to join the four-person group while Russell pushed his birdie attempt wide that would’ve won the title outright.

The foursome returned to the 18th green to start the playoff. Allen and Politano notched birdies, but Travis Russell and Walsh, a BCC member, exited with pars. Allen and Politano went back again to tee off at No. 18. After both had good drives in the fairway, Politano knocked his second shot into the rough and Allen couldn’t avoid a bunker to the left of the green.

More: Two-time Vermont Amateur champion seizes Day 1 lead at Burlington Country Club

Politano, the two-time Vermont high school D-II state champion, then dropped his approach onto the green. Allen, who shot 67 Thursday for the tournament’s low round, coolly got out of the bunker to give himself a chance at birdie. But Allen couldn’t hole his putt to extend the championship to a third playoff hole.

Politano moved into serious contention with a 68 on Wednesday. His day on Thursday started poorly: A front-nine 39 featured five bogeys and just two birdies. But Politano closed with a back-nine 33, including a must-have birdie on the No. 18 to make the playoff.

“I just remembered how much I worked for this. You can’t really ever completely get rid of the nerves,” Politano said. “But you can always go back to the basics and go back to what you remember and go from there.”

Led by Walsh, Burlington Country Club captured the McCullough Cup. The last time BCC hosted the Vermont Amateur, the tournament also needed a playoff to determine a winner. In 2014, Evan Russell survived five playoff holes for the second of back-to-back crowns.

Final Vermont Amateur leaderboard

Thursday (after three rounds)

At Burlington Country Club

Par 71

Lucas Politano (Ralph Myhre) … 72-68-72—212 (won playoff after two holes)

Walker Allen (Neshobe) … 73-72-67—212

Michael Walsh (Burlington) … 72-70-70—212

Travis Russell (Lakeside) … 70-69-73—212

Bryson Richards (Barre) … 70-72-71—213

Evan Russell (VT National) … 68-75-71—214

Garren Poirier (Rutland) … 70-72-73—215

Alex Leonard (Burlington) … 75-71-71—217

Taylor Bellemare (Ekwanok) … 77-69-72—218

Cory Jozefiak (802 Golf Academy) … 75-72-72—219

Garret Cameron (Barre) … 74-74-71—219

Ryan Porter (Rutland) … 71-74-74—219

Bryan Smith (Burlington) … 73-78-69—220

Cameron O’Connell (Burlington) … 78-72-70—220

Eric Lajeunesse (Barre) … 77-74-70—221

Austin Giroux (Newport) … 72-76-75—223

Troy Goliber (VT National) … 73-78-73—224

Mathew Smith (Manchester) … 73-76-76—225

Nate Godbout (Rocky Ridge) … 80-74-71—225

Cody Semmelrock (Williston) … 75-74-77—226

Ryan Manley (VT National) … 73-80-73—226

Chaney Noyes (Burlington) … 77-75-75—227

Riley Richards (Barre) … 78-72-78—228

Nick Ojala (Proctor-Pittsford) … 77-76-75—228

Sebastian Pell (Rutland) … 77-76-75—228

Charlie Davis (Ekwanok) … 77-74-77—229

Evan Forrest (Burlington) … 81-73-76—230

Ryan Shields (VT National) … 73-76-81—230

Ben Spittle (Blush Hill) … 77-76-77—230

Alec Carew (West Bolton) … 76-79-77—231

Brody Yates (Kwiniaska) … 76-78-77—231

Lance Robinson (CC of VT) … 78-75-78—231

Frankie Sanborn (Rutland) … 75-75-82—232

Sean Keogh (Lakeside) … 78-77-78—233

Jeffrey Maier (Williston) … 74-77-83—234

Brian Cain (CC of VT) … 78-77-79—234

Charles McNeeley (CC of VT) … 81-74-80—235

Owen Benoit (Champlain) … 74-77-84—235

Cameron Saia (Burlington) … 79-76-81—236

Adam Berger (Burlington) … 78-73-86—237

Stephen Richards (Kwiniaska) … 78-76-238—238

Note: For the full results, including those who did not make the cut, visit golfgenius.

Contact Alex Abrami at aabrami@freepressmedia.com. Follow him on Twitter: @aabrami5.

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Vermont

VT Lottery Powerball, Pick 3 results for July 4, 2026

Published

58 minutes ago

July 4, 2026

Press Room

Powerball, Mega Millions jackpots: What to know in case you win

Here’s what to know in case you win the Powerball or Mega Millions jackpot.

Just the FAQs, USA TODAY

The Vermont Lottery offers several draw games for those willing to make a bet to win big.

Those who want to play can enter the MegaBucks and Lucky for Life games as well as the national Powerball and Mega Millions games. Vermont also partners with New Hampshire and Maine for the Tri-State Lottery, which includes the Mega Bucks, Gimme 5 as well as the Pick 3 and Pick 4.

Drawings are held at regular days and times, check the end of this story to see the schedule.

Here’s a look at July 4, 2026, results for each game:

Winning Powerball numbers from July 4 drawing

17-38-46-50-69, Powerball: 20, Power Play: 2

Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 3 numbers from July 4 drawing

Day: 6-5-3

Evening: 8-0-6

Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 4 numbers from July 4 drawing

Day: 9-8-1-3

Evening: 2-9-4-1

Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Megabucks Plus numbers from July 4 drawing

06-10-19-22-33, Megaball: 04

Check Megabucks Plus payouts and previous drawings here.

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize

For Vermont Lottery prizes up to $499, winners can claim their prize at any authorized Vermont Lottery retailer or at the Vermont Lottery Headquarters by presenting the signed winning ticket for validation. Prizes between $500 and $5,000 can be claimed at any M&T Bank location in Vermont during the Vermont Lottery Office’s business hours, which are 8a.m.-4p.m. Monday through Friday, except state holidays.

For prizes over $5,000, claims must be made in person at the Vermont Lottery headquarters. In addition to signing your ticket, you will need to bring a government-issued photo ID, and a completed claim form.

All prize claims must be submitted within one year of the drawing date. For more information on prize claims or to download a Vermont Lottery Claim Form, visit the Vermont Lottery’s FAQ page or contact their customer service line at (802) 479-5686.

Vermont Lottery Headquarters

1311 US Route 302, Suite 100

Barre, VT

05641

When are the Vermont Lottery drawings held?

Powerball: 10:59 p.m. Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
Mega Millions: 11 p.m. Tuesday and Friday.
Gimme 5: 6:55 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Lucky for Life: 10:38 p.m. daily.
Pick 3 Day: 1:10 p.m. daily.
Pick 4 Day: 1:10 p.m. daily.
Pick 3 Evening: 6:55 p.m. daily.
Pick 4 Evening: 6:55 p.m. daily.
Megabucks: 7:59 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
Millionaire for Life: 11:15 p.m. daily

What is Vermont Lottery Second Chance?

Vermont’s 2nd Chance lottery lets players enter eligible non-winning instant scratch tickets into a drawing to win cash and/or other prizes. Players must register through the state’s official Lottery website or app. The drawings are held quarterly or are part of an additional promotion, and are done at Pollard Banknote Limited in Winnipeg, MB, Canada.

This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Vermont editor. You can send feedback using this form.

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Vermont

My Throwback to Vermont on the LT/AT – The Trek

Published

11 hours ago

July 4, 2026

Press Room

The trek north continues. After New York, Connecticut and Massachusetts seemed to pass in a blur. I had the pleasure of having a friend come out to hike with me from Lee, MA to Williamstown/North Adams, MA. Passing the 1600 mile marker felt like such an achievement but I was excited for what came next:

Vermont.

I could feel the excitement growing the closer I got to the Vermont border. Even the rock scramble out of Massachusetts and the rain couldn’t dampen my spirits. I was finally returning to a section of trail that was familiar.

Back in October 2025, I had completed sections 2 and 3 of the Vermont Long Trail in preparation for my At thru hike. This 84.4 mile stretch overlaps with the AT and crosses through some of the Green Mountains like Stratton Mountain, Bromley Mountain, and Killington Peak.

It took me 8 days to complete that practice hike as someone who had never backpacked before. I felt pretty good about that, but I was ready to learn if the past 4 months of thru-hiking had made me any better or stronger this time around.

Similarities and Differences

The good news is that I did do better. It took me about 6 days to complete the same sections I had done in October. The time it took to complete it, though, was less satisfying to me than the way I felt while doing it.

For example, I remember really struggling up Stratton Mountain and Bromley Mountain when I did it the first time around. This time? I could scale both without stopping for a breath break. Granted, I didn’t have trail legs and my pack weighed a good 10-15 lbs more back then than it does now. It just showed me how far I’ve actually come. It proved that I was getting stronger and more apt at this thru-hiking thing.

It was definitely a confidence booster at a time when I needed encouragement that I wasn’t doing too bad.

Round 2 of doing this section did have some differences I wasn’t thinking about, though. The cooler weather of October brought with it fall colored trees, dry terrain, and vacant shelters. What a difference coming back in the summer can make. For starters, the first five days of my time in Vermont on this go can be described in one word: wet.

I was constantly wet from rain, sweat, mud, water puddles, or a combination of all of that. I remember drying out my shoes and socks in the rare sunny moments only to get caught in an unexpected afternoon thunderstorm an hour later. Because of all that rain, the terrain was extremely muddle and slick.

Oh, and who can forget about the bugs. There were no bugs in October. In June? All the bugs. I caught the tail end of black fly season in Vermont in addition to the mosquitoes.

Navigating that was tiring to say the least. And yet, none of that bothered me because I was having a good time remembering what the trek was like back in October. More than once I found myself saying, “Oh yeah, I remember this part!”

Unexpected Fun Parts

When I did my section hike in October, I didn’t pull off for any resupply nor did I pay much attention to hiker services that may have been available. My thru-hike was different in the best ways.

Some of the fun unexpected aspects of my thru-hike in Vermont were the farm stands! These are stalls or small barns that have all sorts of goodies for hikers including veggies, baked goods, cold drinks, and resupply items. They also had charging stations and water bottle refill places. It was such a mood booster to get to a farm stand and relax for a bit. And who can be upset with all the maple based goodies?

I stopped at more farm stands than I did towns in Vermont. Part of that is because there aren’t many hostel options or places where the trail goes near a town like it does in other states/sections. One exception is the Rutland/Killington area. There’s a free bus that runs between these two towns. It was a great spot to resupply and recalibrate before attempting Killington Peak. Plus, the people were super friendly!

Finishing Vermont

I completed my time in the Vermont sections of the AT (total of 150.8 miles) in about 9 days. I don’t think October me could have conceived that I would go through the whole state that fast. My time in Vermont was certainly over sooner than I expected.

I hit Norwich and crossed the bridge into New Hampshire with a feeling of bittersweetness. I said goodbye to Vermont’s Green Mountains once more as I turned to face New Hampshire’s White Mountains. I would be lying if I said I wasn’t nervous about the White Mountains. I’ve heard how tough they can be. But my time in Vermont encouraged me to believe that maybe, just maybe, I can make it through the Whites all the way to Katahdin.

Lord willing.

And so we adventure on….

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Vermont

VT Lottery Mega Millions, Gimme 5 results for July 3, 2026

Published

21 hours ago

July 4, 2026

Press Room

Powerball, Mega Millions jackpots: What to know in case you win

Here’s what to know in case you win the Powerball or Mega Millions jackpot.

Just the FAQs, USA TODAY

The Vermont Lottery offers several draw games for those willing to make a bet to win big.

Drawings are held at regular days and times, check the end of this story to see the schedule.

Here’s a look at July 3, 2026, results for each game:

Winning Vermont Mega Millions numbers from July 3 drawing

05-09-29-47-57, Mega Ball: 16

Check Vermont Mega Millions payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Gimme 5 numbers from July 3 drawing

07-13-14-24-38

Check Gimme 5 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 3 numbers from July 3 drawing

Day: 2-6-5

Evening: 2-2-8

Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 4 numbers from July 3 drawing

Day: 8-7-7-4

Evening: 0-2-1-1

Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Millionaire for Life numbers from July 3 drawing

07-08-24-42-47, Bonus: 03

Check Millionaire for Life payouts and previous drawings here.

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize

Vermont Lottery Headquarters

1311 US Route 302, Suite 100

Barre, VT

05641

When are the Vermont Lottery drawings held?

Powerball: 10:59 p.m. Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
Mega Millions: 11 p.m. Tuesday and Friday.
Gimme 5: 6:55 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Lucky for Life: 10:38 p.m. daily.
Pick 3 Day: 1:10 p.m. daily.
Pick 4 Day: 1:10 p.m. daily.
Pick 3 Evening: 6:55 p.m. daily.
Pick 4 Evening: 6:55 p.m. daily.
Megabucks: 7:59 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
Millionaire for Life: 11:15 p.m. daily

What is Vermont Lottery Second Chance?

This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Vermont editor. You can send feedback using this form.

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