Green competing at Epson’s lone N.Y. tourney
Photos by Cheryl Wertman – Melanie Green tees off on the first hole this morning to open the Epson Tour’s Casella Golf Championship at Pinehaven Country Club in Guilderland, N.Y.
The Epson Pro Golf Tour is making its only stop in New York State this weekend and Medina’s Melanie Green got off to what she describes as a “slow start” for today’s opening round of the Casella Golf Championship being held at the Pinehaven Country Club in Guilderland (near Albany).
Green fired a one over par round of 72 to open the tourney on the very hilly course and was five back of the leader (at 4 under) at the end of the morning session.
She rebounded from a bogey on the third hole to pull even with her only birdie of the day on No. 9.
However, Green was unable to offset a bogey on No. 11 as she just missed registering a birdie on three other holes as the putt either rimmed out or came up just sort. That bogie came after she found a sand trap for the only time on the round.
“I had some rims today but it happens to everybody,” said Green “I stayed close though and that is the big thing. You can’t win a tournament on the first day but you sure can lose it. I just have to make make some putts tomorrow.”
Green hits out of the only sand trap she found on the round.
Green was pretty satisfied with her irons and driver play as she made 17 of 18 fairways. “The fairways on this course are narrow so you have to be accurate, she added.”
Green is scheduled to tee off for the second round on Saturday at 1:14 p.m. on the 10th hole.
The field will be cut after Saturday’s round and the tourney will conclude on Sunday.
A note to anyone planning on attending the Saturday or Sunday rounds to be ready to do plenty of climbing as this is a very hilly course especially on the back 9.
Green and her caddie and best friend Leonor Medeiros keep an eye on her fairway shot.
The course is lined with large pine trees one of which frames this photo of Green.
Green makes a putt to register a par on the 16th hole.
