Good start for Green at Jr. PGA championship

Photo by Cheryl Wertman – Here Melanie Green lines up a putt during her recent state high school championship victory.

Medina’s Melanie Green got off to a solid start today at the 44th annual Girls Junior PGA championships being held at the Keney Park Golf Course at Hartford, Connecticut.

Green, who is a making a return trip to the national championship,  shot an even par round of 70 and is five shots off the pace.

Playing on the back nine to open the tourney, Green shot a two over 37 over those nine holes bogeying the 12th and 15th holes.

However, she bounced back strongly on the front nine registering birdies on the 1st, 2nd and 4th holes to go one under. She did bogey the 7th hole to finish the front nine with a two under 33 and even par on the day.

The 144 player field  is crowded at the top as three players are tied for first place at five under followed by one at four under, five at three under, five at two under, 12 at one under and 13 at even par.

Everyone will play another 18 holes on Wednesday after which the field will be cut to the top 70 plus ties for the final 36 holes to be played Thursday and Friday.

Green, who successfully defended her Section VI and state high school championships this spring, qualified for the national championship by winning the Western New York Junior PGA title for the second year in a row.