Scoring [icon name="external-link" class="" unprefixed_class=""] | Scoring (Ages 9 and under) [icon name="external-link" class="" unprefixed_class=""]
FREDERICKSBURG — Hardy’s Slade Aliff (Ashley Plantation) posted a 2-under-par 70 at Fredericksburg Country Club on Tuesday to take the lead in the boys 12-13 division of the 11th VSGA Youth Championship.
In the girls 12-13 division, Julie Shin (VSGA Junior Golf Circuit) is the runaway leader after shooting a 4-under 68 on Tuesday. Fredericksburg was playing at 5,596 yards for the boys in the first round. For the girls, it was playing at 4,648 yards. The second and final round will be contested Wednesday.
Aliff, who will turn 13 next week, was one of three competitors in his age group to post an under-par round. After opening with seven straight pars, he turned at even par after making a birdie on the par-3 8th and a bogey on the par-4 9th. He birdied the par-4 10th and 15th holes on the back to finish at 2 under for the day.
He’ll enter the second round a shot clear of Richmond’s Garrett Kuhla (Willow Oaks CC), who made the cut two weeks ago at the VSGA Junior Stroke Play Championship, and Bryan Lee (VSGA Junior Golf Circuit).
Kuhla got off to a strong start Tuesday, making back-to-back birdies at Nos. 3 and 4. He fell back to even after bogeys at 7 and 11, but a birdie on the par-5 13th moved him back to 1 under and he parred out to finish at 71. Lee was 2 over through seven holes, but his fortunes turned with a birdie on No. 8. He added birdies on 12 and 13 to finish at 1-under 71.
Cole Pollard (Hermitage CC) shot an even par 72 and is in fourth. Jonathan McEwen (VSGA Junior Golf Circuit) returned a 2-over 74 and is alone in fifth.
Shin shot the round of the day in the girls 12-13 division. She birdied four of her first six holes and played the rest of her round at even par. She’s nine shots clear of Isabel Bae (VSGA Junior Golf Circuit).
In the boys 10-11 division, Benjamin Kablach (VSGA Junior Golf Circuit) shot a 1-over 73 and holds a one-shot edge over Talon Dingledine (VSGA Junior Golf Circuit) heading into the second round. Andrew Messalle (Army Navy CC) returned a 4-over 76 and is in third.
Grant McCall (VSGA Junior Golf Circuit) leads the boys 9-and-under division by one stroke over Charles Lange (Willow Oaks CC) after shooting a 2-over 38 in Tuesday’s nine-hole round.