For Immediate Release: August 18, 2009
Headline: Connecticut Holds Two-Stroke Lead Following Day 1 of 2009 New England Junior Championship
Wells, ME – The team from Connecticut is doing its best to capture its fourth straight New England Junior Championship title as its seven-person squad jumped out to a two-stroke lead following the first of two days of play at Old Marsh Country Club in Wells, Maine.
Connecticut earned a total of 776 points, while New Hampshire is well within striking distance with 778 points. Maine and Massachusetts stand in third and fourth place with 787 and 789 points, respectively. If Team Connecticut is successful this week, they will have won six titles in the last seven years.
On this day, Alex DiClemente (Timberlin CC) was the team's top scorer as he posted a two-round total of 13-over par 153 which included an afternoon low score of 2-over par 72. The top five scorers from Connecticut finished in the top 16 overall which was one of the key reasons why the team was able to finish just ahead of a strong New Hampshire squad.
The top individual scorers on day one were Seth Sweet (Lakewood GC) from Maine and Christopher Melvin (Walpole) of Massachusetts who both carded two-round totals of 11-over par 151. Sweet registered rounds of 2-over par 72 and 9-over par 79, while Melvin's top performance was fueled by a day-low score of 1-over par 71 during the morning hours.
The entire field will take part in a final round of 18 holes at stroke play on Wednesday at Old Marsh Country Club.
Here are the current team standings following Day 1:
1) Connecticut 393-383--776
2) New Hampshire 388-390--778
3) Maine 398-389-787
4) Massachusetts 391-398--789
5) Vermont 393-399--792
6) Rhode Island 399-406--805
