Meade Takes first-round lead at Natural Resource Partners Bluegrass Junior
Maddie Hamilton leads the Girls Division by four strokes at Bellefonte Country Club

ASHLAND, Ky. — It was an all-Kentucky affair during the first round of the Natural Resource Partners Bluegrass Junior as Ashland-product Jeffrey Meade shot 4-under-par to take a three-shot lead in the Boys Division while Maddie Hamilton of Louisville, Ky., fired an even-par 70 to lead the Girls Division by four strokes.

Conducted by the American Junior Golf Association, the Natural Resource Partners Bluegrass Junior is a 54-hole stroke play competition played on the par-70, Bellefonte Country Club course. The event features 108 boys and 36 girls, ages 12-18, from 24 states and two countries. The Boys Division played the course at 6,014 yards while the Girls Division played the course at 5,618 yards.

Meade had a rocky start at his hometown tournament, making a bogey on the par-5 first hole. However, he quickly bounced back with three birdies on the next three holes.

“I three-putted the first hole for bogey and it was a par-5, so that really didn't get my confidence up,” Meade said. “I just decided to forget about it … and then went on to knock one stiff on two for birdie, made that one, and made two more birdies after that and that pretty much just kept me going for the rest of the day.”

Meade also earned birdies on Nos. 11, 12, and 17 to finish at 4-under-par, his best score at Bellefonte. Tied at second and three shots behind Meade sit Sam Buse of Cincinnati, Ohio, and Chandler Morgan of Lexington, Ky., at 1-under-par 69. Matthew Mahle of Lexington, Ky., and Daniel Haas of Nicholasville, Ky., round out the top five in the Boys Division, shooting even-par 70 and tying for fourth place.

In the Girls Division, Hamilton took a four-stroke lead after Wednesday's first round. She started off the day with bogeys on three of her first five holes, but thanks to strong putting, she played the final 13 holes at 2-under-par to finish with an even-par 70.

“I hit the ball well and I made some of my putts which really helped," said Hamilton. "I hit a lot of greens and I just played like I know how to play.”

Tied for second in the Girls Division are Molly Skapik from Miamisburg, Ohio, and Jacqueline Faldetta from New York City. The pair both carded a 4-over-par 74 during the opening round.

About the AJGA

The American Junior Golf Association is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to the overall growth and development of young men and women who aspire to earn college golf scholarships through competitive junior golf. The AJGA provides valuable exposure for college golf scholarships, and has an annual junior membership (boys and girls ages 12-18) of approximately 5,500 junior golfers from 49 states and more than 40 countries. To ensure scholarship opportunities for all junior golfers who have the skill, the AJGA created the Achieving Competitive Excellence (ACE) Grant program to provide financial assistance to young players in need.

Titleist, the AJGA's National Sponsor, has been the catalyst and driving force behind the Association's success since 1989. Rolex, which is in its third decade of AJGA support, became the inaugural AJGA Premier Partner in 2004. In 2007, after 12 years of support, Ralph Lauren became the AJGA's second Premier Partner.

AJGA alumni have risen to the top of amateur, collegiate and professional golf. Former AJGA juniors have compiled more than 500 victories on the PGA and LPGA Tours. AJGA alumni include Stewart Cink, Matt Kuchar, Hunter Mahan, Phil Mickelson, Tiger Woods, Paula Creamer, Cristie Kerr, Inbee Park and Morgan Pressel.

Second-round tee times will run 7:30 - 9:09 a.m. (1st wave) and 11:45 a.m. - 1:24 p.m. (2nd wave) off the Nos. 1 and 10 tees at Bellefonte Country Club. For more information about the Natural Resource Partners Bluegrass Junior, please contact Tournament Headquarters at (606) 326-1744.

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