BARDSTOWN, KY (June 24, 2021) - It was a picture perfect day at Bardstown Country Club for the first round of the Kentucky Girls Junior Amateur. Some of the top junior girls in the state, plus nine-hole and six-hole boys have made their way to Bardstown to compete for this prestigious championship with many other accolades and incentives on the line.

Richmond’s Claira Beth Ramsey cruised smoothly to an opening round of 72 (E) which gives her the first round lead. She took advantage of the par-fives as she made her birdies on the 3rd and 10th holes. Ramsey’s highlight of the day was on the par-four 9th where she hit her tee shot left into the penalty area and then stuffed it from 135 yards to about six feet to save par to keep her momentum.  Following Ramsey closely are Madison Borders and Macie Brown. Borders used home-course knowledge to her advantage and dropped in an eagle on the par-five 5th hole on her way to firing a round of 73 (+1). She striped one from 210 yards out to about 20 feet hole high and knocked in a subtle right to left breaking putt. Brown made two birdies on the day including one on the finishing par-five 18th hole to finish at 73 (+1) as well. Her clutch birdie allowed her to be put in the final group with Ramsey and Borders for tomorrow’s final round. Cathryn Brown made three birdies to sit two back of the lead with a 74 (+2). Mary Browder and Elizabeth Eberle are next on the leaderboard, sitting in a tie for fifth after rounds of 75 (+3).

Alexa Salamah leads the Girls 14 & Under Division after firing 80 (+8). Following her in second place after shooting 84 (+12) is Anna Simpson. 

Conner Ford leads the Boys 11-12 Division where he fired the only under-par round in the division with a 35 (-1). Ford dropped in two birdies and tagged on just one bogey. Andrew Perry trails him by one.

CeCelia Ray and Caroline Lankford will duke it out tomorrow for the Girls 10-12 title. Ray holds a two-shot advantage after shooting 39 (+3) which included a birdie on the par-five 6th. Lankford was steady as well and shot 41 (+5).

In the Boys 10 & Under Division, Adrian Bewley put together a stellar nine holes where he made one birdie and eight pars which totaled to 35 (-1). He is the only player in the field to be bogey-free after the first round. Rowdy Harris will be Bewley’s primary chaser tomorrow as he sits just one shot back after making birdie on his last hole to shoot 36 (E). Drayden Lindsey is in solo third after bouncing back from an opening double bogey with two birdies en route to 37 (+1).

In the Boys 8 & Under Division, Matthew White takes a commanding four-shot lead into the final round after shooting 24 (-1). White cashed an eagle on the par-five 5th and followed it up with a birdie on the par-four 4th. Sitting in solo seconnd is Max DeHaven who birdied his last hole to end up with 28 (+3). 

Emlie Miller holds a four-shot lead over her sister Kylie in the Girls 9 & Under Division after shooting 32 (+7). Kylie shot 36 (+11) to put herself in solo second while Charlie Hix is next in third after a 37 (+11).

NOTES AND STATS

• The par-five 3rd hole was victim to two eagles today. Madison Borders and Matthew White made the big birds there.
• Players opened up their rounds to the teeth of the golf course as the par-four 1st played as the most difficult hole averaging above one shot over par.
• The par-five 18th was the easiest hole and the only hole where players averaged below par. It played 0.20 shots under par.
• Knox Taylor made an eagle on the par-four 2nd hole.
• Both nines played nearly identically in terms of scoring average. The average was as small as it possibly gets at 0.01, with the front being ever so slightly easier today. The combined scoring average across all divisions was 82.55

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Kentucky Junior Golf will continue have full coverage of the championship on its Facebook, Instagram and Twitter pages. Additionally, the final hole of the final group in the Girls 15-18 Division will be live-streamed on Facebook, as will any playoff holes necessary in determining the champion of that division.