PATRICK KELLY LEADS DESPITE VISION PROBLEM IN JUNIOR ORANGE BOWL

NEWS RELEASE FROM THE JUNIOR ORANGE
BOWL GOLF CHAMPIONSHIPS
By DAVID MACKINTOSH 
CORAL GABLES, Florida: The 49^th edition of this prestigious tournament got off to a fast start today, England’s Patrick Kelly blistering around the famed Donald Ross-designed Biltmore golf course under sunny south Florida skies in 6-under par 65.
Kelly leads Trinidad’s Matthew Marquez and Californian Jonah Texiera by two strokes, three ahead of a group of six players on 68 which includes South Africa’s Haydn Porteous.
“Frankly I feel very lucky to be playing at all. I’ve had severe conjunctivitis for the past week, and today I could only see out of one eye,” the leader explained.
That one-eyed stare was good enough for a chip-in eagle 3 at the opening hole and two more birdies for a blemish-free outward nine of 31.
“I also had a nosebleed, which started on the third and troubled me most of the day, so getting the round in at all was pretty amazing.”
Kelly added two more birdies at the 12^th and 15^th and closed bogey-free.

“My putting was the secret. I holed everything from 8 feet and in. Lining up with just one eye was really strange, but somehow it worked.”
After the round Kelly (pictured) rushed off to see a doctor, with every hope he’ll be cured enough to continue.
“I almost quit after nine today. Now I simply can’t imagine not continuing,” the 18-year old from Boston, Lincolnshire said.
Much-fancied Porteous stayed well in the hunt, the young South African superstar in-the-making bouncing around with seven birdies and four bogeys. “I haven’t played well these past months,” he declared, “but I think my game is turning around this week.”
The girls' tournament ended the first round in a two way tie between Argentina’s Delfina Acosta and USA’s Megan Khang at 2-under par 69, results achieved in somewhat different ways.
“I did not play well last week at the Doral tournament but I was able to find the problem on the range here,” Acosta said. 
“Today I made a commitment to play one shot at a time, and when I missed greens (she missed seven) I did so on the side where I could save par. I also putted really well, which is always the secret to a low score.”
Khang took the outright lead with a birdie at the difficult water-guarded 17^th but gave the advantage back with an error at the closing hole. 
“I am either very happy or disappointed, I’m not sure which right now,” confessed the diminutive 15-year-old from Rockwell, Massachusetts. 
“I putted great but double-bogeyed 11 and dropped two more shots on the back nine. But to be in the lead after that, well, I guess I’m happy.”
Germany’s Franziska Fredrich claimed solo third with an ever-par 71, with three tied for 4^th at 72.

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