Caleb Manuel of Topsham fired a 2-under-par 70 on Tuesday to take the first-round lead at the American Junior Golf Association’s Coca-Cola Junior Championship at the Sugarloaf Golf Club.
Manuel, a rising junior at Mount Ararat High, used birdies at holes 12, 15 and 16 to offset a bogey at 10 to secure a one-stroke lead over two Lone Star State golfers, Stephen Campbell Jr. of Richmond, Texas, and Blake Benson of Austin, Texas, each at 1-under 71.
William Forgues of Boischatel, Quebec, was next at even-par 72, with Anthony Burnham of Scarborough among a four-way tie for fifth at 1-over 73.
Defending champion Cole Anderson of Camden finished his opening round at 3-over 75. The rising senior at Camden Hills Regional High School in Rockport was 2-under par through the front nine but shot a 5-over 41 on the back nine, including a triple-bogey seven on the 370-yard, par-4 14th hole.
Haley Yerxa of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, leads the girls’ field at 3-under-par 69, one stroke ahead of Kristie Tran of San Jose, California.
The 54-hole tournament continues Wednesday and Thursday, with the boys and girls fields cut to a minimum of 50 percent of each field after Wednesday’s play.
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