Congressional Country Club tested the top junior golfers early and often during the first round of the 48th Junior PGA Championships, with just 27 golfers—13 girls and 14 boys—finishing under par.
A rare cool summer day in Washington, DC saw the opening round of the 2024 Junior PGA Championship get started on Tuesday, and Utah’s representation of five juniors took a shot in the arm when St. George’s Brock Porter nabbed a tie for first in the Boys Division after a sizzling 2-under 70 on the more recognizable Blue Course. The Gold Course is the other course used this week.
“The course is tough and the wind makes it really hard. I played well,” Porter said. “I think the key was I did all the main things well. I drove the ball well, hit my irons pretty nicely, and I putted well on the greens.”
Lincoln Markham shot a 4-over 76 today to stand in a tie for 69th place. The current UGA Utah Junior State Amateur champ enjoys the way the course plays, and will certainly be looking for a turnaround for round 2 to get back in the fight, as the top 60 and ties from each division makes Wednesday night’s cut after round 2.
“This is definitely one of the nicest golf courses I’ve ever played,” Markham said this week. “Really it’s in such good shape and it’s special out here. Definitely in the future I want to watch the pros play out here. It’s a fun course.”
Toa Ofahengaue from Lehi shot a 6-over 78 in his opening round on Tuesday. He stands in a tie for 87th place at the moment entering round 2. Toa would figure to need an under par round to make a move up the board into the cut line in the low 60 and ties. Toa made the Wednesday cut last year and said he’s learned to give full focus and commitment to execution in each shot more recently as he seeks to continually improve.
In the Girls Division Navy Hubbs is out here representing the Salem area and Emma Lillywhite is out representing Orem. Both girls struggled on Day 1 with the lightning fast greens at Congressional and Hubbs posted a 9-over 80 on the Gold Course and Lillywhite finished with a 10-over 81. The girls will play the Blue Course for round two, as the boys head to the Gold.
The 48th Junior PGA Championships continue Wednesday at Congressional Country Club. To follow online scoring, click here.
Opening round recap of the Junior PGA Championship written by Fairways Media freelance writer Garrett Johnston. Johnston is a golf podcaster/writer who hosts the Beyond the Clubhouse Podcast w/Tour pros, caddies and broadcasters. He lives in Washington, DC and you can follow him on Instagram @garrettjohnstongolf. Photos courtesy of Fairways Media.