First day belongs to Fordham at Junior Open

ALBANY — It’s one of those feelings. Just feels right, feels like the perfect fit. It’s just tough to explain.

“You know, like it’s a comfortable fit,” said John Fordham, looking for the right words. “But you know it when it feels like that.”

Fordham had that feeling Monday on the course at the Stonebridge Country Club, where he shot a 3-under 69 to take the first-day lead in the Albany Junior Open.

Fordham won the two-day event last year when he fired a 69 on the final day, and admittedly feels good about his chances this year.

“When I’m out there (on this course) it just feels comfortable playing here,” he said. “It just feels like it’s going to happen. The fairways are pretty wide, and I feel like I can read the greens real well.”

He read them pretty well on Monday, sinking birdie putts on five holes, and nailing a 15-foot putt on No. 16 to save par, before finishing with birdies on 17 and 18.

“I missed four birdie putts from within 10 feet,” Fordham said. “If a few more putts would have gone in I would have really had a good day.”

It was good enough to lead Ty Howze, who shot a 71, and a threesome of Darton recruits who played together on Monday. The Darton gang consisted of Spencer Ferrell, who was a star at Byne and The Herald’s Co-Player of the Year in golf this spring, Shad Tuten and Matt Johns.

Ferrell and Tuten both shot 74, while Johns came on strong with a big 12-foot putt on 18 to finish at 73.

He is hoping the putt on 18 will carry some momentum into today’s final round.

“Hopefully, it will carry over,” said Johns, a recent graduate from Irwin County High. “My putting was good today, but I was just barely missing them on the lip. Finally I hit that putt on 18, so I felt pretty good about (the day overall).”

Fordham, who is from Colquitt County, is going to Valdosta State on a golf scholarship, and he can add to it if he wins today. The top three golfers earn scholarship money. This is the eighth annual event for junior golfers at Stonebridge, where there’s even a division for 8-and-under golfers — they play four holes. Tyler Jenkins shot a 20 on Monday to lead Holland Collett (26) and Josie Bekkers (27). Flint Bekkers led the 9-11 division with a 51 for nine holes.

The main tournament is for 16-to-18-year-olds, and the girls field is as completive as any. Brooke Spinks from Tifton shot a 74 to take the first day lead. Leesburg’s Christian Liggin, who was The Herald’s Girls Player of the Year in golf this spring, is in second with a 76.