Marcus Manley takes 4-stroke lead after first round of APGA Tour Valley Forge tournament
The 37-year-old Kissimmee, Fla., resident had six birdies and no bogeys in firing a 6-under-par 65. In all, just two players broke par at Bluestone Country Club out of the 43-man field
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Marcus Manley fired a 6-under-par 65 to grab a 4-stroke lead after the first round of the $25,000 APGA Tour Valley Forge tournament at Bluestone Country Club in Blue Bell.
Manley, 37, of Kissimmee, Fla., carded six birdies – one on a 22-foot chip shot, the other five on putts of 10 feet or less – to grab the early advantage over the 6,455-yard, par-71 Bluestone layout.
Alec Martinez of Orland Park, Ill., was the only one of the 43 contestants to break par in the first round, shooting a 69 that included five birdies on the back nine.
Patrick Newcomb of Jacksonville, Fla., and Trey Valentine of Melbourne, Fla., tied for third at even-par 71.
Two local players, Louis Kelly of Sewell, Gloucester County, and amateur Zach Juhasz of Bethlehem were part of a seven-way tie at 73.
Amateur Matthew Vital of Bethlehem had a 79 and Jonathan Ortiz of Lansdale came in with an 83.
The final round will take place Wednesday. The tournament is the 12th of 14 events conducted by the Advocates Professional Golf Association, which strives to bring great diversity to the game by developing African-Americans and other minority groups for careers in golf.