Danielle Greene leads Suffolk County girls golf championship by 6 shots
Ward Melville's Danielle Greene swings during the Suffolk individual golf championship held at Yaphank Country Club on Wednesday, May 21, 2014. Credit: Enrique C. Mendez
Danielle Greene set the bar high for herself before this season's county golf tournament.
After one day of play, she looks primed to clear it.
Greene shot a 5-over 76 at Middle Island Country Club Tuesday to finish the first day of the Suffolk County girls golf championships in first place. The tournament will conclude on Thursday.
"I had a goal to shoot for and I wanted to do better than last year," said Greene, who finished second in the county last season by one stroke after shooting a 157 over two rounds.
"I have to say my driver was really good and my hybrid was really good. My putting wasn't my best -- I was expecting the greens to be a little faster -- but other than that everything was good," added Greene, who shot 38 on the front nine on the Dogwood Course and 38 on the back nine at Spruce.
The Ward Melville golfer leads Smithtown East's Alexa Niven, who is in second place, by six strokes.
"She's very consistent, very even-keeled as far as her temperament goes," Ward Melville coach Rich Glasheen said of Greene. "She stays within her game, and manages her down holes. She has a good mental picture of how the game should be played."
Smithtown East leads the team championship, with a combined score of 425. Niven, Cassie Hall (83), and Peyton Greco (84) led the Bulls and are in second, third and fourth, respectively, in the individual tournament. Jenny Leady (87) and Natalia Schaefer (89) also helped Smithtown East.
Smithtown West (472), Commack (492) and Sayville (501) are the other teams that advanced to the next round.
Ward Melville's Lucy Lamb (83) is tied for third and Sayville's Megan O'Mara (84) is tied for fifth. Thirty players made the cut and advanced to Thursday's final round.
