NEWS

Brett Melton shoots 6-under 66, leads Event No. 5 of PGA Tournament Series

By Craig Dolch
Published on
Brett Melton shoots 6-under 66, leads Event No. 5 of PGA Tournament Series

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. – Brett Melton’s scorecard got busy early Monday, then turned boring.

Melton made only one par on the front nine, but he had five birdies, an eagle and two bogeys to turn the Dye Course at 5-under 31 at PGA Golf Club.

After a birdie at the 10th, Melton closed with eight consecutive pars to shoot 6-under 66 and take a one-shot lead in Event No. 5 of the PGA Tournament Series.

“It was tough to make putts, but I chipped in for eagle (at No. 5) from about 35 feet,” said Melton, the Director of Golf at Country Club of Old Vincennes in Indiana. “Most of my missed greens were manageable.”

RELATED: PGA Tournament Series Event No. 5 Leaderboard

Melton leads by a shot over Bob Sowards of Dublin, Ohio and Rob Labritz of Pound Ridge, N.Y. Labritz made three birdies in a row early in his round and was bogey free.

“I wanted to birdie them all,” Labritz said, laughing. “I struck the ball really solid. I was in control of my swing."

Sowards, the four-time PGA Professional Player of the Year, said he was anxious to return after losing a first-round lead Friday in Event No. 4. He started hot, with birdies on three of his first five holes.

“I had the exact opposite round as of Friday, when I hit the ball well and couldn’t make a putt,” Sowards said. “Today, I didn’t hit it that well (11 greens), but I made everything I looked at.

“I worked at the (PGA) Learning Center over the weekend on releasing the putter. Sometimes I grip the putter too tight with my left hand.”

Kyle Baehler of Greenwich, Ct., is alone in fourth after a 68. Rod Perry, the leading money winner on the PGA Tournament Series at $12,550, and Colin Corrigan are tied for fifth at 69.

The PGA Tournament Series is presented by Golf Advisor.