Goetze Leads at PGA Junior

Vicki Goetze of Hull, Ga., opened her bid to win a record third PGA Junior Championship by firing a 1-under-par 71 for the first-round lead at PGA National Golf Club.

In the boys’ division, Chris Couch, 17, of North Lauderdale, Fla., posted a 4-under-par 68 for a two-stroke lead Tuesday.

Goetze, 17, had two birdies and one bogey.

Goetze, who won the tournament in 1987 and 1989, hit 15 greens in regulation but had 32 putts. She is playing in the tournament for the sixth consecutive year, also a record.

Couch, the youngest player to compete in a PGA Tour event when he qualified for the Honda Classic last March, had five birdies and a bogey.

Youngsters from Albuquerque, N.M., were second in both divisions. Kerry Zebick matched par-72 and was tied with Stephanie Neill of Charlotte, N.C., a stroke behind Goetze. Notah Begay shot a 70 and trailed Couch by two.

Bobby Collins of Atlantis, the boys’ champion last year, shot 74.