By Glen Miller/Sports Editor

Hot temperatures and gusting winds greeted some of the state’s best young golfers Tuesday to the opening day of the 2006 Lloyd Moody Junior Golf Classic at Crimson Creek Golf Club.

While the breeze kept most of the scores higher than normal, El Reno High School golfers Leilani Gradle and Madison Haley were able to pick up qualifying points toward the summer-ending championship tourney on the PGA Junior South Central Section Tour.

Golfers need to earn 25 points during various tour stops in order to qualify for the championship event — to be held in early August at Battle Creek Golf Club in Broken Arrow. Haley placed second in the girls 16- to 18-year-old division with a round of 81 to earn four points.

Gradle struggled early with her short game, but gained ground later in the round to post an 82 and finish third in the same division — earning her three qualifying points.

Mustang’s Cara Horn took fourth in the division with an 83, while Amanda Arrington’s 78 was the low score on the day for the girls.

El Reno had three boys in the field, with sophomore Jeremy Foreman posting a 95 in the 14- to 15-year-old division. Freshman Cameron Ross posted an 89 in the same division, which was won by Jerret Poteet with a round of 79.

There were only four rounds in the 70s for the boys, with Hunter Wade having the lowest score for the boys with a 78 to win the 12- to 13-year-old division.

The tournament, which drew over 50 golfers for the first day, was set to conclude today.