BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Memorial’s Cory Whitsett will have to work from behind if he wants to defend U.S. Junior Amateur championship.

Fifteen-year-old Jorge Fernandez Valdes of Cordoba, Argentina, made 10 birdies and finished with a 7-under par 65 Monday to hold the early first-day lead at the tournament, holding on a three-stroke lead over Seth Reeves, 17, of Duluth, Ga.

Whitsett, 16, and Pat Rodgers, 16, of Avon, Ind., each are four strokes behind at 3-under 69.

Half the 156-player field had afternoon starting times over the 7,251-yard layout, including last year’s runner-up Anthony Paolucci, 15, of Dallas and Michael McGowan, 17, of Southern Pines, N.C., a quarterfinalist in 2007.

A high school sophomore who weighs just 125 pounds, Fernandez Valdes is already the No.-4 ranked amateur golfer in Argentina.

Whitsett, who is looking to be the first back-to-back winner since Tiger Woods, was safely positioned to be one of the 64 who advance to match play after two rounds of stroke play. He had four birdies and went without faltering until he bogeyed his final hole of the day.

“In stroke play, you just want to gain momentum for getting into match play,” said the long-hitting left-hander who will be a junior at Memorial. “I’m in pretty good shape.”

Among other area athletes, Katy Taylor's Kevin Vanden Heuvel shot 1-over 73 and is in a 12-way tie for 24th place. Strake Jesuit's Nicko Dodd shot 5-over 77 and is tied for 85th with 14 others.

Following completion of play Monday, there will be another round of stroke play on Tuesday before the field is trimmed to the low 64 scorers who will advance to match play. Six rounds of match play are scheduled throughout the remainder of the week, with the 36-hole championship final set for Saturday.

The Junior Amateur is one of 13 national championships conducted by the U.S. Golf Association, 10 of which are strictly for amateurs.

— Information provided by the USGA website.

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