Daniel Azallion is the leader by three shots after the first round of the SCJGA Junior. (File Photo)

There is no defending champion in the field at the South Carolina Golf Association Junior championship. Trent Phillips from Boiling Springs who won the last two juniors has aged out of the competition so the field is wide open for a new champion.

Six birdies and an eagle with only one bogey put Daniel Azallion in the lead after the first round of the 2018 Championship. The Hilton Head golfer carded a 7-under par 65 to hold a three shot lead over the field.

“I putted well and hit a lot of greens,” said the leader. “I tried to stay aggressive the whole round and it worked out,” he said.

Azallion, in the class of 2019, is ranked 14th in the current Heritage Classic Foundation rankings. He was the Harvey Brock Orange Jacket champion last September at Pickens Country Club for his best junior performance.

Trey Crenshaw from Lancaster is alone in second place after shooting a 4-under par 68. Manning Sloop and Zach Reuland from Rock Hill and Carlos Garre from Myrtle Beach all posted 3-under par 69s to be tied for third place.

150 juniors are in the field for the 60th annual championship being played this year at the Dataw Island Club’s Cotton Dike course.

Complete first round scores are available at www.https://scjga.bluegolf.com/bluegolf/scjga18/event/scjga187/contest/9/leaderboard.htm