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    Getting the golf ball out of the hole - not in the hole - was Emma Cabrera-Bello's biggest problem at Roanoke Country Club on Friday.

    In an incredible turn of events considering she could barely bend over because of lower-back pain, 18-year-old Cabrera-Bello fired a brilliant 5-under-par 66 to take a two-shot lead in the girls' 15-18 division of the Scott Robertson Memorial junior golf tournament.

    "Emma was sobbing on my shoulder at 7:30 this morning," tournament chairman John Clarke said. "She was in tears. She told me if she had been back in Spain she would not have played golf today."

    Cabrera-Bello, who attributed her sudden back woes to a grueling 19-hour flight connection from the Canary Islands to Roanoke on Wednesday, asked Clarke if she could use a pull cart to carry her bag. Her request was denied. Instead, she popped a couple of pain pills and gingerly trudged to the first tee.

    "I was hurting really badly," she said. "I didn't think I would make it around. But I talked to my mom on the phone and she said, 'Emma, forget it. Play 80 or something, go have fun on the course and just don't worry about your score.'"

    So what does the girl do? She goes out and drains almost every putt she looks at, including a 20-footer on the 18th to save par.

    "It was incredible ... I made four or five today just like that one," said Cabrera-Bello, who had six birdies and one bogey.

    After finishing her round by bending at the knees and retrieving her ball from the cup on No.18, Cabrera-Bello was soon smiling, giggling and engaged in a long cellphone conversation with her mother back home.

    "She said, 'Don't take any more pills, just keep your back bad if you're shooting 66,'" Cabrera-Bello said.

    Maryland native Stephanie Connelly, who missed the final-round cut last year after abysmal rounds of 78-83, stands second at 68.

    "Last year was tough, going home early," said Connelly, 16. "It definitely motivated me to do better this time. It would be pretty cool to go from missing the cut to winning, wouldn't it?"

    Marika Lendl, the daughter of former tennis superstar Ivan Lendl, is third at 69. At 14, Lendl was eligible to play in the 14-and-under girls' division.

    "I just like going against the tougher competition," said Lendl, whose famous father represented her gallery.

    In the boys' 15-18 division, 2002 champion Webb Simpson and Jon Curran share the top spot after 67s. Jared Texter, last year's runner-up, is among a fivesome one stroke back at 68.

    "Pretty good day ... I had seven birdies," said Simpson, who has finished in the top six in his past three Robertson starts. "That's about as bad as I could have shot with seven birdies. I made three bogeys, all kind of stupid ones where I was right by the green."

    Simpson, who is headed to Wake Forest on an Arnold Palmer Scholarship this fall, is juiced with confidence coming off his victory in the prestigious Azalea Invitational in Charleston, S.C., in late March.

    "I'm playing well," he said. "I'm very happy with 67. It gives me a good feel for how this is going to play out through the weekend."

    Curran, 17, who finished fourth last year, canned six birdies en route to a share of the top spot.

    "I've been consistent, a lot of top-10 finishes," Curran said. "I'm looking for that first big [victory]. Hopefully, this year is going to be good for me."

    Texter, who lost last year's rain-shortened event in a one-hole playoff to Chad Wilcox, also enjoyed six birdies.

    "I'm right where I want to be," said Texter, a native of Millersville, Pa.

    Peter Uihlein, 14, of North Dartmouth, Mass., posted a 67 to take the early lead in the strongest 14-and-under boys' field in Robertson history. Uihlein, who rattled off four of his five birdies from Nos.11-14, is looking for his third consecutive national title coming off wins in South Padre Island, Texas, and Orlando, Fla.

    "I felt real good about things," said Uihlein, who was second here last year. "This is a good tournament for the resume, a real good field. I'm thinking three-peat."

    Alex Marina of Wayne, N.J., shot a 72 to take a six-shot lead on Blacksburg's Courtney Ellenbogen in the girls' 14-and-under class.

    Notes