When a golfer makes four birdies before he hits his first fairway, he knows it's going to be a good day.

Such was the case with Andrew Arnold on Wednesday.

The 16-year-old Hempfield junior won the fourth Lancaster County Junior Golf Tour event this summer at the Host Resort.

He birdied four of his first seven holes en route to shooting a 4-under-par 67 to win by two shots over Lancaster Mennonite senior David Denlinger.

There were six fairways on the first seven holes at the Host (No. 4 is a par 3), and Arnold missed them all.

Nevertheless, four resulted in birdies.

"It was good, (but) if I would have started to hit fairways ..." Arnold said, allowing himself to dream.

"But I was hitting greens, I was making putts, so it's like ..."

Arnold wouldn't allow himself to complain. As it was, his 67 was a personal career low — by four shots.

It was also his first win on the LCJGT, and unofficially it enabled him to move into second place on the tour's points list.

"I feel great," Arnold said. "I did what I wanted to do. I wanted to win a tournament (this summer)."

Arnold was never pushed after his hot start. Denlinger had to birdie his last two holes to shoot 2-under 69. But that was still his best score this summer.

Matthew Burkhart, a senior at Lancaster Mennonite and a teammate of Denlinger's, finished third at even-par 71.

L-S senior Josh Burg was fourth with a 1-over 72.

L-S junior Dan McCrudden, who had won the previous two LCJGT events, shot 80 and was far off the pace.

Despite the fact that he missed fairways — he hit only three all day — it was not hard to see why Arnold played so well.

He needed only 28 putts and didn't three-putt.

He hit 13 greens in regulation, coming out of the rough to do so 10 times.

And although he missed fairways, only once was he in tree trouble. So his misses off the tee weren't horrible.

He shrugged off the fairway problem.

"The key stats for golf," he said, "are greens and putts."

Arnold gave credit to Zak Drescher for his improved play.

Drescher, a sophomore at Campbell University and the current Lancaster Amateur and Lancaster Open champion, has been a regular practice partner and has suggested improvements in Arnold's practice regimen.

For instance, following Drescher's advice, Arnold now works much more on his short game than he does beating balls on the driving range.

He said of a typical six-hour practice day, at least four hours, and often more, are spent working on his short game, from 100 yards and in.

Arnold, who has a 3 handicap at Lancaster Country Club, played in the Pennsylvania Juniors on Monday and Tuesday at Hershey Country Club's East Course. He didn't do well, shooting 86-76 to finish in a tie for 70th place.

But the improvement from Monday to Tuesday had him feeling that Wednesday might be a good day.

And when he birdied Nos. 1 and 2 from the rough, his good feeling was reinforced.

"That got me started," he said.

He then birdied the par-5 fifth hole before driving into the trees on No. 6. He punched out to a greenside bunker, didn't hit a good bunker shot, but drained a 35-footer for par.

On No. 7, after another drive into the rough, he drained a 30-footer for birdie.

He made one bogey and one birdie from there, missing 5-foot birdie putts on both Nos. 10 and 11.

"It could have been better," Arnold said.

Arnold's previous low round was a 71, which he shot at Four Seasons in a friendly match with Drescher.

Well, maybe it wasn't so friendly.

"I beat him, too," Arnold said proudly. "He was (ticked)."

Arnold took some others down Wednesday.

NOTES: Arnold made the cut in the Lancaster Amateur two weeks ago. He shot 79-84—163 at Bent Creek and finished 53rd. ... Arnold appears almost a cinch to make the Lancaster team for the Junior War of the Roses against York in August. ... Burkhart finished tied for seventh at the State Juniors, shooting 69-78. ... The next LCJGT event is Monday at Tanglewood.