REXFORD — There’s a logjam at the top of the leaderboard following the soggy opening round of the annual Northeastern Women’s Golf Association Championship Monday at The Edison Club.

All of the recent rain almost forced the cancellation of the first round, because Edison officials weren’t sure they could allow golf carts on the saturated course. But the 27-hole layout was spared another storm Sunday night, and the 54-player field went off as scheduled.

Although the scores were unus­ually high, a trio of familiar names rose to the top of the standings. Defending champion Sue Kahler of Ballston Spa Country Club and 2006 titlist Pat Mayne of Pinehaven Country Club each posted a seven-over-par 79, while four-time winner Leslie Arakelian of Pinehaven CC was a shot back with an 80 in the championship flight.

There were seven flights overall in the gross-only event.

As was the case in last week’s Capital District Women’s Open at Ballston Spa Country Club, most players felt the wet conditions led to the higher scores.

“It was a little soggy out there,” said Mayne. “I thought the speed of the greens was a little different on some of the holes, and I ended up missing some putts I thought I should have made. There also wasn’t a lot of roll out there, and the course played longer than usual.”

“It was very difficult out there today,” said NEWGA president Jeanine Goodale of the host club. “It was very wet, and the course played very long.”

“The course was definitely wet, but the greens rolled very well,” said Audrey VanAlstine of Pinehaven Country Club. “I’m just glad we got a chance to play today.”

Some players had difficulty with the speed variations on the greens, but that wasn’t the problem for Kahler, a two-time Gazette Women’s Amateur titlist and

10-time Ballston Spa Country Club women’s club champ.

“I really had no trouble with the greens. In fact, I don’t think I three-putted all day,” she said. “But I had two double bogeys. On one of them, the par-5 16th hole, I hit my tee shot in the left rough, and I ended up hitting one of my shots just in the hazard, just short of the green. The rough was pretty thick and wet out there.”

Kahler’s only birdie was a four-footer on the par-5 12th hole after an 8-iron approach shot.

“I think some of the up-and-downs I made on the back were the keys for me,” she said. “I got up and down for par from just left of the green on the 13th hole, and I got up and down again from just short of the green on the 14th hole.

“I didn’t feel any different being the defending champion today, because there are so many of the usual good players in this event,” she said. “I expect to play well [today]. I think the experience I had winning last year will help this year. I’m just glad it’s a two-day tournament.”

The highlight of Mayne’s day was a 30-footer on the seventh hole.

“It wasn’t a great day for me,” she said. “Even though it was wet and we didn’t get much roll, that really wasn’t the problem for me. I just never got the speed down on the greens. I know we all will play better if we don’t get any more rain.”

With Gail Brophy posting an 81, four players are within two shots of the lead in the championship flight.

Jennifer DiIorio’s 81 led Diana Ramos and Chan Lee by a shot in the first flight, while Heather Morrison of Burden Lake Country Club shot an 84 to lead Helen Lawson by four shots in the second flight.

The final round begins today with a 9 a.m. shotgun.

RESULTS

(Par 72)

Championship flight — Sue Kahler 79, Pat Mayne 79, Leslie Arakelian 80, Gail

Brophy 81, Pam Gabel 83, Ella Kellogg 84, Karen Feldman 85, Anne Jorgensen 93.

First flight — Jennifer DiIorio 81, Chan Lee 82, Diana Ramos 82, Linda Kolnick 87, Pam Farhart 90, Darcie Trapasso 95, Suzie Mansfield 96, Maxine Tucker 100.

Second flight — Heather Morrison 84, Helen Lawson 88, Anne Poulin 89, Mary Law-Powell 90, Cynthia Walkanowski 90, Patricia Healey 91, Ilene Gaffney 93, Sue Chambers 101.

Third flight — Sue Moses 89, Susan Johnson 89, Barbara Ashbee 96, Suzanne Ryan 97, Bonnie Taylor 99, Judy Mysliborski 100, Jeannine Mannix 103, Linda Hudson 105.

Fourth flight — Joan Taylor 89, Audrey VanAlstine 91, Liz Darling 91, Melody Irving 92, Mary Assey 94, Donna Heskett 100, Peggy Peck 103, Sharon Naftzger 107.

Fifth flight — Carol Aiello 90, Gloria

Dugan 95, Diana O’Hare 96, Betty Chiffolo 100, Mary Ann Keeler 102, Patricia Adamkoski 103, Mary Jane Ellis 108.

Sixth flight — Maie Ilves 94, Jari Whitehead 101, Joey Laiacona 102, Betty Cushing 103, Amy Upjohn 104, Jean Prockup 106, Rosebud DiGesare 107, Winnie Brown 112, Jeannine Goodale 113.