Laredo Energy to Sponsor Texas Easter Weekend Event

BRASELTON, Ga.Laredo Energy , a leader in natural gas development in South Texas, announced a partnership with the American Junior Golf Association as tournament title sponsor of the Laredo Energy Junior at Traditions, April 9-12, 2009, at The Traditions Club at Texas A&M University in Bryan, Texas.

The 54-hole stroke play event will feature a field of 132 junior golfers, boys and girls ages 12-18, from approximately 15 states. Texas A&M will host its second AJGA event in history on the Traditions Club course, a Jack Nicklaus and Jack Nicklaus II co-design.

“We are very pleased to welcome Laredo Energy as title sponsor of the Laredo Energy Junior at Traditions,” said Darren Nelson, south central regional director. “Their partnership will continue to elevate the Easter weekend event in Texas.”

Laredo Energy was formed in October 2001 by a partnership consisting of EnCap Investments, Glenn Hart, and certain members of the senior management of Michael Petroleum Corporation. A privately-held company, Laredo Energy is engaged in the acquisition and development of natural gas reserves in South Texas and has offices in Houston and Laredo, Texas.

“We are very excited about partnering with the AJGA to further promote the future of golf and provide these young men and women a chance to showcase their talents on a national level,” said Jerry F. Holditch, Laredo Energy’s vice president - geology.

Easter weekend events feature some of the strongest fields of the season, and the Texas events certainly have been no exception. Previous winners in the state have included Morgan Pressel (2004), Grace Park (1996), Landry Mahan (1994), Kellee Booth (1992, 1993) and Bob White (1985), Kellee Booth (1992, 1993).

A Junior-Am Fundraising event, the AJGA’s version of a PGA TOUR Pro-Am, will be held Thursday, April 9 at 8:30 a.m. and funds raised will be dedicated to a local junior golf organization. The first round will begin Friday, April 10, with the first tee-time at 8:10 a.m.

The American Junior Golf Association is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to the overall growth and development of young men and women who aspire to earn college golf scholarships through competitive junior golf. The AJGA, the largest Association of its kind, has an annual junior membership (boys and girls ages 12-18) of more than 5,000 junior golfers from 50 states and 30 foreign countries.

Titleist , the AJGA’s National Sponsor, has been the catalyst and driving force behind the Association’s success since 1989. Rolex Watch USA , which is in its third decade of support, became the inaugural AJGA Premier Partner in 2004. In 2007, after 12 years of support, Polo Ralph Lauren became the AJGA’s second Premier Partner.

AJGA alumni have risen to the top of amateur, collegiate and professional golf. More than 160 former AJGA juniors currently play on the PGA and LPGA Tours and have compiled more than 300 wins. AJGA alumni include Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Jim Furyk, Stewart Cink, Davis Love III, Cristie Kerr, Pat Hurst, Paula Creamer, Brittany Lincicome, Morgan Pressel and Julieta Granada.

For more information, please contact Roseanna Smith (rsmith@ajga.org ) in the AJGA Sponsorship Department at (678) 425-1741 or visit the AJGA Web site at ajga.org.