Ricard holds onto lead heading into final round of the Elbit Systems of America Junior Championship

Rossi fires 1-under-par to tie Cowan atop leaderboard in Girls Division at Hidden Creek Golf Course

FORT WORTH, Texas – Eric Ricard of Shreveport, La., recorded a 3-over-par 74 in Wednesday’s second round, maintaining a three-stroke lead in the Boys Division at the Elbit Systems of America Junior Championship at Hidden Creek Golf Course.  Alexandra Rossi of Austin, Texas, fired a 1-under-par 70 to tie first-round leader Ali Cowan of Victoria, Texas, at 7-over-par 149 for the tournament.

Conducted by the American Junior Golf Association, the Elbit Systems of America Junior Championship is a 54-hole stroke play event at Hidden Creek Golf Course in Fort Worth, Texas.  The tournament field consists of 108 boys and 36 girls, ages 12-18 from 14 states, Mexico, Brazil and Germany.  The Boys Division plays the par-71 course at 6,641 yards and the Girls Division plays at 6,003 yards.

Ricard followed up his record-tying first round at Hidden Creek Golf Course with a 3-over-par 74 Wednesday.  He said rain prior to the round and very little wind made the course more difficult.

“Today, (the course) played so much longer,” Ricard said.  “The ball wouldn’t roll anywhere and I wasn’t getting any distance on my drives.  It was almost like playing a different course.”

Alvaro Ortiz of Zapopan, Mexico, shot a 2-under-par 69 in the second round and sits three strokes back at 2-under-par 140.  Tied for third at 1-under-par 141 are Luke Neeley of Mansfield, Texas, and Travis Benson of Granbury, Texas.  Dillon Vaughn of Cleburne, Texas, Brik Brauburger of Bella Vista, Ark., and Carlos Pena of Mission, Texas, are tied for fifth at even-par 142.

In the Girls Division, Rossi leapfrogged ten positions, going from tied for tenth to a tie for first.  Rossi, who sank a 20-footer for par on No. 4, credited her solid putting for her move to the top of the leaderboard.

“I was making absolutely everything,” Rossi said.  “If I didn’t, it was within couple inches, so I didn’t have any stress pars.”

Cowan said she thought nerves contributed to her 5-over-par round of 76.

“It was a little rough, let’s put it that way,” Cowan said.  “I was in the trees and the mud and the creeks, you know, enjoying the scenery.”

In third place, Michelle Chen of Plano, Texas, sits one-stroke behind the leaders at 8-over-par 150. 

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 provides valuable exposure for college golf scholarships, and has an annual junior membership (boys and girls ages 12-18) of approximately 5,000 junior golfers from 49 states and more than 40 countries. To ensure scholarship opportunities for all junior golfers who have the skill, the AJGA created the Achieving Competitive Excellence (ACE) Grant program to provide financial assistance to young players in need.

Titleist, the AJGA's National Sponsor, has been the catalyst and driving force behind the Association's success since 1989. Rolex, which is in its third decade of AJGA 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. Former AJGA juniors have compiled more than 500 victories on the PGA and LPGA Tours. AJGA alumni include Stewart Cink, Matt Kuchar, Hunter Mahan, Phil Mickelson, Tiger Woods, Paula Creamer, Cristie Kerr, Inbee Park and Morgan Pressel.

The final round of the Elbit Systems of America Junior Championship will tee off Nos. 1 and 10 tees at 7 a.m. Thursday.  For more information, please contact Tournament Director Annie Giangrosso at (678) 571-7994.

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