LYONS ROARS TO TITLE AT JUNIOR ALL-STAR AT GRAND NATIONAL
Talley cards 4-under-par 68 to take Girls Division
OPELIKA, Ala. — Landon Lyons of Baton Rouge, La., came from three strokes behind to win by four shots after a 4-under-par 68 in Thursday's final round at the Junior All-Star at Grand National. In the Girls Division, Emma Talley of Princeton, Ky., also carded a 4-under-par 68 en route to her championship.
Conducted by the American Junior Golf Association, Junior All-Star at Grand National was a 54-hole stroke play event held at the Grand National Golf Course — Lake Course. The 97-player field featured players from 25 states and Canada. The course was played at 6,759 yards for the Boys Division and 5,792 yards for the Girls Division.
Lyons, who shot two 71s in the first two rounds, was able to save his best round for last. It was a result that he said he expected of himself.
“I knew I was playing good all week,” he said. “I just needed to go out today and not make the mistakes I made the first two days. Today, I made a lot of great putts. This year has been tough. I haven't played very well. To get this win; it just feels good.”
Tyler Smith of Brentwood, Tenn., finished second with a 70-71-73 — 214 tournament total. Kyohei Itamura of Rancho Palos Verdes, Calif., took third place with an even-par tournament total of 216. Peyton Vitter of New Orleans, Chris Contreras of San Antonio, Drew Lankford of Charlotte, N.C., Justin Cho of Norcross, Ga., and Kevin Jorden of Juno Beach, Fla., all tied for fourth place after carding tournament totals of 218.
In the Girls Division, Talley was very pleased with her performance throughout the week and her four birdies on the front nine to put her in position to win down the stretch.
“All year, I've gotten second or third in the tournaments I played, she said. “Finally, I got it. The front nine helped a lot and it really allowed me to have a great round.”
Marissa Chow of Honolulu and Kendall Martindale of Jefferson City, Tenn., tied for second place with tournament totals of 222.
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 approximately 5,000 junior golfers from 49 states and 25 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 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. 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 about the Junior All-Star at Grand National, please contact AJGA Headquarters at (770) 868-4200.
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