BUSE, SARGENT, WELDEN SHARE MEDALIST AT AJGA NATIONAL QUALIFIER
Millsap takes Girls Division at Chateau Elan

BRASELTON, Ga. — Matt Buse of Loveland, Ohio, Chase Sargent of Orlando, Fla., and John Welden of Pilot Mountain, N.C. shared the medalist position at the AJGA National Qualifier Monday at Chateau Elan, all with two-day scores of 2-under-par 140. Haley Millsap of Pace, Fla., was the Girls Division medalist with a two-day total of 3-over-par 145.

Conducted by the American Junior Golf Association, the AJGA National Qualifier was a 36-hole stroke play event featuring a 72-player field. The event was staged on the Chateau Course at Chateau Elan with the Boys yardage at 6,779 and the Girls at 5,986 yards.

Sargent came from three strokes back after the first round to earn a share of the medalist honors. He recorded a tournament-low, 3-under-par 68 Monday, making a birdie on the last hole to seal a share of the lead.

“I knew I was three shots back starting the day and I figured the leaders were going to be around par at the end of the round,” Sargent said. “I sank three birdies in the last five holes and knew that I had to in order to have a shot. I'm glad it worked out.”

Buse finished the first round in a tie for the lead at 2-under-par 69. He finished Monday's round at even-par with a chip-in birdie on the 18th green.

Welden started play on Monday two shots back in third place at even-par 71. Welden carded five birdies and three bogeys to finish at 2-under-par 69 on the day and 2-under-par for the tournament.

Stefan Brewer of Charlotte, N.C., took fourth place at even-par 142 and Daniel Brown of Memphis Tenn., and Blake Olson of Pensacola, Fla., tied for fifth place at 1-over-par 143.

Millsap was in a four-way tie for the lead after the first day of competition at 1-over-par 72 and it was Monday's consistent play that kept her name atop the leaderboard. She finished the last round with a 2-over-par 73, one stroke ahead of the field for the tournament.

“It was basically the short game that saved me the whole weekend,” Millsap said. “I wasn't hitting my irons very well, but my short game was good enough all weekend to help me win.”

Brittany Mai of Poway, Calif., finished with a two-day total of 146 for second place in the Girls Division. Tied for third place were Lauren Stratton of Spring Hill, Tenn., and Courtney McKim of Raleigh N.C. 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 largest Association of its kind, the AJGA has an annual junior membership (boys and girls ages 12-18) of more than 5,000 junior golfers from 49 states and more than 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 AJGA National Qualifier, please contact AJGA National Headquarters at (770) 868-4200.