PHELAN GRABS HOLD OF LEAD AT MIZUNO JUNIOR AT INNISBROOK
Kiser remains atop Girls Division leaderboard at Innisbrook Resort & Golf Club

PALM HARBOR, Fla. — Kevin Phelan of St. Augustine, Fla., took hold of the Boys Division lead at the Mizuno Junior at Innisbrook Saturday after firing a 1-under-par 70 during the morning wave. His 141 tournament total puts him four shots ahead of the field. In the Girls Division, Victoria Kiser of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., remains atop the leaderboard by one shot after a second-round 3-over-par 73 at Innisbrook Resort & Golf Club.

Conducted by the American Junior Golf Association, the 15th annual Mizuno Junior at Innisbrook features 138 boys and 78 girls — ages 12-18 — from 27 states and five foreign countries. This is the largest tournament field in the history of the AJGA. Past champions of the event include current PGA and LPGA Tour players Charles Howell III, Ryuji Imada, Beth Bauer and Brittany Lincicome. The Boys Division is playing the par-71 Copperhead Course at 7,105 yards, while the Girls Division is competing on the par-70 Highlands North Course, which played at 5,791 yards.

Phelan was in a tie for second after a first-round 71, but took advantage of the favorable playing conditions during the morning wave. Phelan started his round on the back nine and made par on his first nine holes. After making the turn, Phelan birdied his next two holes and cruised for the rest of the round.

“I knew I was due for a birdie eventually,” said the 17-year-old. “I have been playing very well lately and am looking forward to playing tomorrow.”

Four shots behind Phelan are William Sjaichudin of Jakarta, Indonesia, and Richard Werenski of South Hadley, Mass., who sit at 145 at the end of two days. Alone in fourth is Cheng-Tsung Pan of Upland, Calif., with a 146 total. First-round leader Matt Kocolowski of Apopka, Fla., is tied for fifth with Derek Chang of Alpharetta, Ga., and Ethan Tracy of Hilliard, Ohio, at 5-over-par 147.

In the Girls Division, Kiser, playing in her first AJGA event, drained a 40-foot downhill putt on the 360-yard, par-4 No. 14 to give her her first of two birdies.

“Aside from Nos. 14 and 15, I struggled on the greens today,” said Kiser. “The course is playing really good, however, so I'm excited to get out there again tomorrow.”

Lindsey Solberg of Verona, Wis., shared the low round of the day after firing a 4-under-par 66 and finishing with a 140 tournament total. Tied for third with 1-over-par 141 tournament totals are Evan Jensen of Belleair, Fla., and Lindy Duncan, also of Fort Lauderdale.

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 a junior membership (boys and girls ages 12-18) of approximately 5,000 junior golfers from 49 states and 30 foreign countries.

Mizuno USA, Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Mizuno Corporation, one of the largest specialty sporting goods manufacturers in the world. Mizuno USA, Inc. manufactures and distributes golf, baseball, softball, running, track & field, and volleyball equipment, apparel, and footwear for North America. Mizuno USA, Inc. is based in Norcross, Ga.

Situated on 900 wooded acres of rolling hills and 70 acres of lakes on Florida's Gulf Coast near Tampa, Florida, Innisbrook Resort and Golf Club is located just 30 minutes from Tampa International Airport. Innisbrook features 72 holes of championship golf, 620 spacious guest suites and rooms, four restaurants and three bars, the Innisbrook Golf Institute, 11 tennis courts, fitness and racquetball center, six heated swimming pool complexes, a nature preserve, and three conference halls with 65,000 square feet of meeting space. Innisbrook is owned and managed by Salamander Hospitality, a privately owned and operated company based in Middleburg, Va., just outside Washington, D.C. and built upon a uniquely entrepreneurial approach to the hospitality business. For additional information call (727) 942-2000 or visit www.innisbrookgolfresort.com.

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.

Final-round tee times for the Boys Division will run from 8:15-9:48 a.m. off the Nos. 1 and 10 tees on the Copperhead Course. The Girls Division will have tee times running from 8:15-10:03 a.m. off the Nos. 1 and 10 tees on the Highlands North Course.

For more information on the Mizuno Junior at Innisbrook, please call AJGA Tournament Headquarters at (727) 942-2000, Room 2787.