BARRINGTON, Ill., NATIVE TAKES LEAD IN MIDWEST JUNIOR PLAYERS CHAMPIONSHIP
Rohrback extends lead in Girls Division

Long Grove, Ill. — Ross Frankenberg of Barrington, Ill., jumped to the front of the Boys Division in the Midwest Junior Players Championship Wednesday by recording a two-day total of 147. In the Girls Division, Kaitlyn Rohrback of Crofton, Md., extended her lead to four strokes with a two-day total of 144.

Conducted by the American Junior Golf Association, the Midwest Junior Players Championship is a 54-hole stroke play event held at the Royal Melbourne Country Club. The 99-player field features players ages 12-18 from 18 states and Ontario. The Boys Division is playing the par-72 course at 6,635 while the Girls Division is playing at 6,037.

Frankenberg started the day tied for sixth, seven shots behind round-one leader Kramer Hickok of Plano, Texas. Frankenberg was the model of consistency, carding 16 pars on his round with one birdie and one bogey. While the second round left Hickok tied for second, Frankenberg's consistent play pushed him to the front of the field and allows him a one-stroke lead going into Thursday's final round.

“When I came up on No. 18, I never thought I would end up in the lead,” Frankenberg said. “I've never had the lead in an AJGA event, so I really just hope to go out tomorrow, be consistent and stick close to par.”

Nipping at Frankenberg's heels in a three-way tie for second are Hickok, Aidan Javed of Kingston, Ontario, and Theodore Lederhausen of Hinsdale, Ill., with two-day totals of 148. Tied for fifth are Drew Preston of Ada, Mich., and Daniel Schaller of St. Louis, Mo., each with a 149.

Rohrback, who began the day with a one-stroke lead, shot a 2-under-par 70 to extend her two-day lead to four strokes. Her strong short game enabled her to card a 3-under-par back nine score of 33, setting her apart from the rest of the field. In the final round Thursday, Rohrback feels the key to success is in her putting.

“I need to keep my putting stroke and short game where it is,” Rohrback said. “I could easily have been 3-over-par if not for my putting.”

Behind Rohrback is Valentina Fontaine of Hilton Head Island, S.C., who carded a two-day total of 148 and Kristen Shelling of Mesa, Ariz., who recorded a two-day total of 152.

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.

Final-round tee times for the Midwest Junior Players Championship will run from 7 a.m. - 11:48 a.m. off the No. 1 tee at Royal Melbourne Country Club. For more information, please contact Tournament Director Andrew Parr at (770) 503-4303.