MCLAURIN TRIUMPHS IN LAST AJGA EVENT AT DALHOUSIE JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIP
Gulugian goes back-to-back with win at Dalhousie Golf Club

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. — Jordan McLaurin of Ironton, Mo., posted a three-day total 8-under-par 208 to claim his first title in the last junior event of his career. In the Girls Division, Ani Gulugian of Irvine, Calif., finished with a 2-under-par 214 to pick up her second consecutive tournament win by eight strokes.

Conducted by the American Junior Golf Association, the Dalhousie Junior Championship was a 54-hole stroke play event (36-hole cut) held at the Dalhousie Golf Club. The tournament field featured 105 boys and 38 girls, ages 12-18, from 26 states and Canada. The field was cut in half to include the top 48-boys and ties (12-over-par 156) and top 18-girls (21-over-par 165) and ties after the second round Wednesday. The Boys Division played the par-72 course at 6,992 yards, while the Girls Division played the course at 6,049 yards.

McLaurin entered the round tied for first but had a slow start. After a double bogey on No. 9, he found his swing again and went on to birdie Nos. 14, 15, 16 and 18 and finish the back nine at 3-under-par 33. Headed to Missouri State in the fall, McLaurin chose to play in the event largely because the upcoming Missouri Valley Conference tournament will be held at Dalhousie Golf Club.

“It's a great confidence booster,” McLaurin said. “I'm going to keep practicing at home and I hope the last few days will carry over to college.”

Tied for second place were Paul McConnell of Garland, Texas, Dustin Korte of Metropolis, Ill., and Landon Lyons of Baton Rouge, La., each at 1-under-par 215. Following in fifth place was Josh Alford of Marion, Ark., at even-par 216.

Gulugian made few mistakes and had a bogey-free round that included four birdies. More impressively, she played all three rounds with an injured shoulder that almost prevented her from playing in the event. Fresh off a win at the Bass Pro Shops/Payne Stewart Junior Championship last week, Gulugian fired a final round 4-under-par 68 to pick up another trophy.

“It's kind of like déjà vu,” Gulugian said. “It feels really good, especially since I was thinking about not coming.”

Lauren Salazar of Santa Clara, Calif., finished in second place with a three-day total of 6-over-par 222. Finishing in third place was Bonnie Hu of Fremont, Calif., with a tournament total 12-over-par 228.

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 Dalhousie Junior Championship please contact AJGA National Headquarters at (770) 868-4200.