| ORTIZ LEADS AFTER FIRST ROUND OF MAYAKOBA JUNIOR GOLF CLASSIC
Lewis, Sepmoree lead in Girls Division at El Camaleón Golf Club
PLAYA DEL CARMEN, Quintana Roo, Mexico — Carlos Ortiz of Zapopan, Mexico, carded a 1-over-par 71 Wednesday to lead the Boys Division of the Mayakoba Junior Golf Classic. Amelia Lewis of Jacksonville, Fla., and Katelyn Sepmoree of Tyler, Texas, both fired even-par 71s to share the lead in the Girls Division after the first round.
Conducted by the American Junior Golf Association, the Mayakoba Junior Golf Classic is a 54-hole stroke play event being held at El Camaleón Golf Club and is the AJGA's only event held in Mexico. The field consists of 76 players, of which 27 are from Mexico. The rest come from eight U.S. states. El Camaleón Golf Club, home to the PGA TOUR's Mayakoba Golf Classic, is being played as a 6,940 yard par-70 in the Boys Division and a 6,003 yard par-71 in the Girls Division.
Ortiz, coming off a 13th-place finish at last week's PING Phoenix Junior, totaled four birdies on his day and went 35-36 on his nines to take the lead by one stroke.
“My putting was good today, that is what helped me get a low score,” Ortiz said. “The front nine was better for me today. This course plays hard.”
Behind Ortiz in second place is Seiji Liu of Bradenton, Fla., at 2-over-par 72. Alone in third is John Duke Hudson of Sonora, Texas, with a 3-over-par 73. Henry Todd of Trophy Club, Texas, Chris Contreras of San Antonio, Gabriel Frank of El Paso, Texas, and Jay Burlison of Salinas, Calif., are all tied for fourth at 4-over-par 74.
Lewis had a rough start to her day, carding two bogeys and a double on Nos. 4-6. But she turned it around on No. 8, a par 5, getting to the green in two shots and two-putting for birdie.
“It was a rough start for me out there but once I hit that putt on No. 8 everything started falling,” Lewis said. “I just want to be able to go out and have a better start tomorrow.”
Sepmoree, who has two AJGA top-five finishes this year, credited her even-par round to consistency. Her round included three birdies and three bogeys and she said that all parts of her game were working well.
“I was just consistent today, not making too many mistakes and making a lot of pars,” Sepmoree said. “Everything was working well for me today, I just need to stay consistent and keep it going.”
Paola Valerio of Atizapan De Zaragoza, Mexico, and Portland Rosen of Sugar Land, Texas, are tied for third in the Girls Division, both at 2-over-par 73.
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.
Second-round tee times run from 7:30 — 9:30 a.m off the Nos. 1 and 10 tees Thursday, August 21 at El Camaleón Golf Club. For more information about the Mayakoba Junior Golf Classic please contact Tournament Headquarters at 678-425-1772.
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