COVAR TAKES COMMANDING LEAD AT AJGA GIRLS CHAMPIONSHIP
S. Lee, Meadow sit four back in second place at The Furman Golf Club

GREENVILLE, S.C. — Anne Marie Covar of Edgefield, S.C., was one of the last players to leave the scoring tent after first-round play concluded — and she signed for the only round under par. Carding a 3-under-par 69 on the day, Covar will enter the second round of the AJGA Girls Championship four strokes ahead of her competition.

Hosted by the American Junior Golf Association, the AJGA Girls Championship is a 54-hole stroke play competition. The field features 77 girls from around the world. In all, 13 states are represented along with players from Canada, Ireland and Paraguay. Competitors are playing the par-72 Furman Golf Club from 6,065 yards.

Covar tallied five birdies with only two bogies on a course that proved difficult for many. On a day where greens were fast and tough to read Covar stayed in control, capitalizing when possible.

“I've been hitting the ball good for about three weeks now,” Covar said. “My putts finally started to drop today when it mattered.”

Covar's round included three consecutive birdies on Nos. 13-15. She contributed her successful play to shot execution and good club selection.

“My goal was to come in and play solid,” Covar said. “Tomorrow I'm just going to play like I am even with everyone else.”

Suzie Lee of East Northport, N.Y., and Stephanie Meadow of Jordanstown, Northern Ireland, are tied for second at 1-over-par 73. Diana Fernandez Tonina of Asuncion, Paraguay, Portland Rosen of Sugar Land, Texas, Karen Chung of Livingston, N.J., and Sarah Hicks of Gulf Breeze, Fla., all sit in fourth place after recording 2-over-par 74s.

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 50 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 200 former AJGA juniors currently play on the PGA and LPGA Tours and have compiled more than 350 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 will run from 8 — 9:48 a.m. Sunday off the Nos. 1 and 10 tees at The Furman Golf Club. For more information on the AJGA Girls Championship, contact Tournament Director Julie Kickbusch at (770) 617-3050.