Late Surge Pushes Dunlap Atop the Leaderboard for Championship Honors
Coleman secures first AJGA Open victory at Laredo Energy Junior at Traditions

BRYAN, Texas — Just one week after the Aggie Invitational took place at the Traditions Club at Texas A&M, a future Aggie took home the top honors at the Laredo Energy Junior at Traditions. Tyler Dunlap of Westlake, Texas, shot a low-final round of 2-under-par 70 to finish the tournament at 2-over-par 218. Taylor Coleman of San Antonio shot a 9-over-par 225 to give her a one-stroke advantage over a competitive Girls Division.

Conducted by the American Junior Golf Association, the Laredo Energy Junior at Traditions was a 54-hole stroke play competition held at the Traditions Club at Texas A&M. The par-72 course played to 6,997 yards for the Boys Division and 6,101 yards for the Girls Division. The 132-player field featured players from 24 states, Mexico, France, Colombia, Canada, South Korea, Japan, Venezuela and the Philippines. After the second round, the Boys Division was cut to the low 45 players and ties while the Girls Division was cut to the low 21 players and ties.

Tied for second place entering the final round, Dunlap knew he would have to shoot low if he wanted to take home championship honors. With only a few holes left to play, the Texas A&M signee found himself trailing two-day leader Brad Dalke of McKinney, Texas, by two-strokes.

“I was two shots behind Brad and pretty much told myself that this was now or never,” Dunlap said. “I needed to hit greens and make birdies so once we got to No. 15 I started firing right at the flagstick. I was able to pick up par and knew if I stayed aggressive the birdies would come.”

Going on the offensive paid off for Dunlap. While he made par on Nos. 15 and 16, Dalke bogeyed No. 16. Dalke recovered by saving par on the next hole, but Dunlap's four-foot putt hit nothing but the bottom of the cup to give him a one-stroke advantage. Another birdie on the final hole of the tournament by Dunlap was the final dagger, securing his spot at the top of the leaderboard for his first career AJGA victory. Dunlap also revealed that the Laredo Energy Junior at Traditions would more than likely be his final AJGA event.

“The last two times I have played on this course I finished in second place, so it was great to finally break that streak,” Dunlap said. “I love playing this course and am excited that this is where I get to play for the next four years of my career. Before the tournament I had told my father that I wanted to end my AJGA career on a high note and if I could win this tournament on this course, it would be the perfect ending.”

After leading for the first two rounds of play, Dalke finished the tournament at 4-over-par 220 to take home second place. In third place was Scott Scheffler of Dallas with a tournament total 6-over-par 222. Nathan Weant of Hallsville, Texas, finished in fourth place with a score of 7-over-par 223. Rounding out the Boys Division with a tournament total of 8-over-par 224 was Christopher Petefish of Scottsdale, Ariz.

Entering the final round in a three-way tie for second place, Coleman knew that she would have to up her level of play if she wanted to take home her second AJGA title.

“I knew I had to come in to the final round and focus on my own game,” Coleman said. “I wanted to focus on hitting more greens and staying out of the bunkers. I had a lot of momentum coming in to the final round, to be honest. On No. 10 I hit my gap wedge and holed it to make eagle. I had a few birdies throughout the tournament as well, which were big confidence boosters for me.”

As the final group of the day made their way to No. 18 green, Coleman watched on, mentally preparing for what she thought would be an ensuing playoff. However, bogeys by Marijosse Navarro of San Antonio and Ashlan Ramsey of Milledgeville, Ga., secured Coleman's first AJGA Open victory.

“I had won at the Stars of Texas Junior All-Star last year, but to win my first Open event is such a huge accomplishment for me,” Coleman said. “With it being such a good field this year, it makes me feel great that I was able to pull out the win. This is great momentum for what I hope is a great year.”

An even-par 72 performance by Karen Chung of Livingston, N.J., lifted her to a second place finish. Navarro and Ramsey joined Chung in a tie for second place to round out the Girls Division with tournament totals of 10-over-par 226s.

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 provides valuable exposure for college golf scholarships, and has an annual junior membership (boys and girls ages 12-18) of approximately 5,000 junior golfers from 49 states and more than 40 countries. To ensure scholarship opportunities for all junior golfers who have the skill, the AJGA created the Achieving Competitive Excellence (ACE) Grant program to provide financial assistance to young players in need.

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. Former AJGA juniors have compiled more than 500 victories on the PGA and LPGA Tours. AJGA alumni include Stewart Cink, Matt Kuchar, Hunter Mahan, Phil Mickelson, Tiger Woods, Paula Creamer, Cristie Kerr, Inbee Park and Morgan Pressel.

For more information about the Laredo Energy Junior at Traditions, please contact AJGA Headquarters at (770) 866-4200.