Kennerly Leads After First Round of FJ Invitational
Clemson signee leads by two strokes at Sedgefield Country Club

GREENSBORO, N.C. — Billy Kennerly of Alpharetta, Ga., fired a 7-under-par 63 at Sedgefield Country Club and holds a two-shot lead after the first round of the FJ Invitational. Connor Black of Katy, Texas, and Robby Shelton IV of Wilmer, Ala., are just shy of the lead in second place.

Conducted by the American Junior Golf Association, the FJ Invitational is a 72-hole stroke play event at Sedgefield Country Club in Greensboro, N.C. The 99-player field features golfers from 23 states and ten foreign countries. Home of PGA TOUR's Wyndham Championship, the par-70 course plays at 7,116 yards. The winner of the FJ Invitational will receive a sponsor's exemption into the Wyndham Championship in August.

Kennerly is a 2010 honorable mention Rolex Junior All-American making his third appearance at the FJ Invitational. Kennerly finished second at this year's Thunderbird International Junior and at Exide Technologies Junior Open. After carding seven birdies, Kennerly sits atop the leaderboard going into the second round.

“I birdied Nos. 4, 5 and 6 today which was nice and was a good start to get off to after a couple pars,” Kennerly said. “It was just one of those days where it all worked out.”

Following the leader just two strokes behind, Black and Shelton are tied for second at 5-under-par 65. In fourth is Grayson Murray of Raleigh, N.C., carding a 3-under-par 67. Byron Meth of San Diego, Shun Yat Hak of Lake Mary, Fla., and Donald Stimble of Shell Knob, Mo., are tied for fifth at 2-under-par 68.

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, 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 FJ Invitational, please contact AJGA tournament headquarters at (336) 218-0077.

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