Alex Wins Golf Pride Junior Classic by five strokes
Emrey concludes the final round atop the Girls Division

PINEHURST, N.C. — Anthony Alex of Wayne, N.J., won the Golf Pride Junior Classic by five strokes, carding a tournament total 7-under-par 209. Allison Emrey of Charlotte, N.C., shot a final-round 2-under-par 70 and finished with a 3-under-par 213 tournament total to win the Girls Division.

The Golf Pride Junior Classic was a 54-hole tournament conducted by the American Junior Golf Association at Forest Creek Golf Club's North Course. The event featured 72 boys and 24 girls, ages 12-18, from 18 states and seven countries. The Boys Division played the par-72 course at 7,120 yards while the Girls Division played the course at 6,016 yards.

After coming off a second-round score of 6-under-par 66, Alex began his final round with a birdie on No. 1 and ended it with a birdie on No. 18 to win his first AJGA tournament. Even though he had four birdies total during the final round to shoot a 1-under-par 71, his turning point came with the birdie on No. 10.

“For memorable shots, I'd have to say the sand shot on No. 10,” Alex said. “I hit it up there fairly close and made the birdie putt. That just got me and I thought, ‘I'm going do this, I know I'm going to play well, I know it's going be a good finish and I'm not going back up too far.”

Winning the Golf Pride Junior Classic Boys Division has not only become a memorable moment for Alex and his family, but he believes it will impact his confidence and tournament play in the future as well.

“This win gives me be a boat load of confidence because I'll know I did it,” Alex said. “When I do get in that position next time, whether I am in a position like today or think I have the lead in the back nine, the nerves won't be as bad. Maybe the shots will come off better and in place of chasing, I'll know I can do it, because I know I've shot those scores.”

Tied for second with a 2-under-par 214 were Dru Love of Sea Island, Ga., Taylor Zoller of North Charleston, S.C., and Theo Humphrey of Greenwich, Conn. William Rainey of Charlotte, N.C., and Connor Walters of Salem, Va., tied for fifth at 1-under-par 215.

Emrey and Jessica Hoang of North Augusta, S.C., were tied with two holes left to play after Emrey triple bogeyed No. 16. However, with a birdie on No. 18, Emrey was able to close out Hoang by four strokes. Having tied for second in the 2009 Golf Pride Junior Classic and placing third in 2010, this win meant a lot to the Wake Forest signee.

“Finally, I've wanted to win this tournament for four years,” Emrey said. “It feels very special with this being my last event.”

Hoang finished in second place with a 1-over-par 217, and Thanya Pattamakijsakul of Nonthaburi, Thailand, came in third with a 3-over-par 219.

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 on the Golf Pride Junior Classic, please contact AJGA National Headquarters at (770) 868-4200 or visit the AJGA website at ajga.org.

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