Raza, Morgan start strong at the AJGA Junior at Centennial
Kaui takes the lead in the Girls Division at Centennial Golf Club

MEDFORD, Ore. — Sulman Raza of Eugene, Ore., and Andrew Morgan of Long Beach, Calif., each carded a 4-under-par 68 to share the first-round lead at the AJGA Junior at Centennial. In the Girls Division, Alexandra Kaui of Las Vegas recorded a 3-under-par 69, to take a 1-stroke lead.

The AJGA Junior at Centennial is a 54-hole stroke play event conducted by the American Junior Golf Association at Centennial Golf Club in Medford, Ore. The tournament field features 107 boys and 33 girls from 12 states and six countries. The Boys Division is playing the par-72 course at 7,155 yards and the Girls Division is playing at 6,035 yards.

With a very up and down round, Raza carded seven birdies and three bogeys. He credits his performance to his calm mind set.

“I enjoyed the round because I carried my practice round mentality into today's round,” Raza said. “There wasn't too much pressure, and I knew I had nothing to lose.”

Morgan played a steady round making four birdies and no bogeys on the day.

“I kept my mistakes to a minimum,” Morgan said. “Tomorrow I'll carry over my first-round confidence and keep hitting greens.”

In a three-way tie for third with a 3-under-par 69 was Skyler Finnell of Carmel, Calif., Tommy Kummerfeld of Riverside, Calif., and Lawrence Fu of Piedmont, Calif.

In the Girls Division, Kaui did not have the best start, but finished strong. She carded two bogeys and two birdies on the front nine but was able to come back with three birdies on the back nine.

“I three-putted twice, but was able to get it back to even par which I considered a clean slate,” Kaui said. “I was back to ground zero and could only work my way up.”

In second place was Catherina Li of Kent, Wash., at 2-under-par 70. Allisen Corpuz of Honolulu, Amy Lee of Brea, Calif., Stephanie Lau of Fullerton, Calif., and Caroline Inglis of Eugene, Ore., finished even-par in a four-way tie for third.

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, Rickie Fowler, Paula Creamer, Cristie Kerr, Inbee Park and Morgan Pressel.

Second-round tee times for the AJGA Junior at Centennial run from 7-8:50 a.m., and noon-1:50 p.m., off the Nos. 1 and 10 tees, Wednesday at Centennial Golf Club. For more information about the AJGA Junior at Centennial, contact tournament headquarters at (678) 327-6982.