Dalke Extends First-Round Lead at Laredo Energy Junior at Traditions
Lopez pushes ahead of Girls Division with three-stroke lead

BRYAN, Texas — After 36 holes of play, Brad Dalke of McKinney, Texas, held onto the top spot heading into the final round leading the Boys Division by three strokes at the Laredo Energy Junior at Traditions. In the Girls Division, Gabriela Lopez of Mexico City, Mexico, leads by three strokes after shooting a 2-under-par 70, for a two-day total of 148.

Conducted by the American Junior Golf Association, the Laredo Energy Junior at Traditions is a 54-hole stroke play competition held at Traditions Club at Texas A&M. The par-72 course plays to 6,997 yards for the Boys Division and 6,101 yards for the Girls Division. The 132-player field features 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.

Dalke, who shot a 4-over-par 76 Saturday, for a two-day total of 145, owes his leading score to his 3-woods and hybrids.

“Today I just tried to play to the wider part of the fairway and use a variety of clubs,” Dalke said. “I have to remember to play conservatively on this course.”

Despite his three bogeys today, Dalke utilized his birdie on No. 5 to drive him through the front nine holes.

“I made a 15-foot putt to put me back at even after a bogey on No. 3,” Dalke said. “Tomorrow my game plan is to just try to aim for the middle of the greens more and just play par golf.”

Tied in second place in the Boys Division are Nathan Weant of Hallsville, Texas, and Tyler Dunlap of Westlake, Texas, with 4-over-par 148s. In fourth place is Scott Scheffler of Dallas with a 6-over-par 150. Rounding out the top five is Zachary Olsen of Cordova, Tenn., with a 7-over-par 151.

After the first round at the Traditions Club at Texas A&M, Lopez was tied for fourth with a 6-over-par 78. Three birdies and 14 pars later, Lopez leads the Girls Division by three strokes.

“During my first nine holes, I hit every single fairway and every single green,” Lopez said. “After that, I just tried to stay focused and not feel any pressure.”

Lopez, who started off No. 10, birdied Nos. 14, 17 and 18, but No. 18 was the most memorable.

“No. 18 was the key to my momentum,” Lopez said. “I had about a 21-foot putt and when I hit the ball, I thought I hit it too hard, but it went in anyway.”

Lopez is followed by Marijosse Navarro of San Antonio, Ashlan Ramsey of Milledgeville, Ga., and Taylor Coleman of San Antonio, who all sit at a two-day total of 7-over-par 151 in second place.

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.

Final-round tee times for the Laredo Energy Junior at Traditions will run from 7:45-9:35 a.m. off the Nos. 1 and 10 tees at the Traditions Club at Texas A&M. For more information about the Laredo Energy Junior at Traditions, contact Tournament Headquarters at (770) 617-3050.