Shaun moves into lead at Genesis Junior Championship
Kaui widens gap entering final round at Sycuan Resort - Willow Glen Course

EL CAJON, Calif. — Corey Shaun of Rancho Santa Fe, Calif., fired a 4-under-par 68 Wednesday, making birdie on four holes on his back nine to move to 7-under-par through two rounds at the Genesis Junior Championship. In the Girls Division, Alexandra Kaui of Las Vegas extended her lead to three strokes after firing a second-round, 1-under-par 71 at Sycuan Resort's Willow Glen Course.

The Genesis Junior Championship is a 54-hole stroke play event conducted by the American Junior Golf Association at Sycuan Resort's Willow Glen Course in El Cajon, Calif. The tournament field features 96 boys and 36 girls from nine states and seven countries. The Boys Division is playing the par-72 course at 6,657 and the Girls Division is playing at 6,058 yards. Following the second round, each division was cut to the top 50 percent and ties.

After shooting a first-round 69, Shaun began his round on the 10th hole and made the turn still at 3-under. Shaun went on to fire a bogey-free back nine, which included birdies on Nos. 2, 3, 5 and 8.

“At the beginning of my round I didn't make many putts, but I figured it out in the middle of my round,” Shaun said. “I've been hitting the ball well so I just want to keep hitting the ball like I have been, make some putts and I should be fine.”

Andrew Morgan of Long Beach, Calif., is in second place after he birdied three of his first five holes on the day en route to a 5-under-par 67. Morgan is one stroke back at 6-under-par 138.

First-round leader Michael Moorhead of Newport Beach, Calif., is in third place at 5-under-par 139. Charlie Benell of Pacific Palisades, Calif., Gordon Neale of Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif., Alberto Sanchez of Nogales, Ariz., and Matthew Negri of El Cajon, Calif., are in fourth place at 4-under-par 140.

In the Girls Division, Kaui made three birdies on the day, bringing her tournament total to a 6-under-par 138. After an opening round 67, Kaui says she has the luxury of playing conservatively for the final round.

“I could have gotten a couple more birdies today, but not everything was there so I decided not to force anything,” said Kaui, who won the AJGA's Las Vegas Junior Open in June. “Tomorrow, I'm going to play like I did today.”

Jenny Hahn of Henderson Nev., and Marissa Hinchman of Lodi, Calif., are tied for second at 3-under-par 141. Hahn shot an even-par 72 during the second round while Hinchman carded her second consecutive sub-par round, going 71-70.

Lilia Vu Fountain Valley, Calif., carded a 5-under-par 67 to tie the competitive course record set by Kaui in the first round. After a first-round 77, Vu's second-round performance put her in a tie for fourth place, six strokes back of the lead.

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.

Final-round tee times for the Genesis Junior Championship will run from 7:15 — 8:55 a.m. off the Nos. 1 and 10 tees, Thursday at Sycuan Resort's Willow Glen Course. For more information about the Genesis Junior Championship, contact Tournament Director Casey Ceman at (678) 327-6982 or visit the AJGA website at ajga.org.