| BEALL RIDES 1-OVER-PAR FINAL ROUND TO SECOND AJGA WIN AT HORSESHOE BAY
Swanson wins her first AJGA event coasting to 14-shot victory
HORSESHOE BAY, Texas — Tye Beall of El Paso, Texas, dominated the second nine of his final round at Horseshoe Bay Resort — Ram Rock Course, lifting him above the competition to win by eight strokes with a tournament total 8-over-par 221 Thursday. In the Girls Division, Meredith Swanson of Roanoke,Va., cruised to victory with 10-over-par 223 total for the tournament.
Conducted by the American Junior Golf Association, the Stars of Texas Junior Presented by Horseshoe Bay Resort was a 54-hole stroke play event held at Horseshoe Bay Resort — Ram Rock Course. The tournament field featured 102 boys and 42 girls, ages 12-18, from 17 states, Mexico, Venezuela and British Columbia. The field was cut in half to include the top 51-boys and ties and top 21-girls and ties after the second round Wednesday. The Boys Division played the par-71 course at 6,745 yards, while the Girls Division played the course at 5,961 yards.
When Beall's irons were not hitting the greens it was his putter that saved him. When the irons came around on the second nine the putter was still going strong. He birdied Nos. 10, 12, 13 and 16 on his way to a five birdie day. Beall's 40-32—72 final-round win is proof that hard work pays off.
“I almost quit golf after last year,” 16-year-old Beall said. “I didn't quit, I worked even harder. There's no reason to quit if you're playing bad.”
That's great advice to any aspiring golfer. Playing for his first time in a final-round leader pairing Tye wasn't letting the pressure get to him.
“You don't tee it up to get second place,” Beall added.
Andrew Rollins of Round Rock, Texas, and Andrew Presley of Fort Worth, Texas, tied for second at 16-over-par 229. Colton Staggs of Tulsa, Okla., finished with a tournament total 17-over-par 230 for fourth place, and Mitchell Griffin of Driftwood, Texas, rounded out the top five shooting 18-over-par 231 for the tournament.
In the Girls Division, Swanson locked up the top spot with a 39-34—73 final round. Three birdies on the back nine came on Nos. 10, 12 and 15. Swanson, who has signed a National Letter of Intent with the University of South Carolina, came into the week with a career best finish of third place. This win is a big boost for her confidence going into the summer.
“I've played in over 40 events and I wanted to be the one up there giving the speech,” Swanson said. “It's an honor to win the event and the Scotty Cameron head cover at the same time.”
Victoria Vela of Mansfield, Texas, finished in second place with a tournament total 24-over-par 237. Kelly Drack of Melbourne, Fla., and Cheyenne Hickle of Gilbert, Ariz., tied for third with 28-over-par 241 on the tournament.
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 largest Association of its kind, the AJGA has an annual junior membership (boys and girls ages 12-18) of more than 5,000 junior golfers from 49 states and more than 25 foreign countries.
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. More than 160 former AJGA juniors currently play on the PGA and LPGA Tours and have compiled more than 300 wins. AJGA alumni include Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Jim Furyk, Stewart Cink, Davis Love III, Cristie Kerr, Pat Hurst, Paula Creamer, Brittany Lincicome, Morgan Pressel and Julieta Granada.
For more information about the Stars of Texas Junior Presented by Horseshoe Bay Resort, please contact AJGA National Headquarters at (770) 868-4200.
#AJGA#
|
