HOOBERY, NELSON AND POTLURI SHARE MEDIALIST HONORS AT ROBINSON RANCH
Unson earns Girls Division medalist honors

SANTA CLARITA, Calif. — Macgregor Hoobery of Santa Maria, Calif., Keenan Nelson of Murrieta, Calif., and Bhuvan Potluri of Irvine, Calif., each shot 2-over-par 74 to earn medalist honors at the K12 Qualifier for the West Junior Open Sunday. Andrea Unson of Murrieta, Calif., shot 5-over-par 77 to earn medalist honors in the Girls Division.

Conducted by the American Junior Golf Association, the K12 Qualifier for the West Junior Open was an 18-hole stroke play event held on the Valley Course at Robinson Ranch Golf Club. The tournament field featured 80 boys and 20 girls, ages 12-18, from five states, Argentina, The Philippines and Thailand. The Boys Division played the par-72 course at 6,864 yards, while the Girls Division played at 6,137 yards.

Typically held the day prior to AJGA Open tournaments, 18-hole K12 Qualifiers give juniors an opportunity to "play their way in" to each coinciding AJGA tournament or build their AJGA Performance Based Entry status. In all, 12 boys and three girls advanced from the K12 Qualifier and have the opportunity to play in the West Junior Open, which begins Tuesday, July 7. The K12 Qualifier Series offers opportunities for AJGA juniors at approximately 50 AJGA Open events.

Hoobery, who opted to take a tournament exemption in lieu of playing in this week's tournament, began his round out strong, making birdie on No. 1. He then went on to record two more birdies on Nos. 12 and 14.

“No. 12 was my best hole,” Hoobery said. “On 11 I had just made a double bogey and I still birdied No. 12, it jump-started my round again.”

Nelson also had an impressive round recording three birdies against five bogeys. Despite the difficulty of the course, the rising senior didn't feel the need to change his game.

“I am typically a pretty good driver,” Nelson said. “The driver is the best club in my bag so the course set up pretty nice for me.”

Potluri, who opted to take a tournament exemption in lieu of playing in this week's tournament, started the round off slow, recording bogeys on Nos. 15 and 16. He rallied to make five birdies on Nos. 3, 4, 6, 8 and 18, which he attributes to the way he played the course today.

“I layed up farther back then usual and played a longer iron in to avoid trouble.” Potluri said.

Joining Nelson in the tournament will be Eric Sugimoto of San Diego, Ricky Owaki of Yorba Linda, Calif., Nicholas Komin of Huntington Beach, Calif., Tyler Schwanz of Oak Park, Calif., Kevin Kim of Torrance, Calif., Corey Gard of Villa Park, Calif., Joseph Choi of Bakersfield, Calif., Jason Semthiti of Los Angeles, Chris Doyle of Thousand Oaks, Calif., Joseph Kim of Irvine, Calif.

Jonathan Lai of Arcadia, Calif., Jake Katz of Thousand Oaks, Calif., Mo Bardovi of Monte Nido, Calif., James Taylor of Santa Ana, Calif., Austin Raanes of Quartz Hill, Calif., Jeremy Sanders of Chatsworth, Calif., Ryann Ree of Redondo Beach, Calif., Alfred Castro of La Quinta, Calif., and Kyle Perettine of Boca Raton, Fla., all opted to take to take tournament exemptions in lieu of playing in this week's tournament

Unson, who opted to take a tournament exemption in lieu of playing in this week's tournament, took medalist honors in the Girls Division, finishing three strokes ahead of the competition. The rising freshman recorded two birdies on Nos. 3 and 15, which she attributes to her impressive short game.

“The bunkers were the best part of my game,” Unson said. “Whenever I went to a bunker I hit it less then a flag stick's distance away from the pin.”

Manuela Carbajo Re of Necochea, Argentina, Rachel Kim of Diamond Bar, Calif., Sarah Baek of Encinitas, Calif., Erica Chean of Irvine, Calif., and Amanda Corr of Santa Clarita, Calif., will all be joining the field at the West Junior Open.

Kaylyn Sung of Fremont, Calif., Anna DePalma of San Clemente, Calif., Brenna Carlson of Stevenson Ranch, Calif., and Robynn Ree of Redondo Beach Calif., all opted to take tournament exemptions in lieu of playing in this week's 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 AJGA, the largest Association of its kind, has an annual junior membership (boys and girls ages 12-18) of approximately 5,000 junior golfers from 50 states and 30 foreign countries.

AJGA alumni have risen to the top of amateur, collegiate and professional golf. More than 200 former AJGA juniors currently play on the PGA and LPGA Tours and have compiled more than 350 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.

K¹² Inc., a technology-based education company, is the nation's leading provider of proprietary curriculum and online education programs to students in grades K-12. K¹² provides its curriculum and academic services to online schools, traditional classrooms, blended school programs, and directly to families. Over 55,000 students in 23 states and the District of Columbia are enrolled in online public schools that use the K¹² program. K¹² Inc. also operates the K¹² International Academy, an accredited, diploma-granting online private school serving students worldwide. The K¹² academic program is used by many young people pursuing careers in athletics, music, art, acting, and other professions that require a high degree of scheduling flexibility. More information can be found at www.k12.com

First-round tee times for the West Junior Open will run from 7 a.m. — 12:20 p.m. off the No. 1 tee Tuesday at Robinson Ranch Golf Club on the Valley Course. For more information, please contact the Tournament Director Adam Johnson at (678) 485-1135.