Carlson fires final-round 1-under-par 70, claims first AJGA victory at Château Élan
Brooks holds on to win TaylorMade-adidas Golf Junior All-Star at Château Élan

BRASELTON, Ga. — Corey Carlson of Green Cove Springs, Fla., carded a tournament total of 2-over-par 215 to climb five spots up the leaderboard and capture his first AJGA title. Sierra Brooks of Sorrento, Fla., held on to win the Girls Division by four strokes, finishing atop the leaderboard for the second time at an AJGA event this spring.

Conducted by the American Junior Golf Association, the TaylorMade-adidas Golf Junior All-Star at Château Élan was a 54-hole stroke play competition held on the par-71 Château Course at Château Élan. The course played to 6,654 yards for the boys and 5,745 for the girls. The 132-player field featured players from 25 states and 10 foreign countries.

The TaylorMade-adidas Golf Junior All-Star at Château Élan was one of 10 events in the Gary Gilchrist Golf Academy Junior All-Star Series. Specifically designed for boys and girls ages 12-15, the Gary Gilchrist Golf Academy Junior All-Star Series presents opportunities for younger players to develop their skills and earn entry into AJGA Open tournaments.

Carlson, who has one other top-five finish in AJGA competition, played an error-free front nine and made the turn at 1-under-par 35. The score would hold after an even-par back nine and leave Carlson with the win, giving him a boost of confidence heading into summer events.

“I was really shocked to find out I won,” Carlson said. “I have a lot of tournaments planned for the summer and this will give me the confidence I need to do well in them. Now I know I can do it.”

Finishing alone in second was Luis Enriquez of Mexico City, Mexico, who was one stroke behind Carlson. Tied for third were Michael Pisciotta of Alpharetta, Ga., Thadd Obecny II, of Wheeling, W. Va., and Alejandro Lopez of Boca del Rio, Mexico, each carding a tournament total of 4-over-par 217.

Brooks, who claimed medalist honors at the Preseason Junior at Ocala hosted by Ocala-Marion Sports Commission in her last AJGA event, credits her win to her final-round start. She began the day with a birdie on the par-4 first hole, giving her momentum throughout the round. With her win comes an invitation to play in the Rolex Girls Junior Championship.

“This win really means a lot to me and I am so excited,” 12-year-old Brooks said. “My goal all along was to play in Rolex Girls [Junior Championship], and now I will.”

Four shots behind Brooks was Laura Sojo of Barranquilla, Colombia, who posted a 9-over-par 222. Alone in third was Jessica Hoang of North Augusta, S.C., with a 10-over-par 223.

GARY GILCHRIST GOLF ACADEMY, a full-time signature golf instruction program located in Howey-in-the-Hills, Fla., began as an Official Partner of the AJGA in 2009. The partnership features an endowment of an Achieving Competitive Excellence (ACE) Grant and naming rights to the Gary Gilchrist Golf Academy Junior All-Star Series for juniors ages 12-15.

TaylorMade Golf has led the golf industry's technological revolution since the company was founded in 1979. TaylorMade metalwoods, irons and putters have been used to win hundreds of professional golf tournaments around the world. In 1998, TaylorMade became a wholly owned subsidiary of the adidas Group. adidas Golf creates high-performance, technology-infused golf apparel and footwear worn by hundreds of professional golfers around the world. Ashworth, which became a brand of the TaylorMade-adidas Golf Company in 2008, creates relaxed, lifestyle-oriented golf apparel synonymous with authenticity and quality. Learn more about TaylorMade-adidas Golf and its brands at (866) 530-TMAG (8624) or www.taylormadegolf.com, www.adidasgolf.com, www.ashworthgolf.com, and www.tmag.com.

The adidas Group is one of the global leaders within the sporting goods industry offering a broad range of products across the three core brands adidas, Reebok and TaylorMade-adidas Golf. Headquartered in Herzogenaurach, Germany, the Group has more than 39,000 employees and generated sales of EUR 11.990 billion in 2010.

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.

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.

For more information regarding the TaylorMade-adidas Golf Junior All-Star at Château Élan, call AJGA National Headquarters at (770) 868-4200.