Engel Posts a Tournament-Low 68 to Take the Lead at Aspen Golf Club
Lee takes the Girls Division lead at Aspen Golf Classic presented by Jim McLean

ASPEN, Colo. — Tyler Engel of Castle Rock, Colo., fired a 3-under-par 68 Wednesday to take the lead at the Aspen Golf Classic presented by Jim McLean with a two-round total of 2-under-par 140. In the Girls Division, Patricia Lee of Lone Tree, Colo., shot a 2-over-par 73 to finish with a two-day total of 4-over-par 146.

The Aspen Golf Classic presented by Jim McLean is a 54-hole tournament conducted by the American Junior Golf Association at Aspen Golf Club in Aspen, Colo. The tournament field consists of 99 girls and boys, ages 12-18, from 19 states, Canada, Mexico and China. The Boys Division is playing the par-71 course at 7,086 yards while the Girls Division is playing at 6,100 yards.

After sitting in a tie for fifth place after the first round, Engel posted the day's lowest round to take a three-stroke lead over the tournament field. Engel came to play from the very start of Wednesday's round, recording birdies three of his first four holes on his way to posting a 3-under-par 32. Though Engel finished with only 28 putts on the round, he attributed his second-round success to his shots from the tee.

“I played great on the front side,” Engel said. “I hit my driver in good position on just about every hole and gave myself a lot of good chances on the front side. I really struck the ball well off the tee today and gave myself great opportunities around the green.”

Second in the Boys Division is David Oraee of Greeley, Colo., who finished with a one-over-par 143. Andrew Cornella of Colorado Springs, Colo., and Brandon Liu of Fernandina Beach, Fla., are tied for third at 146. Jack Gibbs of Augusta, Ga., rounds out the top five with a total of 148.

In the Girls Division, Patricia Lee has combined two strong, consistent rounds of 73. She credits her long game to marking four birdies on her scorecard Wednesday.

“I was in the fairway a lot and it gave me a lot more opportunities to hit greens and not lay up,” Lee said.

Rounding out the top three, Brittany McKee of Chandler, Ariz., and Shannon Aubert of Orlando, Fla., will look to make up a 4-stroke deficit tomorrow after finishing at 8-over-par 150.

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 30 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 400 victories on the PGA and LPGA Tours. AJGA alumni include Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Stewart Cink, Cristie Kerr, Paula Creamer and Morgan Pressel.

Final-round tee times run from 7 a.m. — 12:20 p.m. Thursday at Aspen Golf Club. For more information about the Aspen Golf Classic presented by Jim McLean contact tournament headquarters at (678) 617-2417.