Steady Play Helps Johnson Hold Lead at The Golf Club of Cape Cod
Vongphoumy continues Girls Division lead at Deutsche Bank Partners for Charity Junior Shoot Out

FALMOUTH, Mass. — Michael Johnson of Birmingham, Ala., leads after the second round of the Deutsche Bank Partners for Charity Junior Shoot Out at 3-under-par 141. Leading the Girls Division is Juliet Vongphoumy of Providence, R.I., at 2-under-par 142.

Conducted by the American Junior Golf Association, the Deutsche Bank Partners for Charity Junior Shoot Out is a 54-hole stroke play event held at The Golf Club of Cape Cod. The field features 75 boys and 24 girls, ages 12-18, from 18 states, Mexico, Thailand and Indonesia. The par-72 course is played at 7,013 yards in the Boys Division and 6,159 yards in the Girls Division.

Continuing his fairway focus from Tuesday's first round, Johnson strived to hit as many fairways and greens as possible again and that is exactly what he did.

“Out here, if you hit the fairways it's an easy course,” said Johnson who finished with four birdies on the day. “I should have made a lot more birdies.”

Johnson was able to save par on No. 16 when he hit his ball in the fescue about 10 yards right of the green in the fescue. Using his lob wedge, Johnson took a huge swing, shooting the ball up in the air to leave himself about three feet for par.

“It feels good to steal a par like that, it feels like a birdie,” Johnson said.

Tied for second is Andrew Gai of Westport, Conn., Alec Tahy of Dayton, Ohio, and Maxime Blandin of Howey-in-the-Hills, Fla., at 3-over-par 147. In fifth is Kevin Jorden of Juno Beach, Fla., at 4-over-par 148.

For Vongphoumy, course management was key in the second round. She played defensively, but her attitude was still positive.

“The best part of my game was not being negative,” said Vongphoumy. “The course was windier and a lot more challenging today. It played a little harder, but course management was key.”

Trailing Vongphoumy in second place is Blair Lewis of La Mesa, Calif., at 7-over-par 151. Third is Alice Choi of Whitestone, N.Y., at 9-over-par 153.

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 for the Deutsche Bank Partners for Charity Junior Shoot Out will be Thursday, July 22, 7 a.m. to 12:20 p.m. off the No. 1 tee. For more information, please contact Tournament Headquarters at 678-315-3446.