Vongphoumy Bests Field at Deutsche Bank Partners for Charity Junior Shoot Out
Johnson wins by two in the Boys Division at The Golf Club of Cape Cod

FALMOUTH, Mass. — A nine-shot lead for Juliet Vongphoumy just wasn't enough and instead of giving a few back, the Providence, R.I., native ran away with a 15-shot win in the Girls Division Thursday, finishing the Deutsche Bank Partners for Charity Junior Shoot Out at even-par 216. In the Boys Division, Michael Johnson of Birmingham, Ala., fought through some early struggles to hold on for a two-shot win at 4-over-par 220.

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

Vongphoumy, No. 45 in the Polo Golf Rankings, got the week going by breaking the women's competitive scoring record at The Golf Club of Cape Cod with a 3-under-par 69 in the opening round. After a 73 Wednesday and an on-and-off day in Thursday's final round with one double, five bogeys and five birdies, Vongphoumy still had enough in the tank to go out the way she began with birdies on Nos. 17 and 18.

On the par-5 finishing hole, Vongphoumy had 180 yards into the green with the wind at her back, a shot she was very familiar with after having a similar approach into No. 18 in the first round. But even though she had hit the shot before, it still made her nervous — but yet not nervous enough as she stuffed her 3-hybrid to four feet for her final birdie to card a 2-over-par 74.

“It was a hard shot for me,” Vongphoumy said. “It didn't seem like I had a lot of green to work with and I actually thought it was going to roll off the green, but I hit it pretty well.”

The win is Vongphoumy's second career AJGA victory and second in as many starts.

“It feels awesome, but I had a lot of fun out there,” Vongphoumy said. “I saw a lot of the course today, a lot more than I did the first two days, but I didn't let the pressure get to me and it was good to get the win.”

Thanya Pattamakijsakul of Nonthaburi, Thailand, and Blair Lewis of La Mesa, Calif., tied for second with a three-day total of 231.

Much like Vongphoumy, Johnson didn't quite get off to the start he had imagined, making double on both his first and second holes, but tough start or not, he was determined to hang in there.

“I was just trying not to lose that lead, so that kept me going,” said Johnson, who started the day with a six-shot advantage. “It was nice to have a cushion and I knew I still had a lead, but I just tried to get back to playing golf.”

After turning in at 6-over-par 42, Johnson got back on track, playing the back nine at 1-over-par to finish at 7-over-par for the day and 4-over-par 220 for the tournament.

In second, two back of Johnson at 6-over-par 222 was Andrew Gai of Westport, Conn. Tied for third at 8-over-par 224 were Ryann Ree of Redondo Beach, Calif., and Alec Tahy of Dayton, Ohio. Kevin Jorden of Juno Beach, Fla., was fifth at 9-over-par 225.

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.

For more information about the Deutsche Bank Partners for Charity Junior Shoot Out, please contact National Headquarters at 770-868-4200.

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