Chung Maintains Comfortable Lead at AJGA Girls Championship
Aubert shoots even par to sit two shots back at The Furman Golf Club

Greenville, S.C. — Defending champion Karen Chung of Livingston, N.J., is looking to do the same thing she did last year at the AJGA Girls Championship — hold on to a 36-hole lead heading into the final round to win. After posting a second-round 2-over-par 74, she sits at 3-under-par for the tournament.

Hosted by the American Junior Golf Association, the AJGA Girls Championship is a 54-hole stroke play competition. The field features 78 girls from around the world. In all, 17 states are represented along with players from Canada, Japan, Mexico and Trinidad and Tobago. Competitors are playing the par-72 Furman Golf Club at 6,124 yards.

Chung, ranked No. 12 in the Polo Golf Rankings, recorded just one birdie on the day, coming on the par-5 sixth hole.

“I think it was a mental thing missing today,” the 15-year-old said. “I missed two birdie putts inside five feet on Nos. 13 and 18.”

With many players in position to contend, Chung plans on playing it safe Monday.

“I'm going to attack the par-5s because I know I can capitalize on them,” Chung said. “Fairways, greens and pars are the goal tomorrow. I think if I stay around even par I'll have a chance at winning.”

In second place is Shannon Aubert of Orlando, Fla., who sits two shots back at 1-under-par 143. Allisen Corpuz of Honolulu, sits at even par for the tournament and is alone in third while Rachel Dai of Suwanne, Ga., Lauren Coughlin of Chesapeake, Va., and Mariana Sims of Austin, all are tied for fourth at 1-over-par 145.

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.

Tee times for Monday's final round will run from 8 - 9:48 a.m. off the Nos. 1 and 10 tees at The Furman Golf Club. For more information regarding the AJGA Girls Championship, contact Tournament Director Julie Kickbusch at (770) 617-3050.