Daugherty, Johnson, Jr., Tame the Wind to Lead After the First Round at the Woodward Video Junior at The Greenbrier

WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, W.Va. — On a day when the wind challenged most of the players, Grant Daugherty of Alcoa, Tenn., and Stanhope Johnson, Jr., of Greensboro, N.C. beat the wind, shooting a 2-under-par 69 at the Woodward Video Junior at The Greenbrier. Brittany Mai of Poway, Calif., had three birdies en route to a 2-over-par 73 to sit atop the leaderboard in the Girls Division at The Greenbrier Resort — The Meadows Course.

Conducted by the American Junior Golf Association, the Woodward Video Junior at The Greenbrier is a 54-hole stroke play event held at The Greenbrier Resort - The Meadows Course. The 131-player field features 99 boys and 32 girls, ages 12-18, from 24 states, South Africa and Italy. The par-71 course is playing at 6,732 yards in the Boys Division and 5,938 yards in the Girls Division.

Battling the strongest winds of the day, Daugherty birdied his first hole, No. 10, after hitting a punch shot to approximately 15 feet. Punch shots were his key to success all day, having four birdies for the round.

“I had to hit a lot of punch shots and was able to put the ball close or at least in the middle of the green,” Daugherty said. “The wind played a big factor today. I hit most greens and was able to make putts. I didn't miss a putt inside of four feet today.”

In the last group of the day off the first tee, Johnson, Jr. had three birdies and no bogeys on the front nine, using his mid- to short-game to give himself plenty of short putts for birdie.

“My wedges were outstanding today,” Johnson, Jr. said. “Driving the ball long and in the fairway allowed me to have those wedges in my hands to put close to the hole. In this wind, having wedges in your hand into greens is always a plus.”

Scott Davidson of Round Hill, Va., is alone in second place, one shot behind the leaders with a 1-under-par 70. In a tie for fourth place at even-par 71 are Colin Proctor of Anderson, Ind., and Chris O'Neill of Glen Allen, Va.

In the Girls Division although her putting was “awesome” as she referred to it, Mai's club selection and game management might have been the best part of her game in the first round.

“Today I didn't hit the ball particularly well, but I played smart especially with the wind,” Mai said. “I made good club selections; it was important to get a good feel for the wind.”

In second place, one shot behind Mai with a 3-over-par 74 is Alexandra Sborov of Pleasanton, Calif. Marissa DeCola of Butler, Pa. is two shots behind Mai in third place with a 4-over-par 75.

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.

Second round tee times for the Woodward Video Junior at The Greenbrier will be from 8 — 9:40 a.m. & 12:30 - to 2:10 p.m. off the Nos. 1 & 10 tees at the Greenbrier Resort — The Meadows Course. For more information, please contact Tournament Director Sean Riley at (678) 617-2420.