Oklahoma duo shines at Brookhaven Country Club
Heinen, Lawson take home medalist honors at the Preseason Junior at Brookhaven
DALLAS -Two Oklahoma natives began their AJGA careers by securing medalist honors at the Preseason Junior at Brookhaven. Nick Heinen, of Edmond, Okla., finished a 8-over-par 150 and Charter Lawson, of Yukon, Okla., shot 11-over-par 157 to top the leader boards in the Boys and Girls Divisions.
Conducted by the American Junior Golf Association, the Preseason Junior at Brookhaven was a 36-hole stroke play competition held at Brookhaven Country Club's Masters Course. The course played to 6,633 yards for the Boys Division at par-72 and 5,950 yards for the Girls Division at par-73. The 94-player field featured players from 19 states and four foreign countries.
Heinen played strong from the start. He finished as a co-leader in the Boys Division after round one, but he knew being consistent was key.
“I really just wanted to make it to the top five,” Heinen said. “I had four birdies yesterday, but today I had to deal with more wind because I didn't have an early tee time.”
Despite a later starting time and heavy winds, Heinen remained consistent throughout the final round and made par on 14 of the 18 holes.
“I wasn't focused on necessarily winning,” Heinen said. “I just wanted to play in an AJGA event and get more experience.”
David Stewart of Scottsboro, Ala., finished in second place with a 7-over-par 151. Tied for third place at 8-over-par 152 was Benjamin Baxter of Flower Mound, Texas, and Will McDonald of Sapulpa, Okla. Rounding out the top five in the Boys Division was Jake Gorman of Quitman, Texas, with a 9-over-par 153.
Lawson also had high hopes of finishing in the top five at the Preseason Junior at Brookhaven. After posting an 8-over-par 81 during the first round, she really gained momentum after the turn.
“When I made the turn, I knew I was 1-over-par and if I kept playing well, I could meet my goal,” Lawson said.
Lawson continued her streak on the back nine by making par on five holes and posting a birdie on No. 17.
“On No. 17, I was playing into the wind,” Lawson said. “I used my 9-iron to place the ball three feet from the hole for a birdie.”
Lawson posted a final round 3-over-par 76.
Finishing in second place in the Girls Division was Eji Kwon of Dallas, with a 13-over-par 159. First-round leader Anne Freman of Las Vegas, shot a 14-over-par 160 to finish in third place.
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 more than 40 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 500 victories on the PGA and LPGA Tours. AJGA alumni include Stewart Cink, Matt Kuchar, Hunter Mahan, Phil Mickelson, Tiger Woods, Paula Creamer, Cristie Kerr, Inbee Park and Morgan Pressel.
For more information about the Preseason Junior at Brookhaven, contact AJGA National Headquarters at (770) 868-4200.
