Ricard leads by five at the Elbit Systems of America Junior Championship
Cowan sits atop Girls Division with a 2-over-par at Hidden Creek Golf Course

FORT WORTH, Texas — Eric Ricard of Shreveport, La., fired an 8-under-par 63 in Tuesday's first round of the Elbit Systems of America Junior Championship tying the competitive course record at Hidden Creek Golf Course and taking the lead in the Boys Division. Ali Cowan of Victoria, Texas, shot a 2-over-par 73 to secure first place in the Girls Division.

Conducted by the American Junior Golf Association, the Elbit Systems of America Junior Championship is a 54-hole stroke play event at Hidden Creek Golf Course in Fort Worth, Texas. The tournament field consists of 108 boys and 36 girls, ages 12-18 from 14 states, Mexico, Brazil and Germany. The Boys Division plays the par-71 course at 6,641yards and the Girls Division plays at 6,003 yards.

Ricard credited his five birdies on the front nine and an eagle and three birdies on the back nine to his record-tying score.

“My putting was working really well for me out there today,” Ricard said. “I also played more relaxed and usually I'm putting a lot of pressure on myself to do well and that's why I haven't done very well in the past several AJGA events I just tried to have fun today and it seemed to work really well for me. The first hole I hit it to about 25 feet and made my putt for eagle; it definitely set the pace for the rest of day.”

Rustin Purser of Edmond, Okla., carded a 3-under-par 68 to position himself in second. Local junior, Andrew Hudson, of Burleson, Texas, shot a 1-under-par 70 to sit in a five-way tie for third with Vincent Whaley of McKinney, Texas, Travis Benson of Grandbury, Texas, qualifier medalist, Luke Neeley of Mansfield, Texas, and Dylan Vaughn of Cleburne, Texas.

Ali Cowan contributed her solid ball striking and overall consistent play to her 2-over-par 73. Cowan's birdie on the first hole set her up for a positive pace, jump-starting her momentum throughout the rest of her first round.

“Everything was working really well for me out there today; there wasn't one thing in my game that I found to be difficult, it was just a pretty good day,” Cowan said. “I'm just trying to have fun out there and enjoy playing as much as I can.”

Carly Ragains of Highland Village, Texas, sits in second with 4-over-par 75, along with Alisa Chong of Carrollton, Texas.

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, 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.

The second round of the Elbit Systems of America Junior Championship will tee off Nos. 1 and 10 tees 7- 8:50 a.m. for the 1st wave and 12- 1:50 p.m. for the 2nd wave. For more information, please contact Tournament Director Annie Giangrosso at (678) 571-7994.