BURGER, HOLT QUALIFY FOR DUNLOP CAROLINA JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIP
Burger's seven birdies are catalyst for the win

GREENVILLE, S.C. — Jacob Burger of Orangeburg, S.C., and Samantha Holt of Pensacola, Fla., claimed top honors at the Srixon Qualifier Series at the Green Valley Country Club. Burger shot a 4-under-par 68 to medal in the Srixon Qualifier Series. Holt managed a 5-over-par 77 to medal in the event.

The Srixon Qualifier Series, an 18-hole event conducted by the AJGA, was held at the Green Valley Country Club. Ninety-two junior golfers — 84 boys and eight girls — competed in the event, including 16 from South Carolina.

Burger said he was able to create a four-stroke gap for the lead because of his putting performance, and also said he was pleased with all but one drive.

“My putter was hot today. I was making putts I usually don't make,” he said. “I only had one bad drive and it only cost me one shot.”

Burger, however, chose to opt out in lieu of accepting a tournament exemption for his Performance Based Entry Status.

Also qualifying for the Dunlop Carolina Junior Championship was David Dannelly of Easley, S.C., with a par-72 for the round. Dannelly will represent the low-round qualifier for the tournament. Dannelly said his short game was also working for him.

“My putter was rolling pretty well,” he said. “But I could have made more birdies.”

Other juniors qualifying in the Boys Division are: David Kim of Duluth, Ga., Daniel Bowden of Easley, S.C.; Randall Allen of Atlanta, Ga., John Murphy of Columbia, S.C., Travis Caldwell of Raleigh, N.C., and Christopher O'Neill of Potomac, Md. Qualifying in a four-hole playoff were Harold Turner of Sumter, S.C., Brian Newman of Orange Park, Fla., and Seung Woo Nam of Windermere, Fla.

A chip-in for birdie on No. 13 gave Holt some confidence in her round after a bogey on No. 12. She said after her last tournament, she tried to work on her chipping and putting.

“My short game was probably what saved me,” Holt said. “But I hit almost every fairway off the tee.”

Also qualifying in the Girls Division were Sarah Jane Sinard of White Pine, Tenn., Ashley Lance of Franklin, Tenn., and Anna Martin of Piedmont, S.C.

SRIXON Sports USA, Inc., based in Norcross, Ga., has been distributing premium golf balls and equipment in the U.S. since 1997 and is a subsidiary of SRI Sports. SRI Sports is one of the world's leading patent holders in golf ball technology and manufactures several golf balls played in the United States. SRI Sports-made balls have won 73 PGA TOUR events since 1989, including seven majors. For more information about SRIXON, please visit www.srixon.com.

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, the largest Association of its kind, has a junior membership (boys and girls ages 12-18) of approximately 5,000 junior golfers from 50 states and 30 foreign countries.

Titleist, the AJGA's National Sponsor, has been the catalyst and driving force behind the Association's success since 1989. Rolex Watch USA, a supporter of the AJGA since 1983, became the inaugural AJGA Premier Partner in 2004.

AJGA alumni have risen to the top of amateur, collegiate and professional golf. More than 160 former AJGA juniors currently play on the PGA and LPGA Tours and have compiled more than 300 wins. AJGA alumni include Phil Mickelson, Tiger Woods, Davis Love III, Mike Weir, Charles Howell III, Jim Furyk, Dottie Pepper, Grace Park, Cristie Kerr and Beth Bauer.

For more information on the Dunlop Carolina Junior Championship, please contact Tournament Headquarters at (846) 246-3941.