THREE TIED FOR LEAD IN BOYS DIVISION AFTER SHOOTING 2-UNDER-PAR 70
Trio of girls take one-stroke lead at Coca-Cola Junior Championship at Boyne Highlands

HARBOR SPRINGS, Mich. — After first round action at the Coca-Cola Junior Championship at Boyne Highlands closed out Tuesday, three are deadlocked for first in both the Boys and Girls Divisions. Taking the early lead for the boys by posting a 2-under-par 70 are Michigan-natives Billy McKay of Grand Blanc, and Matthew Thompson of Battle Creek. Also atop the leaderboard is Samuel Chavez of Hillsborough, Calif. Aimee Neff of Carmel, Ind., Seo Hee Moon of Mukilteo, Wash., and Kayley Kempton of Littleton, Colo., have taken a one-stroke lead in the Girls Division.

The Coca-Cola Junior Championship at Boyne Highlands is a 54-hole tournament presented by the American Junior Golf Association at Boyne Highlands Resort in Harbor Springs, Mich. The 144-player field boasts 105 boys and 39 girls from 27 states and Canada.

McKay fired birdies on Nos. 7, 9 and 16, allowing him to go 2-under-par for the day. Thompson made eagle on the 510-yard, par-5 No. 13, and then birdied No. 16. After starting his round on No. 10, Chavez was able to card three birdies on the back nine and then tally a front nine score of 1-over-par 37.

“I got off to a good start today,” Chavez said. “My putting was strong, but I need to do a better job on the front nine tomorrow. I want to get off to a great start tomorrow as well.”

Standing alone in fourth-place is Michael Cress of Dublin, Ohio, after posting a 1-under-par 71. In a four-way tie for fifth is Andrew Frame of Manteno, Ill., Mark Johnson of Tulsa, Okla., Chan Kim of Honolulu, and Ronnie Coriasso, Jr. of Grand Blanc, Mich. Each carded an even-par 72 on the Donald Ross Memorial course.

Facing a stiff northwest wind, Neff, Moon and Kempton each were able to card 79s on the day, taking a one-stroke lead in the Girls Division.

“It was pretty windy today,” Kempton said. “I was able to make the proper adjustments to play the wind. My iron shots were good on the front and my drives were pretty good. I need to make longer putts tomorrow.”

There is also a three-way tie for fourth place. Ashley McKenney of Scottsdale, Ariz., Emily Childs of Alameda, Calif., and Nicole Vandermade of Brantford, Ontario, each carded 80s for the day. Anne Ormson of Granger, Ind., Kate Scarpetta of Moosic, Pa., Shannon Warner of Livonia, Mich., Avi Hockfield of Gladwyne, Pa., and Joanna Coe of Mays Landing, N.J., each sit in seventh place two strokes off the lead.

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 largest association of its kind, the AJGA 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, Grace Park, Cristie Kerr, Candie Kung and Paula Creamer.

Second round action will begin Wednesday, July 5 with an 8:30 a.m. start off Nos. 1 and 10 tees at the Donald Ross Memorial. For more information about the Coca-Cola Junior Championship at Boyne Highlands please call tournament headquarters at (231) 526-3102.