| PLATT HOLDS ONTO SLIM LEAD AT RICHTER PARK
Yang and Henderson tied for lead in Girls Division at 1-over-par 145
DANBURY, Conn. — Niall Platt of Santa Barbara, Calif., leads the Boys Division at the Fidelity Investments Junior Championship at Richter Park at 3-under-par 141. Julie Yang of Phoenix and Brittany Henderson of Smith Falls, Ontario, each carded 1-over-par 145s to lead the Girls Division.
Conducted by the American Junior Golf Association, the Fidelity Investments Junior Championship at Richter Park is a 54-hole stroke play event being held at Richter Park Golf Course. The 86-player field features players from 15 states and Canada. The course is being played at 6,695 yards in the Boys Division and 6,045 yards in the Girls Division.
Platt said he did not play as well today as he did yesterday, but is still excited to be in the lead going into the final round.
“I always try to shoot my best,” Platt said. “Today I didn't hit as many greens, but I did my best, so that's all I can do.”
For the final round, Platt said he wants to play the same as he has been, and will know what the leaders are doing so that will help.
Tommy Higham of Shelley, Idaho is two strokes behind Platt posting a 1-under-par 143 tournament total. Jeff Hatten of Farmington, Conn., stands in third carding an even-par 144 tournament total. In fourth place is Max Bichsel of Cranbury, N.J., recording a 1-over-par 145 tournament total. Tied for fifth place are Micah Jacobsen of Fernandina Beach, Fla., Barrett Kelpin of Kalamazoo, Mich., Curtis Thompson of Coral Springs, Fla., Dominic Bozzelli of Pittsford, N.Y., and Cameron Wilson of Rowayton, Conn., each posting 2-over-par 146 tournament totals.
In the Girls Division, Yang, 12, said she is happy with her score, glad to still have the lead and is looking forward to tomorrow.
“Tomorrow I'm going to stay calm and as focused as possible,” Yang said. “I get to play with new people which means I get to make new friends. The game is important, but your personality and what you do is more important.”
Henderson jumped into a tie for the lead Wednesday by firing a 2-under-par 70. Birdies on Nos. 8, 9, 12 and 17 led her to a 1-under-par 35 on the front nine and 1-under-par 35 on the back nine to put her atop the leaderboard.
Marina Alex of Wayne, N.J. is alone in third with a 2-over-par 146 tournament total.
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 more than 5,000 junior golfers from 49 states and more than 25 countries.
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. More than 160 former AJGA juniors currently play on the PGA and LPGA Tours and have compiled more than 300 wins. AJGA alumni include Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Jim Furyk, Stewart Cink, Davis Love III, Cristie Kerr, Pat Hurst, Paula Creamer, Brittany Lincicome, Morgan Pressel and Julieta Granada.
Final-round tee times will run from 7:00 - 9:06 a.m. Thursday off the Nos. 1 and 10 tees. For more information about the Fidelity Investments Junior Championship at Richter Park, please contact tournament headquarters at (203) 792-2550 ext. 17.
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