ARBOLEDA, LEE EARN MEDALIST HONORS AT QUALIFIER FOR TEE UP JUNIOR CHALLENGE
Both will play along with 19 others at Oak Valley Golf Club

BEAUMONT, Calif. — Anton Arboleda of La Canada, Calif., shot a 1-under-par 71 to earn medalist honors in the Boys Division at the Qualifier for the TEE UP Junior Challenge Sunday. Hana Lee of Hacienda Heights, Calif., carded a 4-over-par 76 to earn medalist honors in the Girls Division at Oak Valley Golf Club.

Conducted by the American Junior Golf Association, the Qualifier for the TEE UP Junior Challenge was held at Oak Valley Golf Club in Beaumont, California. The Qualifier consisted of 80 boys and 20 girls, ages 12 to 18, from four states and Taiwan. Ninety-four hailed from the home state of California. The boys played the par-72 course at 6,937 yards, while the girls played at 6,076 yards.

Arboleda carded three birdies on the day including a 12-foot putt on the par-4 No. 1. The 15-year-old called his play solid and consistent and looks forward to making birdies or better in this week's tournament.

“I always liked this course,” Arboleda said. “I feel solid about my game and I'm happy about the way I'm playing.”

Choosing to take one tournament exemption in lieu of playing in this week's event were Richard Sunghee Jeong of Arcadia, Calif., Manav Shah of Bakersfield, Calif., Kyle Knapp of Temecula, Calif., Andrew Hall of Etiwanda, Calif., and Kwang Yi of Placentia, Calif.

Qualifying for the TEE UP Junior Challenge are Andrew Cho of La Crescenta, Calif., Matthew Jun of Temecula, Kevin Lee of Cerritos, Calif., Julian Ramirez of Brea, Calif., and Alex Bungert of Orange, Calif. Also qualifying after the cancellation of a sudden-death playoff due to darkness are Douglas Head of Temecula, Andong Pan of Rowland Heights, Calif., Crescencio Ancheta III of Lancaster, Calif., Charles Windon of Rancho Palos Verdes, Calif., Frank DeNoewer of Tustin, Calif., Ryan Knapp of Costa Mesa, Calif., Corey Gard of Villa Park, Calif., and Camden Nicholson of Newport Beach, Calif.

In the Girls Division, Lee recorded three birdies on the front nine to bring in a 1-under-par 35. The 15-year-old's best moment of the round came on the par-5 9th.

“I hit a good drive and a good second shot,” Lee said. “But on the third shot I couldn't calculate the wind and it went past the hole about 15-20 feet. I was able to make the putt for birdie.”

Qualifying but choosing to take one tournament exemption were Deborah Marie De Villa of Bradenton, Fla., Mayko Chwen Wang of Taipei, Taiwan, and Ellese Dias of Crockett, Calif.

Qualifying and choosing to play in the tournament are Tisha Alyn Abrea of Murrieta, Calif., Tarah Taylor of Mission Viejo, Calif., Denyse Neville of Riverside, Calif., Kristin Coleman of Rolling Hills Estates, Calif., Lauren Draganza of Costa Mesa, and Tina Soyon Kwon of Irvine, Calif.

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 an annual junior membership (boys and girls ages 12-18) of more than 5,000 junior golfers from 49 states and more than 25 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, 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.

The first round of the TEE UP Junior Challenge will be Tuesday, July 29 with tee times running off the Nos. 1 and 10 tees from 7:00 — 8:39 a.m. and Noon — 1:39 p.m. For more information, please contact tournament headquarters at (951) -769-7200 ext. 107.