Easy as One, Two, Lee at Laredo Energy Junior at Traditions
David Lee and Erynne Lee capture victories at Traditions Golf Club at Texas A&M

BRYAN, Texas — David Lee of Houston, shot 1-over-par 73 on Easter Sunday to give him a 2-under-par 214 tournament total and title of Boys Division champion at the Laredo Energy Junior at Traditions. Erynne Lee of Silverdale, Wash., led wire-to-wire in the Girls Division, shooting a 2-over-par 74 in the final round and 215 in the tournament.

The Laredo Energy Junior at Traditions was a 54-hole stroke play event conducted by the American Junior Golf Association at the Traditions Golf Club at Texas A&M in Bryan, Texas. The tournament field boasted 89 boys and 42 girls, ages 12-18, from 21 states, Canada, Guatemala, South Africa and Mexico. The Boys Division played the par-72 course at 7,000 yards and the Girls Division played at 6,159 yards. Following the second round, cuts were made at 153 in the Boys Division and 158 in the Girls Division to include 49 boys and 21 girls for the final round.

David Lee admitted to having a hard time falling asleep Saturday, knowing he was entering the final round with a three-stroke lead. He was able to leave all nerves on the driving range and birdied the first hole. Given the tough course, David said he played for pars, but managed to sneak three birdies into the round. The first-time AJGA champion hopes the victory will kick-start a successful 2010 season.

“I felt really good all day, better than the last two days,” David said. “I didn't think the victory was mine until the last ball went in on the last hole.”

Tyler Dunlap of Westlake, Texas, shot the day's lowest round, a 4-under-par 68, moving him from 10th to second in the Boys Division. Third place went to Nicholas Torrance of Bradenton, Fla., who shot an even-par 72 in the final round for a 1-over-par 217 tournament total. Carl Jonson of Bainbridge Island, Wash., shot two-over-par 74 to take fourth with 2-over-par 218 for the tournament. Rounding out the top five were J.J. Holen of Castaic, Calif., and Nicholas Reach of Moscow, Pa., who each shot 71 to tie for fifth at 3-over-par 219.

In the Girls Division, Erynne Lee relied on her trustful irons to hang on to her lead. Shooting a 2-over-par 74 in the final round, Erynne finished the tournament at 1-under-par 215, three strokes ahead of her nearest competitor. Currently ranked No. 28 in the Polo Golf Rankings, Erynne won the event after finishing second the past two years.

“Finally,” Erynne said with relief. “I have a lot of confidence in my game now. No. 14 was the turning point for me. I was feeling shaky after making a triple bogey on No. 13 but started fresh and made a birdie on No. 14.”

Also shooting 2-over-par in the final round was Tanaporn Kongkiatkrai of Bradenton, Fla., who finished second in the Girls Division with a 2-over-par 218. Texans Casey Grice of College Station and Portland Rosen of Sugar Land tied for third at 6-over-par 222, rounding out the top three in the Girls Division.

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 30 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 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. Former AJGA juniors have compiled more than 400 victories on the PGA and LPGA Tours. AJGA alumni include Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Stewart Cink, Cristie Kerr, Paula Creamer and Morgan Pressel.

For more information about the Laredo Energy Junior at Traditions, please contact AJGA National Headquarters at (770) 868-4200.