Double-Eagle Pierces Competition at Sean O'Hair Junior All-Star Championship
Choi tops Girls Division in sudden-death playoff at The Rawls Course at Texas Tech University

LUBBOCK, Texas — Brandon Pierce of Covington, La., posted a tournament-total 10-under-par 206 to claim the top spot at the Sean O'Hair Junior All-Star Championship. Hee Wook Choi of San Diego battled through a sudden-death playoff to take home the title for the Girls Division with a three-day total even-par 216.

Conducted by the American Junior Golf Association, the Sean O'Hair Junior All-Star Championship was a 54-hole stroke-play event held at The Rawls Course at Texas Tech University. The 94-player field featured 77 boys and 17 girls from 17 states, Barbados, Canada, Colombia, Mexico and the Philippines. The Boys Division played the par-72 course at 6,816 yards and the Girls Division played at 5,977 yards.

The Gary Gilchrist Golf Academy Junior All-Star Series is a collection of 10 events specifically designed for boys and girls ages 12-15 and presents opportunities for younger members to develop their skills and earn entry into Open tournaments. The series concludes with the Montverde Academy Junior All-Star Invitational over Columbus Day weekend for winners and top finishers in the Gary Gilchrist Golf Academy Junior All-Star Series events.

In his first ever AJGA win, Pierce came out on a mission, carding three birdies, an eagle, and a double-eagle on the front nine alone. Hitting his driver to put him in great position on the 539-yard par-5 No. 9 hole, the next shot surprised Pierce.

“The wind was behind me, I ended up hitting it perfect,” Pierce said. “The wind caught it just enough to carry it over the bunker, the ball then kicked left and rolled on the green and in the hole.”

Daniel Jaramillo of Medellin, Colombia came in second with a score of 7-under-par 209. Tied for third with a score of 5-under-par 211 were Austin Eoff of Benton, Ark., and Matthew Perrine of Austin, Texas. Rigel Fernandes of Bradenton, Fla., and Robert Deng of Irvine, Calif., tied for fifth with a total of 2-under-par 214.

Choi fought through a sudden-death playoff to take home the title for the Girls Division. Playing in only her second AJGA event, Choi pushed her nerves aside to secure the win.

“I just told myself to not think about the people surrounding me, and just focus on the ball and the hole,” Choi said. “I'm really happy that I've won because it is my first AJGA win.”

Finishing in second place was Lakareber Abe of Angleton, Texas with a score even-par 216. Tatiana Pineda of Bogota, Colombia and Jordan Ferreira of University Place, Wash., tied for third place shooting a 4-over-par 220.

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 Sean O'Hair Junior All-Star Championship, please contact AJGA Headquarters at (770) 868-4200.