BRASELTON, Ga. — Connor Smith of Hoover, Ala., fired a 2-under-par 69 in the first round of the TaylorMade-adidas Golf Junior All-Star at Château Élan to lead the Boys Division by one stroke. In the Girls Division, Laura Sojo of Barranquilla, Colombia, recorded a 1-over-par 72 to claim the first-round lead.

Conducted by the American Junior Golf Association, the TaylorMade-adidas Golf Junior All-Star at Château Élan is a 54-hole stroke play competition held on the par-71 Château Course at Château Élan. The course is playing to 6,654 yards for the boys and 5,745 for the girls. The 132-player field features players from 25 states and 10 foreign countries.

The TaylorMade-adidas Golf Junior All-Star at Château Élan is one of 10 events in the Gary Gilchrist Golf Academy Junior All-Star Series. Specifically designed for boys and girls ages 12-15, the Gary Gilchrist Golf Academy Junior All-Star Series presents opportunities for younger players to develop their skills and earn entry into AJGA Open tournaments.

Smith credits his strong play to his consistency, only missing one fairway and hitting 13 greens. His round featured four birdies, two of which were made back to back on Nos. 3 and 4. Smith will take home the Bridgestone Pole Position award, given to the player with the lowest first-round score.

“It means a lot to me to get the Bridgestone Pole Position Award,” Smith said. “I've never gotten an award for a low round and it would give me some confidence for tomorrow.”

Sitting in second behind Smith is Ross Robison of Wilmington, N.C., with a 1-under-par 70. Tied for third are Alejandro Lopez of Boca Del Rio, Mexico, and David Kocher of Charlotte, N.C., each posting even-par 71.

Sojo, playing in her first AJGA tournament, found her groove on the Château Course's par-3 holes, going three under par on the four holes.

“This is my first AJGA tournament, so I am happy and honored to be leading after the first round, “ Sojo said. “I putted really well and made three birdies in a row on Nos. 6-8.”

Tied for second one stroke behind Sojo are Jessica Hoang of North Augusta, S.C., and Taylor Tomlinson of Gainesville, Fla.

GARY GILCHRIST GOLF ACADEMY, a full-time signature golf instruction program located in Howey-in-the-Hills, Fla., began as an Official Partner of the AJGA in 2009. The partnership features an endowment of an Achieving Competitive Excellence (ACE) Grant and naming rights to the Gary Gilchrist Golf Academy Junior All-Star Series for juniors ages 12-15.

TaylorMade Golf has led the golf industry's technological revolution since the company was founded in 1979. TaylorMade metalwoods, irons and putters have been used to win hundreds of professional golf tournaments around the world. In 1998, TaylorMade became a wholly owned subsidiary of the adidas Group. adidas Golf creates high-performance, technology-infused golf apparel and footwear worn by hundreds of professional golfers around the world. Ashworth, which became a brand of the TaylorMade-adidas Golf Company in 2008, creates relaxed, lifestyle-oriented golf apparel synonymous with authenticity and quality. Learn more about TaylorMade-adidas Golf and its brands at (866) 530-TMAG (8624) or www.taylormadegolf.com, www.adidasgolf.com, www.ashworthgolf.com, and www.tmag.com.

The adidas Group is one of the global leaders within the sporting goods industry offering a broad range of products across the three core brands adidas, Reebok and TaylorMade-adidas Golf. Headquartered in Herzogenaurach, Germany, the Group has more than 39,000 employees and generated sales of EUR 11.990 billion in 2010.

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 more than 40 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.

AJGA alumni have risen to the top of amateur, collegiate and professional golf. Former AJGA juniors have compiled more than 500 victories on the PGA and LPGA Tours. AJGA alumni include Stewart Cink, Matt Kuchar, Hunter Mahan, Phil Mickelson, Tiger Woods, Paula Creamer, Cristie Kerr, Inbee Park and Morgan Pressel.

For more information regarding the TaylorMade-adidas Golf Junior All-Star at Château Élan, call AJGA tournament headquarters at (678) 425-1802.