Shaw surges in final round at Under Armour® / Vicky Hurst Championship
Liu wins Girls Division by four strokes on the Ryder Course
PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. — Sawyer Shaw of West Palm Beach, Fla., claimed the trophy in his home state with a 6-under-par 138 tournament total at the Under Armour® / Vicky Hurst Championship, while Yu Liu of Beijing, China, won the Girls Division with a 5-under-par 67 in the final round.
Conducted by the American Junior Golf Association, the Under Armour® / Vicky Hurst Championship was a 36-hole stroke play competition played on the par-72 Ryder Course at the PGA Golf Club. The Boys Division played at 6,963 yards while the Girls Division played at 6,123 yards. The 78-player field featured juniors from 12 states and 15 foreign countries.
Shaw carded a 6-under-par 66 in the final round to move up 12 spots in capturing his first AJGA event win. With back-to-back birdies on No. 12 and 13, the 15-year-old felt confident and comfortable Sunday.
“I tend to play better the second day. It makes me feel really happy to get a win so close to home,” Shaw said. “I felt good, I felt healthy and I just had good vibes.”
Florida natives made a strong showing on the Boys Division leaderboard, with Prem Samritpricha of Bradenton taking second-place honors with 5-under-par 139. Rohan Ramnath of Weston and Maxime Blandin of Howey-in-the-Hills finished third with 4-under-par 140s, while Zachary Toste of Pembroke Pines and Michael Visacki of Sarasota shot matching 3-under-par 141 tournament totals.
In her third AJGA career win, Liu shot the low tournament total 7-under-par 137 to solidify a four-shot lead, all while staying focused on having fun and being positive, even with recent changes to her swing. The 15-year-old made a 16-foot chip on No. 13 for eagle and remained at the top of her game the rest of the round.
“I hadn't been playing well lately so it's exciting and I've been having lots of fun,” Liu said. “Yesterday I thought a lot about my swing but today I just thought about my target.”
Simin Feng of Orlando, Fla., carded a 3-under-par 141 for second place, while Tatiana Pineda of Bogota, Colombia was close behind in third with a 2-under-par 142 tournament total.
For more information about the Under Armour® / Vicky Hurst Championship, contact AJGA National Headquarters at (770) 868-4200.
About Under Armour®
Under Armour® (NYSE: UA) is a leading developer, marketer, and distributor of branded performance apparel, footwear, and accessories. The brand's moisture-wicking fabrications are engineered in many different designs and styles for wear in nearly every climate to provide a performance alternative to traditional products. The Company's products are sold worldwide and worn by athletes at all levels, from youth to professional, on playing fields around the globe. The Under Armour global headquarters is in Baltimore, Maryland, with European headquarters in Amsterdam's Olympic Stadium, and additional offices in Denver, Hong Kong, Toronto, and Guangzhou, China. For further information, please visit the Company's website at www.underarmour.com.
About the AJGA
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.
