Whalen leads after first round in Junior All-Star at Stonelick Hills
Porvasnik atop Girls Division at The Golf Club

BATAVIA, Ohio — Joshua Whalen of Napanee, Ontario, carded a 1-under-par 71 to hold a one stroke lead in the Boys Division after the first round of play at the Junior All-Star at Stonelick Hills. Jessica Porvasnik of Hinckley, Ohio tops the Girls Division after also shooting a 1-under-par 71.

Conducted by the American Junior Golf Association, the Junior All-Star at Stonelick Hills is a 36-hole stroke play competition playing at The Golf Club at Stonelick Hills. The par-72 course is playing at 6,590 yards for the Boys Division and 5,764 yards for the Girls Division. The 96-player field features juniors from 22 states and four foreign countries.

The Junior All-Star at Stonelick Hills 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. The Series concludes with the Montverde Academy Junior All-Star Invitational over Columbus Day weekend for winners and top finishers in Gary Gilchrist Golf Academy Junior All-Star Series events.

Whalen, who is playing in his first AJGA event, made the turn at 3-over-par, but responded by making an eagle and four birdies to put himself in the lead heading into Sunday's final round.

“I struggled a little bit on the front,” Whalen said. “My irons weren't working right today and that is something I need to work on for tomorrow.”

Matthew Weber of Saint Charles, Ill., and Timothy Taylor of Iowa Falls, Iowa, each carded an even par-72 to sit in a tie for second place. Kristian Caparros of Miami Lakes, Fla., Austin James of Bath, Ontario, and Zach Smith of Mt. Sterling, Ky., shot a 1-over-par 73 to round out the top five boys.

In the Girls Division, Ohio native Porvasnik started off with a double-bogey on No. 1, but turned things around quickly by carding five birdies in the round to put her atop the leaderboard.

“I had some good tee shots out there today,” Porvasnik said. “I just need to take away the bogeys and work on my chipping game out of this thick rough for tomorrow.”

Courtney Dow of Frisco, Texas is sitting in second place after carding a 1-over-par 73, while Haylee Harford of Leavittsburg, Ohio, shot a 2-over-par 74 and sits in third place in the girls division.

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.

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.

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 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.

Final-round tee times will run from 8-10:01 a.m. off the Nos. 1 and 10 tees at the Golf Club at Stonelick Hills. For more information about the Junior All-Star at Stonelick Hills, contact tournament headquarters at (678) 995-4322 or visit ajga.org.