Gann Takes Two-Shot Lead at Preseason Junior at Cypress Ridge
Cho leads Girls Division after first round with five tied for second
ARROYO GRANDE, Calif. – Connor Gann of Victoria, British Columbia, shot a 1-under-par 71 to take a two-shot lead into the final day of the Preseason Junior at Cypress Ridge. Sarah Cho of San Diego, Calif., shot a 6-over-par 78 to take the lead in the Girls Division.
Conducted by the American Junior Golf Association, the Preseason Junior at Cypress Ridge is a 36-hole stroke play competition played at the par-72 Cypress Ridge Golf Club. The Boys Division plays at 6,593 yards and the Girls Division plays at 5,784 yards. The 96-player field features players from eight states and Canada.
On a windy day at Cypress Ridge Golf Club, Gann stayed consistent throughout his round, making three birdies and two bogeys on the day.
“It's my first AJGA event,” Gann said. “I played each shot at a time today, and that's what I'll have to do tomorrow to win.”
In a three-way tie for second at 1-over-par 73 is Sebastian Crampton of Pacific Grove, Calif., Ryan Stoll of Santa Barbara, Calif., and Jeff Carney of San Mateo, Calif. In a tie for fifth place are Eric Cech of Portland, Ore., Brett Patton of Santa Barbara, Calif., and Samuel Kim of Irvine, Calif., at 2-over-par 74.
Cho, through windy conditions on her back nine, kept the ball low and made all of her short putts.
“The greens were tough and fast today,” Cho said. “But I just stayed in the present and kept playing persistent.”
In a five-way tie for second place, one stroke behind Cho are Luciane Lee of Torrance, Calif., Morgan Salm of Lompoc, Calif., Kristin Henno of Solvang, Calif., Michelle Xie of Palo Alto, Calif., and Katherine Sborov of Pleasanton, Calif., at 7-over-par 79.
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 for the Preseason Junior at Cypress Ridge will run from 8 — 10:12 a.m. off the Nos. 1 and 10 tees of Cypress Ridge Golf Club. For more information about the Preseason Junior at Cypress Ridge, contact tournament headquarters at (770) 365-1699.
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