Shim Drives Way to Second-Round Lead
Kay leads for first time in AJGA event
ROME, Ga. — Andy Shim of Duluth, Ga., ended the second day of the Burgett H. Mooney, Jr. Classic with a score of 9-under-par 133 for the lead in the Boys Division. Leading the Girls Division with a score of 1-over-par 143 is Marissa Kay of Delray Beach, Fla.
The Burgett H. Mooney, Jr. Rome Classic is a 54-hole stroke play event conducted by the American Junior Golf Association at Coosa Country Club in Rome, Ga. The tournament field consists of 72 boys and 24 girls, ages 12-18, from ten states, Brazil, Venezuela, and Mexico. The Boys Division is playing the par-71 course at 6,823 yards and the Girls Division is playing at 6,030 yards.
Shim made a birdie on the par-5 No. 2, where he gained momentum carding four consecutive birdies and a total of seven for the day. Shim hit 12 greens today, and attributes his score to the accuracy of his driver.
“I made three birdies in a row and then just kept making pars through No. 9,” Shim said. “I made a birdie at Nos. 9, 10, 11, 12…I guess I made four birdies straight, wow.”
Ben Wolcott of Burns, Tenn., finished in second place with a 6-under-par 136. Trailing Wolcott was Greyson Sigg of Augusta, Ga., with a 5-under-par 137. Ethan Wagner of Port Orange, Fla., finished the second round in fourth place with a 4-under-par 138. Tied for fifth in the Boys Division were Arjuna Anday of Murfreesboro, Tenn., Cole Hunsucker of Kennesaw, Ga., Austin Padova of Hudson, Fla., and Max Greyserman of Boca Raton, Fla. each posting a score of 3-under-par 139.
Kay finished the second round with 13 pars and four birdies. Kay said she putted well and had a few up and downs when her ball missed the green.
“I had two short birdie putts, one on No. 5 and one on No.6,” Kay said. “I was able to make the putts, and the birdies got me focused and helped boost my confidence.”
Sophia Shubert of Oak Ridge, Tenn., and Maria Maymon of Huixquilucan, Mexico, ended the round tied for second in the Girls Division with scores of 2-over-par 144.
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, 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 run from 7:30 a.m. — 12:40 p.m. off the first tee at Coosa Country Club. For more information about the Burgett H. Mooney, Jr. Rome Classic, please contact the Tournament Headquarters at (678) 294-6051.
