Kowalski in the Lead Heading into the Final Round of the Midwest Junior Players Championship
Grassel Takes Sole Possession of the Lead at the House on the Rock Resort - Springs Course
SPRING GREEN, Wis. — Landon Kowalski of Buffalo Grove, Ill., shot a 2-under-par 70 to take over the lead in the Boys Division. In the Girls Division, Kelly Grassel of Chesterton, Ind., now sits alone atop the leaderboard as she carded a 3-over-par 75 at The House on the Rock Resort — Springs Course.
The Midwest Junior Players Championship is a 54-hole stroke play event conducted by the American Junior Golf Association at the House on the Rock Resort — Springs Course in Spring Green, Wis. The tournament field includes 60 boys and 18 girls, ages 12-18, from 13 states, Argentina, Thailand, South Korea, Italy and Indonesia. The Boys Division is playing the par-72 course at 6,535 yards and the Girls Division is playing at 5,916 yards.
Playing in the final AJGA event of his career before heading to college in the fall, Kowalski has taken the lead heading into Thursday's final round. In a round highlighted by three birdies, Kowalski looks to continue the consistent play that has been prevalent throughout his first two rounds.
“[In the final round] I want to play like I have in the first two rounds, nothing different, just play my best,” Kowalski said.
Doug Ghim of Arlington Heights, Ill., Michael Nagy of Manistique, Mich., Kraig McLeod of Pebble Beach, Calif., and Tee-k Kelly of Wheaton, Ill., are tied for second with tournament totals of 4-under-par 140.
Separating herself from the three-way tie for first place after the tournament's opening round was Grassel who now sits alone atop the leaderboard at 5-over-par 149.
“It means a lot to me to be in the lead after the first two rounds,” Grassel said. “I have a very positive attitude going into the final day and I feel very confident.”
Emily Joers of Waukesha, Wis., is currently in second place at 6-over-par 150 while Angie Varona of San Jose, Argentina trails by two-strokes in third place at 7-over-par 151.
The American Junior Golf Association is a 501c(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 for the Midwest Junior Players Championship will run from 7 a.m. — 8:48 a.m. off the Nos. 1 and 10 tees at The House on the Rock Resort — Springs Course. For more information about the Midwest Junior Players Championship contact Tournament Director Lindsay Dodge at (608) 588-7000 ext.640.
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