Pompey Wins First AJGA Title at Rochester Open Championship
Hooton achieves victory at Ravenwood Golf Club
VICTOR, N.Y. — David Pompey of Clarks Summit, Pa., maintained control of the Boys Division to win his first AJGA event, carding a tournament total of 2-under-par 214. In the Girls Division, Courtney Hooton of Del Mar, Calif., retained her second-round lead and earned the victory, tallying a tournament total 1-under-par 215.
The Rochester Open Championship was a 54-hole stroke play event conducted by the American Junior Golf Association at Ravenwood Golf Club in Victor, N.Y. The tournament field consisted of 95 players from 15 states and Canada. The Boys Division played the par-72 course at 6,976 yards and the Girls Division was played at 6,123 yards.
Pompey finished the tournament with a solid final round, starting his momentum with an eagle on No. 6.
“I played well today,” Pompey said. “I was bogey-free until No. 16, and had a great front nine. I finished sloppy, but I'm happy with a great 15 holes on the day. It feels very good to win.”
Austin Connelly of Las Colinas, Texas, carded a tournament total of even-par 216 to finish in second place. Tied for third with scores of 3-over-par 219 were Addison Coll of Arlington, Va., and Cody Cox of Milford, Pa. Rounding out the top five for the Boys Division were Matt Gerber of Kitchener, Ontario, Billy Gaffney of Williamsville, N.Y., and James Dornes of Lancaster, Pa.
In the Girls Division, Hooton bounced back from a tough front nine to card two birdies on the back.
“I wasn't hitting the ball that well today, and I was having to save a lot and recover everything,” Hooton said. “I was telling myself I could do it, especially after yesterday when I had six birdies. I turned it around on No. 11 when I made a birdie, and my putting got progressively better. It was really important for me to win this tournament, especially because it is my last AJGA event of the summer.”
Hooton won the 2010 Lessing's AJGA Classic, which was held in New York.
“I won my tournament in New York last year, so it was great to come back and do it again. It is a big deal to me and my family.”
Talia Campbell of Dallas, finished the tournament at 1-over-par 217 to earn second place. Rounding out the top three for the Girls Division was Andrea Wong of San Francisco, carding a 5-over-par 221.
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.
For more information about the Rochester Open Champion, please contact AJGA Headquarters at (770) 868-4200.
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