OSSO Junior at Oak Tree

OSSO JUNIOR AT OAK TREE

Oak Tree Country Club â€“ East Course

Edmond, Oklahoma

June 28 â€“ July 1

STREB CAPTURES CROWN IN OSSO JUNIOR AT OAK TREE

Espinosa sinks par putt on the last hole to claim victory

EDMOND, Okla. â€“ Robert Streb of Edmond, Okla., fired a final-round 71 to capture the Boys Division title in the OSSO Junior at Oak Tree. First-round leader Colton Williams of Jacksboro, Texas, made a late charge with a final-round 69, but finished five shots off the lead.

Lauren Espinosa of Hickory Creek, Texas, shot a 1-over-par 36 on the back nine and made a six-foot putt on the final hole to win the Girls Division by one shot over Heather Wright of Houston, Texas.

The OSSO Junior at Oak Tree is a 54-hole stroke play event conducted by the American Junior Golf Association at Oak Tree Country Clubâ€™s East Course. The tournament features 142 players, ages 12-18, from 15 states, including 59 from Oklahoma and 39 from Texas.

Severe weather rolled through Oklahoma early in the morning, resulting in a suspension of play at 8:23 a.m.

When the storms finally subsided, the Boys and Girls Divisions were re-paired for shotgun starts. The girls final round was reduced to nine holes and began at noon while the boys played their final 18 holes beginning at 3 p.m.

Streb slowly built a lead over William Kropp of Edmond, Okla., over the front nine. The duo had been tied for the lead entering the day, but consistent play allowed Streb to pull away.

â€œI hit the ball really well and made a few putts,â€ said Streb, whose previous best AJGA finish was a seventh-place finish in the 2003 OSSO Junior at Oak Tree. â€œI play the course all the time â€“ almost every day â€“ so it helped knowing where to hit the ball. You have to pick your places out here.â€

Kropp finished in third at 220 along with Vincent Nadeau of Edmond, Okla. Matthew Rubis of Fargo, N.D., was fifth at 222.

In the Girls Division, Espinosa and Wright began the day tied for the lead, and after battling Oak Tree Country Clubâ€™s East Course, remained deadlocked standing on the tee at the 156-yard par-3 17^th hole.

After Espinosa made par and Wright made bogey, the duo attacked the par-4 18^th hole.

Wright missed the green in regulation, but managed to roll in a lengthy par putt. After sliding her birdie attempt past the hole, Espinosa calmly rolled in the par putt for the win.

â€œI just told myself I could to it,â€ said Espinosa, a second-team Polo Golf All-American. â€œIâ€™ve been so close. I was second at the AJGA Lubbock Junior â€“ this is the third time Iâ€™ve been really close, so itâ€™s nice to finally do it.â€

Michaela Cavener of Tulsa, Okla., finished alone in third place with a total of 184.

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 largest association of its kind, the AJGA has a junior membership (boys and girls ages 12-18) of approximately 5,000 junior golfers from 50 states and 30 foreign countries.

Titleist, the AJGAâ€™s National Sponsor, has been the catalyst and driving force behind the Associationâ€™s success since 1989. Rolex Watch USA, a supporter of the AJGA since 1983, became the inaugural AJGA Premier Partner in 2004.

AJGA alumni have risen to the top of amateur, collegiate and professional golf. More than 160 former AJGA juniors currently play on the PGA and LPGA Tours and have compiled more than 300 wins. AJGA alumni include Phil Mickelson, Tiger Woods, Davis Love III, Mike Weir, Charles Howell III, Jim Furyk, Vicki Goetze-Ackerman, Grace Park, Cristie Kerr and Beth Bauer.

For more information about the OSSO Junior at Oak Tree, call national headquarters at (770) 868-4200.

EDMOND, Okla. â€” Final results from the OSSO Junior at Oak Tree conducted by the American Junior Golf Association at Oak Tree Country Club - East Course. Par: Boys: 35-35â€”70 Girls: 35-35â€”70. Yardage: Boys: 7,010 Girls: 5,849 (The Girls Final Round was Shortened to Nine Holes Due to Weather)