Perettine Leads at the Preseason Junior at Oak Valley
Gariepy and Bremer tied for first in Girls Division at Oak Valley Golf Club

BEAUMONT, Calif. — Kyle Perettine, 17, of Boca Raton, Fla., came out strong with a 1-under-par 71 Saturday in the first round of the Preseason Junior at Oak Valley. Raegan Bremer, 16, of Anaheim Hills, Calif., and Alexia Gariepy, 12, of Murrieta, Calif., are tied for the lead in the Girls Division at Oak Valley Golf Club at 1-over-par 73.

Conducted by the American Junior Golf Association, the Preseason Junior at Oak Valley features 95 boys and girls, ages 12-18, from nine states and Canada. The 36-hole stroke play event is being held at the par-72 Oak Valley Golf Club. The Boys Division is playing the course at 6,812 yards while the Girls Division is playing at 5,831 yards.

The Preseason Junior at Oak Valley is one of eight events held as part of the Golf Academy of America Preseason Junior Series. The Golf Academy of America Preseason Junior Series is a series designed specifically for first-time AJGA members or those members who have not yet been accepted to or participated in an AJGA event in the current calendar year and/or the previous calendar year.

Perettine had a nearly flawless round, hitting 17 fairways and carding four birdies. The strong iron-player traveled across the country for the weekend in hopes to gain exposure amongst California universities. Perettine birdied two of his last three holes, including draining a 15-footer on No. 16.

“I wanted to shoot around par to give myself a chance for tomorrow,” Perettine said, hoping for his first AJGA victory. “Tomorrow I'm hoping to do more of the same. I just want to make more putts.”

Zane Thomas of Las Vegas sits in second in the Boys Division at even-par 72. Kyle Nakazaki of Manhattan Beach, Calif., is in third after a 1-over par 73. Tied for fourth are Bobby Gojuangco of San Diego, Andrew Whalen of Ephrata, Wash., and Ricky DeSantis of Carlsbad, Calif., at 2-over-par 74.

In the Girls Division, Gariepy had three birdies on the day including a chip-in on No. 9. The sixth-grader, playing in her first AJGA event, credits her low score to her woods and hybrids.

“I feel confident I can do it again,” Gariepy said thinking about Sunday's final round. “I want to come strong off the tee again but put focus on my putting.”

Bremer, also appearing in her first AJGA event, finished the first round strong with a 10-foot chip-in on No. 18. The California native credits her low score to solid iron play, as she hit 14 greens throughout the day.

“I hoped to put myself in the top-10,” Bremer said. “Tomorrow I'm going to come out with the same focus I had all afternoon.”

Lilia Vu of Fountain Valley, Calif., is in third place, three off the lead, in the Girls Division at 4-over-par 76.

GOLF ACADEMY OF AMERICA, with campuses located in San Diego, Phoenix, Orlando and Myrtle Beach, is the oldest and largest two-year golf career college in the world. GAA's 16-month program balances classroom studies, practical experience and comprehensive understanding of the business of golf. For more information, call 800-342-7342 or visit http://www.golfacademy.edu.

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 30 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 400 victories on the PGA and LPGA Tours. AJGA alumni include Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Stewart Cink, Cristie Kerr, Paula Creamer and Morgan Pressel.

The final-round shotgun will be at 8 a.m. Sunday, May 2, at Oak Valley Golf Club. For more information about the Preseason Junior at Oak Valley, please contact tournament headquarters at (770) 601-8922.