Amole and Parsons Make Amends After Untimely Bogeys to Grab the Lead at the Country Club of Mendon
Ku remains calm to lead the Preseason Junior at Rochester presented by Wegmans LPGA

MENDON, N.Y. — Mike Amole of Huntingdon Valley, Pa., and Jamie Parsons of Barrie, Ontario, find themselves tied atop the leaderboard in the Boys Division after carding birdies in opportune moments during their first rounds. In the Girls Division, Hana Ku of Basking Ridge, N.J., was able to battle wind gusts of up to 45 mph, and a couple of weather delays, to take the lead by firing 3-over-par 74.

Conducted by the American Junior Golf Association, the Preseason Junior at Rochester presented by Wegmans LPGA is a 36-hole stroke play event being held at the Country Club of Mendon. The 93-player field features players from 10 states and Canada. The Boys Division is playing the Country Club of Mendon at 6,529 yards, while the Girls Division is playing the course at 5,586 yards.

The Preseason Junior at Rochester presented by Wegmans LPGA 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.

Both leaders in the Boys Division are playing in their first AJGA tournament. Amole, who has played in a prior qualifier, made birdies on Nos. 3, 15, and 18 to bounce back after bogeys on the previous three holes. He also scrambled to make par on No. 14, which was able to keep his score low.

“I was thinking double bogey (after missing the green on No. 14),” Amole said. “But I chipped in and was able to save par, which was huge.”

Parsons was also able to bounce back after a bogey on the opening hole, with a birdie of his own in order to keep momentum shifted in his direction.

“I bogeyed No. 1 and was pretty upset,” Parsons said. “Then I chipped in on No. 2 for birdie and that really got me refocused and back in the game.”

Alone in third is Austin Nowak of Lancaster, N.Y., with a 4-over-par 75. Blair Hamilton of Burlington, Ontario, sits in fourth after shooting 5-over-par 76. In fifth place is Cory Eccles of Ile Bizard, Quebec, at 6-over-par 77.

Playing in only her second AJGA event, Ku showed the poise of a veteran to overcome the wind and rain to take a three-stroke lead heading into the final round. She knows how important this tournament is, but she also recognizes that it means something much more than tournament exemptions.

“It would really mean a lot to win,” Ku said. “It's tough to even take it all in right now.”

Brooke Henderson of Smiths Falls, Ontario, is in second with 6-over-par 77. In third is Leilanie Kim of Surrey, British Columbia, after shooting 8-over-par 79.

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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.

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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 of the Preseason Junior at Rochester presented by Wegmans LPGA begins Sunday at the Country Club of Mendon with a 9 a.m. shotgun start. For more information about this tournament, please contact Tournament Headquarters at (585) 624-3770, and ask for AJGA Tournament Headquarters.