Local Players Winslow, Hamilton Share Lead at Lockton Kansas City Junior
Detlefsen holds Girls Division lead at Kansas City Country Club.
MISSION HILLS, Kan. — Joseph Winslow of Overland Park, Kan., and Gordie Hamilton of Shawnee Mission, Kan., posted scores of 1-under-par 69, Tuesday, earning a share of the Boys Division lead at the Lockton Kansas City Junior. Sara Detlefsen carded an even-par 70 to hold a one-stroke lead in the Girls Division.
The Lockton Kansas City Junior is a 54-hole stroke play tournament conducted by the American Junior Golf Association at the Kansas City Country Club in Mission Hills, Kansas. The tournament field consists of 99 boys and girls ages 12-18 from 16 states and Thailand. The Boys Division is playing the par-70 course at 6,764 yards while the Girls Division is playing at 6,054 yards.
After finishing one-over par on the front nine, Winslow drained four birdies on his way to going 2-under par on the back nine. Winslow is no stranger to the Kansas City Country Club, and he says his familiarity with the course is paying off.
“I've been here quite a bit,” Winslow said. “I've played out here plenty of times, and really getting comfortable with the course is key. Once you understand where to hit it and everything, it really makes it a lot easier out there.”
Hamilton is familiar with the tournament course as well. The 2012 graduate is a member at the Kansas City Country Club. Hamilton was firing on all cylinders, playing well from tee to green.
“I hit my driver really well and hit a lot of fairways, and hit a lot of greens too and just made crucial putts on the back.”
Behind the two leaders is a three-way tie for third at even-par 70. The trio includes Harry Higgs of Overland Park, Kan., Michael Decker of Pebble Beach, Calif., and Taylor White of Dakota Dunes, S.D.
In the Girls Division, Detlefsen finished with three bogeys and three birdies on the front nine before posting nine pars on the back. Detlefsen will enter the second round with a one-stroke lead, but plans to stay focused on her play rather than the scoreboard.
“It's only one stroke, and I know that is pretty much nothing, so I am just going to keep playing my game.
Behind Detlefsen are three girls who will look to steal the lead tomorrow including Patricia Lee of Lone Tree, Colo., Jordan Lippetz of Bradenton, Fla., and Stephanie Liu of Fernandina Beach Fla.
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 second round tee times will run from 7 a.m. — 12:20 p.m. off the first tee at Kansas City Country Club. For more information about the Lockton Kansas City Junior contact tournament headquarters at (913) 236-2129.
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