Byford leads Boys Division with 5-under-par 65 first round
Pike sits atop Girls Division leader board at Abilene Country Club - Club Course

ABILENE, Texas — Cody Byford of Round Rock, Texas, fired a 5-under-par 65 in Tuesday's first round of the Aaron's / Bob Estes Abilene Junior to lead the Boys Division by one stroke. Kirsten Pike of Ovilla, Texas, leads the Girls Division by three strokes after carding a 1-under-par 69.

Conducted by the American Junior Golf Association, the Aaron's / Bob Estes Abilene Junior is a 54-hole stroke play event with a 36-hole cut at Abilene Country Club — Club Course. The tournament field consists of 96 boys and 39 girls from eight states and Mexico. The Boys Division plays the par-70 course at 6,305 yards while the Girls Division plays at 5,655 yards.

Byford carded back-to-back birdies on his front nine, propelling him to his first lead in an AJGA Open event.

“I was putting really well - I didn't miss anything inside 10 feet all day,” Byford said. “I made a big putt on No. 16 for par from about 12 feet, so that really got my momentum going for the rest of the round.”

Cole Buck of Pampa, Texas, Connor Davis of Olive Branch, Miss., and Barrett Hennington of Seabrook, Texas, are tied for second at 4-under-par 66. Kalen Vos of Weslaco, Texas, and Luke Kwon of Carrollton, Texas, are tied for fifth after shooting a 3-under-par 67.

Pike credits her low first round score to solid putting and a consistent short game around the green.

“I pitched in for an eagle on No. 12 so that was definitely the turning point in my game,” Pike said. “I'm so excited to be leading after the first round; it's my first time leading any AJGA event.”

Kristen Gillman of Austin, Texas, and Alex Neal of Baird, Texas, are tied for second after carding 2-over-par 72.

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.

The second round of the Aaron's / Bob Estes Abilene Junior will tee off No. 1 at 7:45 — 9:24 a.m. and No. 10 from 7:48 — 9:27 a.m for the first wave. The second wave tees off on No. 1 from 12:15 — 1:54 p.m. and No. 10 from 12:18 — 1:57 p.m. For more information, please contact Tournament Director Katie Wilson at (352) 302-4842, or visit tournament headquarters located in the Board Room at the Abilene Country Club.