Fair, Carver top Boys Division leaderboard at Lockton Kansas City Junior
Lee captures second-round lead at Oakwood Country Club

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — After two rounds at the Lockton Kansas City Junior, Jacob Fair of Monett, Mo., and Jared Carver of Weston, Fla., find themselves atop the Boys Division leaderboard as they sit at 4-under-par 140. In the Girls Division, Sammi Lee of Winter Park, Fla., has taken over as the leader after posting a second round 1-under-par 71 at Oakwood Country Club.

The Lockton Kansas City Junior is a 54-hole stroke play event conducted by the American Junior Golf Association at the Oakwood Country Club in Kansas City, Mo. The tournament field includes 72 boys and 24 girls, ages 12-18, from 20 states, Colombia, Mexico, China and Thailand. The Boys Division is playing the par-72 course at 6,528 yards and the Girls Division is playing at 6,082 yards.

Fair fired a second round 3-under-par 69 Wednesday afternoon as he propelled himself from sixth place to a tie for first place with Carver. Fair, competing in his third AJGA event of the summer, has already racked up two second-place finishes as he sets his eyes on his first championship.

“It would mean a lot to me to earn my first AJGA championship,” Fair said. “When I first started in the AJGA three years ago I didn't have a lot of expectations. This past year my expectations for myself have risen and it would be nice to get over that hump and pick up my first tournament win.”

Joining Fair atop the leaderboard is Carver who carded a 2-under-par 70 in the windy conditions at Oakwood Country Club. Although he has never led an AJGA event, Carver realizes that people are coming for him on Thursday's final round.

“It feels good to finally have a share of the lead,” Carver said. “However, I know that I have a target on my back and the rest of the field is coming for the position which I am currently in.”

Alvaro Ortiz of Zapopan, Mexico, is currently in third at 2-under-par 142 while Chase Hanna of Leawood, Kan., is in fourth at even-par 144. Rylee Reinertson of Gibbon, Neb., Brik Brauburger of Bella Vista, Ark., and Trenton Olson of Horace, N.D., are all tied for fifth at 1-over-par 145.

Entering the day two-strokes behind first-round leader Kari Bellville of Granger, Ind., Lee now finds herself with a one-stroke lead heading into Thursday's final round as she sits at a tournament total 3-over-par 147.

“I am a little nervous heading into the final round,” Lee said. “However, I am very excited for this opportunity and glad that I'm in the position I am in considering how much work I have put into preparing for this tournament.”

Now alone in second place after shooting a second round 1-over-par 73 is Jordan Lippetz of Bradenton, Fla., who sits one-stroke back at 4-over-par 148. Currently in third place at 5-over-par 149 is Bellville who surrendered her first-round lead after shooting a second round 3-over-par 75.

The American Junior Golf Association is a 501c(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.

Final-round tee times for the Lockton Kansas City Junior will run from 7 a.m. — 12:10 p.m. off the No. 1 tee at Oakwood Country Club. For more information about the Lockton Kansas City Junior contact Tournament Director Katie Jared at (678) 485-1135.

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