Fernandez captures second AJGA victory with three-stroke win at Under Armour® / Vicky Hurst Championship
Liu grabs second AJGA win of the year
CHOUDRANT, La. — Rigel Fernandes of Bradenton, Fla., fired a final-round even-par 72 to win the Boys Division of the Under Armour® / Vicky Hurst Championship at Squire Creek Country Club. Mika Liu, also from Bradenton, Fla., held onto her first-round lead despite shooting an 8-over-par 80. This win marks her second of the 2012 season; her first coming in early April at the AJGA Junior at Savannah Quarters.
Conducted by the American Junior Golf Association, the Under Armour® / Vicky Hurst Championship was a 36-hole stroke play competition played on the par-72 Squire Creek Country Club. The event featured 54 boys and 24 girls, ages 12-18, from 20 states and seven countries. The Boys Division played the course at 7,013 yards while the Girls Division played the course at 6,132 yards.
Fernandes, who was tied for second place at one-under-par 71 heading into Sunday's round, feels his hard work is starting to show.
“I have worked really hard on my putting and short game and it paid off on the greens,” Fernandes said. “I was able to get some shots up-and-down that I don't think other people really did. I think it paid off at the end of the week.”
Tied for second place were Sam Burns of Shreveport, La., Matthew Rushton of Bluffton, S.C., and Maxime Blandin of Howey-in-the-Hills, Fla., at 2-over-par 146. In a tie for fifth place at 3-over-par 147 were Blake Cannon of Scottsdale, Ariz., and Thadd Obecny II of Wheeling, W. Va.
After recording a women's course record 5-under-par 67 in the first round Saturday, Liu shot a final-round 80 to finish at 3-over-par 147 for a seven-shot victory. She said she plans to use her opposite rounds as learning points.
“It feels really great to win the second time this year,” Liu said. “This tournament was also a really great experience because I shot one of my best rounds this year and also one of my worst rounds this year. There is a lot to learn still.”
Rounding out the top three, in a two-way tie for second place are Harley Dubsky of Valparaiso, Ind., and Lakareber Abe of Angleton, Texas, with a 10-over-par 154.
For more information about the Under Armour® / Vicky Hurst Championship, please contact AJGA National Headquarters at (770) 868-4200.
About Under Armour®
Under Armour® (NYSE: UA) is a leading developer, marketer, and distributor of branded performance apparel, footwear, and accessories. The brand's moisture-wicking fabrications are engineered in many different designs and styles for wear in nearly every climate to provide a performance alternative to traditional products. The Company's products are sold worldwide and worn by athletes at all levels, from youth to professional, on playing fields around the globe. The Under Armour global headquarters is in Baltimore, Maryland, with European headquarters in Amsterdam's Olympic Stadium, and additional offices in Denver, Hong Kong, Toronto, and Guangzhou, China. For further information, please visit the Company's website at www.ua.com.
About the AJGA
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 5,500 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.
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.
