Liu records lowest round of field to start the AJGA Florida Junior
Messana and De Antonio lead Girls Division by two strokes at Weston Hills Country Club
WESTON, Fla. — Seiya Liu of Beverly Hills, Calif., shot the lowest score of the entire field with a 5-under-par 67 to finish the first round of the AJGA Florida Junior at Weston Hills Country Club. Marisa Messana of Plantation, Fla., and Claudia De Antonio of Venezuela, tied for the lead in the Girls Division after shooting a 2-over-par 74.
Conducted by the American Junior Golf Association, the AJGA Florida Junior is a 54-hole stroke play competition played on the par-72, Tour Course. The event features 57 boys and 21 girls, ages 12-18, from six states and six countries. The Boys Division played the course at 7,004 yards while the Girls Division played the course at 6,072 yards.
After carding a 2-under-par 34 with two birdies on the front nine, Liu shot a 3-under-par 33 with three birdies on the back nine to secure his spot in the lead. Liu shot a career low of 5-under-par 67 and is enjoying his first time as the leader in an AJGA event.
“There wasn't really a low point, I was just mis-hitting a few drives,” Liu said. “The high point of my day was definitely on No. 15. I was really unsure about a shot, but I was able to get up and down to save par.”
Finishing in second place for the round were James Leadbetter of Bradenton, Fla., Christopher Gonzalez of Coconut Creek, Fla., and Michael DeMorat of Merritt Island, Fla., after shooting an even-par 72. Osborn Theam of Jacksonville, Fla., and Michael Anderson of Parkland, Fla., are tied for fifth at 1-over-par 73.
Marisa Messana of Plantation, Fla., and Claudia De Antonio of Venezuela, tied for first in the Girls Division at 2-over-par 74. Sitting alone in third with a 4-over-par 76 is Martina Bertuccioli of Cordoba, Argentina. Sarah Thomas of Henderson, Nev., and Maria Alejandra Merchan of Venezuela, are tied for fourth at 5-over-par 77.
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.
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, 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.
Second-round tee times will run from 7:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. off the Nos. 1 and 10 tees at Tour Course. For more information about the AJGA Florida Junior, please contact Tournament Headquarters at (404) 580-2012.
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