OLSON, PITLICK TIE FOR MEDALIST HONORS IN BOYS DIVISION
Hauser qualifies for Girls Division of Kroger Junior Invitational

BATAVIA, OHIO- Mark Olson of Arlington Heights, Ill., and Tyler Pitlick of Rock Island, Ill., tied at even-par 71 to earn medalist honors in the AJGA Kroger Junior Invitational Qualifier. Jessica Hauser of Hartland, Wis., took medalist honors in the Girls Division.
Conducted by the American Junior Golf Association, the Kroger Junior Invitational Qualifier gave 96 players, 82 boys and 14 girls ages 13-18, the opportunity to qualify for 15 spots, 12 boys and three girls, for Tuesday's start of the 54-hole stroke-play tournament.

In a shotgun start, Olson began his round on No. 12, but did not start well with three bogeys on Nos. 13, 14 and 15. He recovered after the first six holes to return to even par, carding a 3-under-par on his front-nine, with a final birdie coming on No. 10.

"When I got to No. 1, I just wanted to shoot 1-under to get to 3-over on the day," said the 17-year-old.

Pitlick, qualifying for his second-career AJGA event, took a simple approach to Sunday's qualifier.

"I just wanted to keep the ball in the fairways and hit the greens," said the 18-year-old Pitlick. "I want to play well [on Tuesday]. You just can't hit the ball in the high grass or you will be in trouble."

The remaining Boys Division qualifiers are Tim Streng of Arlington Heights, Ill., Joseph Barr of Versailles, Ky., and Scott Aydelotte of Apache Junction, Ariz., at 1-over-par 72. At 2-over-par 73 were Patrick Cruz of Cincinnati, Ohio, Joe Kinney of Lake Villa, Ill., and David Fish of Boca Raton, Fla.

Qualifying in a tie for ninth at 3-over-par 74 were Matthew Skidmore of Oakland, Md., Kyle Hodges of Hamilton, Ohio, Tyler Current of Louisville, Ky., and Bradley Atkinson of Rantoul, Ill.

Hauser, reaching her first-ever AJGA event, used some prior experience of Elks Run Golf Club to get herself into the tournament.
"I played the course a few weeks ago on my way to Florida," said the 16-year-old. "It was nice to play it early because I could relax instead of thinking about the course the night before."

The additional Girls Division qualifiers were Megan Trachouk of Pittsburgh, Pa., and Kelsey Lindenschmidt of West Chester, Ohio in a tie for second at 79.

The tournament field will feature 102 players, 81 boys and 21 girls from 20 states. First-round tee times for this 54-hole stroke-play event will begin at 7:00 a.m. on Tuesday off the No. 1 tee at Elks Run Golf Club.

For more information, contact tournament headquarters at (513) 735-6600.