AJGA NIKE GOLF JUNIOR ALL-STAR CLASSIC AT TOFTREES RESORT
Toftrees Resort & Four Star Golf Club
State College, Pennsylvania
August 18-21, 2003

HU SHOOTS 4-UNDER-PAR 68 TO CAPTURE FIRST ROUND LEAD
Grilli fires 75 to lead after first round at Toftrees Resort

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. - Mu Hu of Bradenton, Fla., used seven birdies to end the first round with a two-stroke lead at the AJGA Nike Golf Junior All-Star Classic at Toftrees Resort. Michelle Grilli of Lutherville, Md., tops the leaderboard in the Girls Division with a 3-over-par 75.

Conducted by the American Junior Golf Association, the 54-hole event is being held at the par-72 Toftrees Resort and Four Star Golf Club. The field features 89 players, ages 13-15, from 22 states, the District of Columbia and Canada. The field also includes 26 Pennsylvania residents.

The Junior All-Star Series was started by the AJGA in 1998 with Ty Tryon winning the inaugural event in Kissimmee, Fla. The series has since grown annually and continues to feature top juniors from around the country, ages 13-15. In 2003 the series expanded to seven events with a championship being held over Labor Day weekend near Nike's headquarters in Beaverton, Ore.

"I played pretty well," Hu said. "I hit my iron shots great but did not putt as well as I would have liked."

Hu is no stranger to the winner's circle or the Nike Golf Junior All-Star Series. He picked up his first AJGA win earlier this summer at the AJGA Nike Golf Junior All-Star Classic at Ames.

"I really got some confidence after No. 3 and was feeling pretty good the rest of the day," said Hu. The 13-year-old carded birdies on Nos. 3, 5, 8, 9, 13, 17 and 18.

Grilli played in her first AJGA tournament of the summer two weeks ago at the AJGA Marsh Junior at Hawk Pointe where she finished in a tie for sixth. She was ready to come back this week to try to earn entrance to the AJGA Nike Golf Junior All-Star Series Championship.

"I was driving the ball good enough to work in the fairway," the 15-year-old said. "I made some important putts and just played consistently."

Grilli thought that the course conditions really helped with her play and acclimated well to her game. She also had birdies on Nos. 3 and 14.

"I got a lot of roll on my drives today," Grilli said. "The course is not very wet so my low drives work well."

Rounding out the top-five in the Boys Division are Craig Cerbins of Portage, Wis., with a 2-under-par 70. Jimmy Markovitz of Bridgeville, Pa., shot even-par 72 to finish the day in third. Timothy Kelly of Staten Island, N.Y., and Bo DeHuff of Coto de Caza, Calif., complete the top-five with 74s.

Natalie Sheary of West Hartford, Conn., finishes the round two strokes behind Grilli with a 77 while Alina Lee of Bradenton, Fla., comes in with a 78. Michele Romano of West Islip, N.Y., Lara Peffley of Lebanon, Pa., and Angela Oh of Maple Shade, N.J., round out the top-six with 81s.

Second-round tee times will begin at 7:30 a.m. on Wednesday off the No. 1 tee at Toftrees Resort & Four Star Golf Club.

For more information on the AJGA Nike Golf Junior All-Star Classic at Toftrees Resort contact tournament headquarters at (814) 238-6951, or visit our Web site at ajga.org.

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