AJGA HENRY-GRIFFITTS BLUEGRASS JUNIOR INVITATIONAL
Bellefonte Country Club
Ashland, Kentucky
June 18-21, 2002

MUDD HOLDS ONTO A ONE-STROKE LEAD
Wade leads at 2-over-par in Girls Division

ASHLAND, Ky. - Competition heated up along with the weather in the second round of the AJGA Henry-Griffitts Bluegrass Junior Invitational Thursday as second-team All-American Jessie Mudd of Louisville, Ky., shot a 2-under-par 68 to maintain the Boys Division lead. Second-team Polo Golf Junior All-American Whitney Wade of Glasgow, Ky., fired a 2-over-par 72 to take the lead in the Girls Division.

The 54-hole tournament, hosted by the American Junior Golf Association, features 120 players from 24 states and Mexico, including 27 Kentucky natives.

Mudd started the day strong with an eagle on the first hole despite hitting the ball onto the No. 18 fairway from the tee. He paced the field throughout the day leading at 6-under-par through No. 14, but struggled with the last four holes carding two bogeys and a double bogey.

"I'm not disappointed with myself," Mudd, who will celebrate his 17th birthday Friday, said. "If anything, I'm mad at myself for shooting 2-under when I've been leading most of the day at 6-under."

Fellow Louisville, Ky., native Michael Haverfield moved up the leaderboard after shooting the low round of the day with a 5-under-par 65. The 16-year-old, who was four strokes back entering the day, closed in on the gap and trails Mudd by one stroke.

"I would love to win this tournament," Haverfield said. "This is not only my hometown but it's also my home turf. I'd like to keep the title in Kentucky."

Jared Jones of Kenova, W.Va., and Thomas Wiegand of Avon Lake, Ohio, each shot 1-under-par 69 for 36-hole scores of 134 and 139, respectively. Tied for fifth at even-par 140 are C.J. Gatto of Columbus, Ohio, and Brandon Lawson of Elburn, Ill.

Pacing the Girls Division is Wade who fired a 72 to seize a one-stroke advantage over Brittany Lincicome of Pinellas Park, Fla. The 16-year-old looks to establish a significant lead Friday by remaining focused on her game and not her friendship with Lincicome.

"I know I need to keep up with Brittany," Wade said. "You can't count anybody out from this tournament yet. I need to play it safe and not mess up."

Lincicome shot a 3-over-par 73 on the day for a 143 total. Noriko Nakazaki of Hanover Park, Ill., rounds out the top three girls after carding the Girls Division low round of the day with a 1-under-par 69.

Final-round tee times will run 7 a.m. - 12:51 p.m. off the No. 1 tee at Bellefonte Country Club.

For more information on the Henry-Griffitts Bluegrass Junior Invitational, please contact tournament headquarters at (606) 326-0341.

##AJGA##