KARLE, PERROTT TIE FOR THE LEAD WITH MATCHING 66s
Kim leads Girls Division by one stroke in her first Open Event at Angel Park Golf Club

LAS VEGAS — Austyn Karle of Scottsdale, Ariz., and Robert Perrott III of Rio Rico, Ariz., each fired 5-under-par 66s to tie for the Boys Division lead in the first round of the Las Vegas Founders Junior Golf Championship Presented by Meadow Gold Dairy. In the Girls Division, Nara Kim of Diamond Bar, Calif., bests the field with 36-38—74.

Conducted by the American Junior Golf Association, the Las Vegas Founders Junior Golf Championship Presented by Meadow Gold Dairy is being held on the Mountain Course at Angel Park Golf Club. The field features 63 boys and 21 girls, ages 12-18, from 13 states, with 33 of the juniors hailing from California.

Perrott III began his first AJGA Open event by going birdie, eagle on his first two holes. The 16-year-old played steady golf from then on due to a mindset he's adopted when in the lead.

“Sometimes when I'm in the lead, I like to think that I'm behind,” Perrott III said. “So I keep grinding for a good score.”

Co-leader Karle was granted a hot putter, draining cross-country putts from 30 feet and 50 feet. If Karle can hold onto the lead through the next two rounds, he thinks the victory will assure him a chance to play golf for an Ivy League school.

“I'd get to go to where I want to go to college,” Karle said. “Anywhere Ivy League, or Notre Dame.”

Tying for third after the first round for the Boys Division are Jason Shano of Scottsdale, Ariz., and Andrew Augustyniak of Tempe, Ariz., with 30-37—67 and 33-34—67 respectively. Currently in fifth place with matching 68s are Jack Welch and Christopher Plappert, both of Las Vegas.

After taking second place in the 2005 Nike Golf Junior at Redhawk, 16-year-old Kim sits at the top of the leaderboard for the Girls Division in her first Open event with 3-over-par 74.

“I'm (both) nervous and happy at the same time,” Kim said of her one-stroke lead.

Kim carded a birdie on No. 3 to finish the front nine 1-over-par and ended with a solid string of pars on Nos. 11-16. The sophomore said she was going to focus on her putting stroke for tomorrow's round, similar to what she did to get ready for the AJGA tournament.

“I prepared for this tournament by practicing more,” she said. “It's really challenging and fun.”

In the Girls Division, Sungmin (Victoria) Park of Irvine, Calif., and Bethany Glassford of Henderson, Nev., are tied for second after finishing the first round with 75s.

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 largest Association of its kind, the AJGA has a junior membership (boys and girls ages 12-18) of approximately 5,000 junior golfers from 50 states and 30 foreign counties.

Titleist, the AJGA's National Sponsor, has been the catalyst and driving force behind the Association's success since 1989. Rolex Watch USA, which is in its third decade of support, became the inaugural AJGA Premier Partner in 2004.

AJGA alumni have risen to the top of amateur, collegiate and professional golf. More than 160 former AJGA juniors currently play on the PGA and LPGA Tours and have compiled more than 300 wins. AJGA alumni include Phil Mickelson, Tiger Woods, Davis Love III, Mike Weir, Charles Howell III, Jim Furyk, Grace Park, Cristie Kerr, Candie Kung and Paula Creamer.

The second round of the Las Vegas Founders Junior Golf Championship Presented by Meadow Gold Dairy will begin Wednesday, June 14 with tee times running from 7-8:57 a.m. off the Nos. 1 and 10 tees. For more information on the Las Vegas Founders Junior Golf Championship Presented by Meadow Gold Dairy, contact tournament headquarters at (702) 254-0564.

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