GRIBBLE SETS RECORD AT NATURAL RESOURCE PARTNERS BLUEGRASS JUNIOR
Do comes from behind to claim Girls Division title

ASHLAND, Ky. — Cody Gribble of Dallas set a new tournament record when he claimed the Boys Division title at the Natural Resource Partners Bluegrass Junior by nine strokes with a score of 10-under-par 200. Brianna Do of Lakewood, Calif., came from a one-stroke deficit to take the Girls Division title.

The Natural Resource Partners Bluegrass Junior was a 54-hole tournament conducted by the American Junior Golf Association at Bellefonte Country Club in Ashland, Ky. The 120-player field boasts 90 boys and 30 girls from 24 states.

Gribble began the day with a comfortable lead, after an opening-round 63 that tied the mens' course record and a second-round 66. He knew he could claim his first AJGA victory if he stuck to his strategy of hitting fairways and greens. After getting into trouble on No. 10, Gribble composed himself and finished the final round with a 1-over-par 71.

“I knew I could do it. I just had to hit fairways and greens; take pars and move on,” said Gribble. “To win this and be mentioned with names like Ben Curtis means a lot and gives me tons of confidence for other tournaments.”

Finishing the tournament in second place with a score of 209 was Cory Amory of Crozet, Va., while Thomas Buran of Scottsdale, Ariz., and Logan Blondell of Lakeland, Fla., tied for third with scores of 211. Eric Lodge of Houston and Chase Wright of Muncie, Ind., both carded tournament totals of 212 to finish tied for fifth.

In the Girls Division, Do, who will be a junior in the fall, showed no intimidation as she began the day paired with two girls who have already committed to Division I schools. She got off to a hot start, making birdie on No. 1 then fought through an up-and-down round to take the lead and claim her third AJGA title.

“I have not been finishing well, so winning this makes me feel really good,” Do said. “Today I wanted to play my own game, going stroke-by-stroke, just hoping to play well.”

With a tournament total of 223, Candace Schepperle of Hoover, Ala., finished in second place. Molly Aronsson of Shelburne, Vt., finished in third with a tournament total of 226.

The Natural Resource Partners Bluegrass Junior is in its 23rd year and is one of the oldest tournaments on the AJGA schedule. Many of the PGA Tours brightest stars have participated in the Natural Resource Bluegrass Junior throughout its storied history including Jim Furyk, Charles Howell III, Steve Flesch and past champion Ben Curtis, who went on to win the British Open and captain a Ryder Cup team.

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 countries.

Titleist, the AJGA's National Sponsor, has been the catalyst and driving force behind the Association's success since 1989. Rolex Watch USA, 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.

For more information about the Natural Resource Partners Bluegrass Junior, please contact national headquarters at 770-868-4200.