SHERRY SEALS WIN WITH 5 CONSECUTIVE BIRDIES
Miller wins Girls Division in her first Srixon Qualifier

TAMPA, Fla.—Aaron Sherry of Fort Myers, Fla., eagled No. 6 and birdied the next five holes to claim medalist honors at the Srixon Qualifier for the First American Title Junior Classic Sunday. Christina Miller of Bradenton, Fla., won the Girls Division in her first-ever Srixon Qualifier.

The Srixon Qualifier was a par-67, 17-hole stipulated event conducted by the American Junior Golf Association at The Claw at the University of South Florida. Due to course condition, hole No. 9 was not played. The field featured 67 players, 51 boys and 16 girls, ages 12-18 from 13 states and four foreign countries. The top 13 players from the Boys Division and the top four players from the Girls Division qualified to play in the First American Title Junior Classic, June 26-29.

Sherry relied heavily on his short game during his 1-under-par 66 round.

“I chipped in for eagle on No. 6 and followed with birdies on Nos. 7, 8, 10, 11, and 12,” Sherry said, who chose to take a tournament exemption in lieu of playing in the First American Title Junior Classic. “I made two 15-foot putts for birdie in a row.”

Twelve other boys qualified including Zhong Yang Fu of Bradenton, Fla., Komsith Huachai of Windermere, Fla., Charlie Grace of Windermere, Fla., Billy Bowling of Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., Dylan Malafronte of Tampa, Fla.., Christopher Rollins of White Plains, N.Y., Michael Rafalowicz of Key Biscayne, Fla., Joseph Byun of Lake Mary, Fla., John Olsen of Mahwah, N.J., Jason Walker of Fort Pierce, Fla., David Ostrowski of Burlington, N.C., Ben Powers of Tampa, Fla., and Fu Xue of Richmond, British Columbia.

Those who chose to take a tournament exemption in lieu of playing in this week's event include Julian Suri of St. Augustine, Fla., Rick Kittelstad of Lutz, Fla., Matt Carroll of Heathrow, Fla., Nicholas Wilson of Rocheport, Mo., Alex Yost of Weston, Fla., Byeong-hun An of Seongnam, South Korea, Nicholas Wilson of Rocheport, Mo., Randall Andersen of Lakeland, Flas., Drew Mathews of Winter Haven, Fla., Jason Burstyn of Miami, Fla., and Hojin Kang of Longwood, Fla.

In the Girls Division, Miller led the field by two strokes after carding a 68 in her first Srixon qualifier. Similar to Sherry, she attributed her win to solid putting.

“I focused on leaving it a foot from the hole,” Miller said. “I set myself up for many tap-ins for par.”

As for this week's tournament, Miller plans to step up her iron game.

“I am going to try to hit all greens in regulation and do what I can do to make putts,” Miller said.

Other qualifying girls are Alexandra Bodemann of Palm City, Fla., Lindy Duncan of Plantation, Fla., and Ginger Howard of Bradenton, Fla. Monica Miller of Davie, Fla., qualified, but chose to take a tournament exemption in lieu of playing in this week's event.

SRIXON Sports USA, Inc., based in Norcross, Ga., has been distributing premium golf balls and equipment in the U.S. since 1997 and is a subsidiary of SRI Sports. SRI Sports is one of the world's leading patent holders in golf ball technology and manufactures several golf balls played in the United States. SRI Sports-made balls have won 73 PGA TOUR events since 1989, including seven majors. For more information about SRIXON, please visit www.srixon.com.

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, a supporter of the AJGA since 1983, 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, Jim Furyk, Paula Creamer, Morgan Pressel, Grace Park and Cristie Kerr.

The first round of the First American Title Junior Classic at the Tournament Players Club of Tampa Bay will be June 27, 2006, with tee times starting at 7:00 a.m. For more information about the First American Junior Classic please contact tournament headquarters at (813) 949-0091, ext.207, or call Tournament Director Whitney Ross at (770) 861-0519.

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