BARRETT WINS AJGA RICHMOND JUNIOR AT INDEPENDENCE IN 2-HOLE PLAYOFF
Altomare seals Girls Division by 11 strokes
MIDLOTHIAN, Va.-Patrick Barrett of Pinehurst, N.C., won his first-ever American Junior Golf Association title after a two-hole sudden-death playoff that included Vincent Nadeau of Edmond, Okla., Thursday. Brittany Altomare of Shrewsbury, Mass., finished strong to win her second Girls Division title with rounds of 72-72-70-214.
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 AJGA, the largest Association of its kind, has an annual junior membership (boys and girls ages 12-18) of approximately 5,000 junior golfers from 50 states and 30 foreign countries.
Barrett, who led Nadeau and the rest of the field by four strokes going into the final round, finished the day with an even-par 72 to tie Nadeau at a tournament total of 11-under-par 205 and force a playoff for the championship.
“My goal was to have it won by No. 18 fairway,” Barrett said, who bogeyed the last two holes of his round. “I got out of my routine a few times and on No. 17 and 18 I got ahead of myself.”
In the first round of the playoff, Nadeau's drive off the tee skipped over the water three times before landing safely on the other side. Nadeau's approach shot landed short of the green and followed with a chip-in for birdie.
Barrett responded with a lengthy 25-foot putt for birdie to extend the playoff to a second hole.
“My 25-foot putt on the first playoff hole was the best shot of my life, by far,” Barrett said.
On the second playoff hole, Nadeau got up and down out of the bunker for par. Barrett put his second shot on the green, eight feet from the flagstick. Without hesitation, Barrett sunk the birdie putt to claim the title.
Following the playoff, Nadeau secured second, while Jake An of Centreville, Va., took third at 6-under-par 210. Sam Beach of Glen Allen, Va., and Andew Kay of Pittsford, N.Y., tied for fourth at a tournament total of 211.
In the Girls Division, Altomare, who won the Fidelity Investments Junior Classic in 2005, shot a 2-under-par 70 in the final round to claim the title with a tournament total 214, 11 strokes ahead of the field.
“On No. 7 I hit a 4-iron to five feet, and that's when everything started going my way,” Altomare said, who carded five birdies on the day to sustain her lead.
Altomare attributed her success to her driver and putter.
“The longest putt I had was on No. 14. I had to putt up and over the ridge” Altomare said, who sunk the 25-footer for birdie. “It was all about speed because I knew I had the line.”
Joy Trotter of Chino Hills, Calif., and Sara Hurwitch of Potomac Falls, Va., tied for second with tournament totals of 225.
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.
For more information on the AJGA Richmond Junior at Independence please contact National Headquarters at (770) 868- 4200 or visit the AJGA Web site at ajga.org.
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