FU FIRES 1-OVER-PAR 73 TO KEEP LEAD IN TAMPA
Shin holds on to remain atop Girls Division at First American Title Junior Classic

TAMPA, Fla. — The scores were different, but at the end of the day the leaders in both divisions remained the same. In the Boys Division, Zhong Yang Fu of Bradenton, Fla., shot 1-over-par Wednesday for a two-day total of 2-under-par 142 at the First American Title Junior Classic. Michelle Shin of Cape Coral, Fla., managed to hold on to her lead in the Girls Division, carding a 7-over-par 79 for the day to end the second round with a tournament total of 4-over-par 148.

Conducted by the American Junior Golf Association, the First American Title Junior Classic is a 54-hole stroke play event being held at Avila Golf & Country Club. The 84-player field features players from 13 states, the Cayman Islands and Columbia. The Boys Division is playing the course at 6,911 yards, while the Girls Division is playing it at 6,071 yards.

Fu turned in another solid performance, carding three birdies and shooting 35-38 on the front and back nines, respectively.

“I feel good after today,” he said. “I hit a lot of fairways but my irons still need to improve.”

Fu credited his performance to a different approach for the day.

“Yesterday I went out and used a lot of driver and tried to get birdies,” Fu said. “Today I only used three drivers and just tried to play more consistently.”

Tied for second place, one stroke behind Fu, are Zeyu He and Yao-Chun Yang, both of Bradenton, Fla., with tournament totals of 1-under-par 143. In fourth place is Jay Woodward of Hilton Head Island, S.C., with a two-day total of even-par 144. Joseph Byun of Lake Mary, Fla., currently sits in fifth place after carding a 2-over-par 74 for a tournament total of 2-over-par 146.

In the Girls Division, Michelle Shin remains atop of the leaderboard despite a day that included two double bogeys and a triple bogey.

“I feel like I lost everything today,” Shin said. “I'm going to have to focus more because my head was just not in it at all.”

Shin did have four birdies throughout her round and said she hopes to regain form on the final day.

“Tomorrow I want to play like I did in the first round,” Shin said. “I was relaxed and played consistent, so if I can get back into that mode I can hopefully do a lot better.”

Devon Brown of Rancho Santa Fe, Calif., shot 5-over-par 77 to end the day in second place with a two-day total of 6-over-par 150. Three strokes behind Brown, with a tournament total of 9-over-par 153, is Andrea Messer of Largo, Fla.

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 49 states and 25 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, which is in its third decade of AJGA support, became the inaugural AJGA Premier Partner in 2004. In 2007, after 12 years of support, Polo Ralph Lauren became the AJGA's second Premier Partner.

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 Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Jim Furyk, Stewart Cink, Davis Love III, Cristie Kerr, Pat Hurst, Paula Creamer, Brittany Lincicome, Morgan Pressel and Julieta Granada.

For more information on the First American Title Junior Classic, please contact tournament headquarters at (813) 968-5285.