DEVANE TAKES BOYS DIVISION MEDALIST HONORS IN SRIXON QUALIFIER
Huffer wins Girls Division medalist honors at LakeRidge Country Club

LUBBOCK, Texas — Edward DeVane III of San Antonio, recorded a 2-under-par 70 Monday at the Srixon Qualifier for the Randy Smith Classic presented by the Lubbock Sports Authority to capture the Boys Division medalist honors. Becca Huffer of Denver, took home medalist honors in the Girls Division with an even-par 72 at LakeRidge Country Club.

Conducted by the American Junior Golf Association, the Randy Smith Classic presented by the Lubbock Sports Authority Srixon Qualifier was an 18-hole shotgun event held at LakeRidge Country Club. The tournament field consisted of 64 players, 49 boys and 15 girls, from eight states. The Boys Division played the course at 6,645 yards and the Girls Division played at 5,813 yards.

DeVane, who started on No. 2, was even through his first eight holes, before making consecutive birdies on Nos. 10 and 11. Though he bogeyed No. 15, DeVane answered back with another birdie on the 487 yard, par-5 16th hole to put him back at 2-under-par for the round. DeVane was solid with his putter all day and said he feels comfortable with his game.

“After I birdied No. 16, I knew if I could just par out the rest of the way, I would be right there,” DeVane said. “I feel pretty good about my game. Last week I shot a 73 in the qualifier in Austin and I feel like as long as I can get off the tee well and make a few putts, I'll be in good shape this week.”

Also qualifying for this week's tournament in the Boys Division were Blake Nauert of Stamford, Texas, John Duke Hudson of Sonora, Texas, Robert Mills of Houston, Miles Hindsman of Austin, Texas, Travis Ralph of North Redington Beach, Fla., Derek Myers of Edmond, Okla., Jeffrey Weisheit of Flower Mound, Texas, Andrew McGee of Graham, Texas, Andy Quintero of St. Petersburg, Fla., Ryan Choi of Colorado Springs, Colo., and Kevin Clark of Abilene, Texas.

Elliot Feng of Albuquerque, N.M., Taylor Meadows of Boerne, Texas, Hunter Gaithright of San Antonio, Zachary Chyz of Las Vegas, Blake Chase of Colleyville, Texas, Jay Cox of Paris, Texas, and Richard Kalteyer of Dallas, all qualified for the tournament, but choose to take one AJGA Tournament Exemption in lieu of playing in this week's event.

In the Girls Division, Huffer, who started on No. 10, struggled to finish out her first nine, going bogey, double-bogey, and bogey, but bounced back with a 2-under-par 34 on the front to win by three strokes. Huffer struggled off the tee in the beginning, but figured out her swing on her back nine and is hoping to carry this momentum into the tournament.

“After I figured out my driver, I started hitting it straight and kept in the fairway and my back nine was fine,” Huffer said. “I thought my round went pretty well, I had four birdies; it was just a rough middle stretch. I've been playing well lately, so we'll see what happens this week.”

Chelsea Mocio of Fort Worth, Texas, also qualified, but chose to take one AJGA Tournament Exemption in lieu of playing in this week's event.

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 an annual junior membership (boys and girls ages 12-18) of more than 5,000 junior golfers from 49 states and more than 25 countries.

SRIXON Sports USA, Inc., based in Lawrenceville, Ga., has been distributing premium golf balls and equipment in the U.S. since 1997 and is a subsidiary of SRI Sports Limited. SRI Sports Limited is the number one golf club manufacturer in the world's second largest market, Japan, and is one of the world's leading patent holders in golf ball technology. SRIXON golf balls earned 26 tournament victories on multiple professional tours around the world in 2006.

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.

First-round tee times will begin at 7:30 a.m. Tuesday off the No. 1 tee at The Rawls Course at Texas Tech University. For more information about the Randy Smith Classic presented by the Lubbock Sports Authority, please contact Tournament Headquarters at (678) 485-1135 or visit ajga.org.