LAVIN, BULLINGTON AND GLEIXNER CO-MEDAL AT DALHOUSIE GOLF CLUB
Mitchell takes Girls Division medal with 1-over-par 73 at Dalhousie Junior Championship Qualifier

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. — Bennett Lavin of Deerfield, Ill., Brian Bullington of Frankfort, Ill., and Louis Gleixner of Greenwood, Ind., each carded an even-par 72 to share medalist honors at the Qualifier for the Dalhousie Junior Championship. Natalie Mitchell of Germantown, Tenn., posted a 1-over-par 73 to take the medal in the Girls Division.

Conducted by the American Junior Golf Association, the Qualifier for the Dalhousie Junior Championship was an 18-hole stroke play event held at the Dalhousie Golf Club. The tournament field featured 62 boys and 10 girls, ages 12-18, from 13 states. The Boys Division played the par-72 course at 6,935 yards, while the Girls Division played the course at 6,049 yards.

Lavin hit 11 of 14 fairways, only missing those where he did not use a driver. Lavin's proudest moment came on the No. 18 green.

“I landed it up top and it rolled all the way down to about 30 feet,” Lavin said. “It's always fun when you two-putt for birdie.”

Bullington had two consecutive birdies nearing the end of his round, Nos. 18 and 1, crediting clever play on the greens.

“I had 27 putts for the day,” Bullington said. “I was really rolling it well.”

Gleixner has been focusing on his short game and it paid off Sunday as he carded three birdies during the round.

“I got up and down from everywhere,” Gleixner said. “I chipped in and I made a 50 footer today.”

Lavin and Bullington opted to take a Tournament Exemption in lieu of playing in the tournament.

Joining Gleixner and qualifying for the tournament were McCormick Clouser of Bluffton, Ind., Steve Skurla of Wheaton, Ill., Brock Neighbors of Westerville, Ohio, Geoffrey Fernquist of Warrensburg, Mo., Matt Johnson of Little Rock, Ark., Taylor Johnson of Oconomowoc, Wisc., Carter Holmquist of Lakeville, Minn., Devlin Keenoy of Glen Carbon, Ill., Johnny Norton of Noblesville, Ind., and Jason Vann of Fulton, Mo.

Also qualifying but opting to take a Tournament Exemption were Ben-Marvin Egel of Kokomo, Ind., Josh Edison of Springfield, Ill., Nicholas Grubnich of Crown Point, Ind., Alex Cusumano of St. Louis, Wes Bowman of Fishers, Ind., and David Christian of Oconomowoc, Wisc.

In the Girls Division, Mitchell claimed the medal by five strokes. She concentrated on fairways and greens, acknowledging the importance of both at Dalhousie Golf Club. Mitchell also felt putting was the most significant part of her game.

“I was really confident and focused,” said Mitchell, who opted to take a Tournament Exemption in lieu of playing in this week's event. “Every putt I stood up to I knew I would at least two-putt and get it close.”

Qualifying were Tori Stock of Woodstock, Ill., Summar Roachell of Conway, Ark., Samantha Marks of Maitland, Fla., and Becca Godman of Cordova, Tenn.

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 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.

The opening round of the Dalhousie Junior Championship will be Tuesday, August 12 with tee times running off the Nos. 1 and 10 tees from 7- 8:39 a.m. and noon — 1:39 p.m. For more information about the Dalhousie Junior Championship please contact Tournament Headquarters at (770) 601-8922.