Suk Emerges as Second-Round Leader at Innisbrook Resort & Golf Club
Newell fires bogey free round to lead AJGA Junior at Innisbrook

PALM HARBOR, Fla. — Cyril Suk of Bradenton, Fla., ended at even-par 142 to lead the Boys Division heading into Sunday's final round at the AJGA Junior at Innisbrook. A.J. Newell of Tampa, Fla., did not card a bogey in her second round to shoot 4-under-par 66 for a two-day total of 2-under-par 138 and leads the Girls Division by three strokes.

Conducted by the American Junior Golf Association, The AJGA Junior at Innisbrook is a 54-hole stroke play event being held at Innisbrook Resort & Golf Club. The 210-player field features players from 30 states and five foreign countries. The Boys Division is playing the Copperhead Course at 7,330 yards, while the Girls Division is playing the North Course at 5,800 yards.

Starting the day from the tenth tee, Suk found a birdie on his second hole and would make the turn at 1-under-par. Despite trouble off the tee, Suk was able to combine four birdies with three bogeys for an under-par round of 70.

“I was putting really well today. I was all over off the tee, but was able to scramble back on the green to save par,” Suk said.

Daniel Berger of Jupiter, Fla., and Patrick Winther of Howey-in-the-Hills, Fla., both sit two shots back with 2-over-par 144s. Rounding out the top five in the Boys Division are Marshall Talkington of Jackson, Tenn., and Patrick Rodgers of Avon, Ind., both tied for fourth at 3-over-par 145.

Newell missed just one green in regulation on her way to an essentially flawless round. She used the conditions of the course to her advantage while carding four birdies and her first career bogey-free round.

“The fairways were awesome,” Newell said. “That helped out a lot with my iron shots into the green.”

This is Newell's third trip to Innisbrook over the Easter weekend and she attributes her steady play to comfort with the course layout.

“I feel comfortable out here,” Newell said. “I am just going to go out tomorrow and have fun.

Stephanie Meadow of Jordanstown, Northern Ireland, and Kelly Shon of Port Washington, N.Y., are both tied for second in the Girls Division at 1-over-par 141.

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 provides valuable exposure for college golf scholarships, and has an annual junior membership (boys and girls ages 12-18) of approximately 5,000 junior golfers from 49 states and 30 countries. To ensure scholarship opportunities for all junior golfers who have the skill, the AJGA created the Achieving Competitive Excellence (ACE) Grant program to provide financial assistance to young players in need.

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. Former AJGA juniors have compiled more than 400 victories on the PGA and LPGA Tours. AJGA alumni include Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Stewart Cink, Cristie Kerr, Paula Creamer and Morgan Pressel.

The final round of the AJGA Junior at Innisbrook begins Sunday at Innisbrook Resort & Golf Club. Tee times for the Boys Division run 8-9:42 a.m. off the Nos. 1 and 10 tees on the Copperhead Course, while the Girls Division tee times run 8-9:48 a.m. off the Nos. 1 and 10 tees on the North Course. For more information about the tournament, call Tournament Headquarters at (727) 942-2000, room 2787.