Petchenik Takes the Boys Division Lead at McArthur Towel & Sports Future Legends

English Sits Atop Girls Leaderboard at The Legend at Bristlecone Pines

HARTLAND, Wis. — Steven Petchenik of Glenview, Ill., carded a 1-under-par 69 to take the first-round lead of the McArthur Towel & Sports Future Legends at The Legend at Bristlecone. Lauren English of Bloomington, Ill., finished with a 1-over-par 71 to take the Girls-Division lead.

The McArthur Towel & Sports Future Legends is a 54-hole stroke play tournament conducted by the American Junior Golf Association at The Legend at Bristlecone in Hartland, Wis. The tournament field consists of 120 boys and girls ages 12-18 from 16 states. The Boys Division is playing the par-70 course at 6,773 yards while the Girls Division is playing at 5,970 yards.

Petchenik's consistent play in the first round earned him a spot atop the Boys Division leaderboard entering Thursday's second round. The 2011 graduate finished the day with three birdies and two bogies, following his strategy to early success.

“I'm trying to pick my places,” Petchenik said.” A lot of the time I am aiming 20 yards left or right just to play it safe, make my par, and when I have a green light I will go after a pin.”

Michael Grayson of Highland Park Ill., will head into the second round in second place at even-par 70. Five boys are tied for third, including Nate Strigenz of Fon du Lac, Wis., Jacob Gould of Carmel, Ind., Collin Foster of Clive, Iowa, David Christian of Oconomowoc, Wis., and Ryan Medhaug of Veblen, S.D.

In the Girls Division, Lauren English holds a two-stroke lead over the competition. English is coming off a third-place finish at the AJGA Junior at Quad Cities, a performance that marked the ninth top-10 finish of her AJGA career. Even though English is still searching for her first AJGA victory, she says she will not let the early lead change her approach.

“I try not to think about it too much I try to play my own game,” English said. “I have never won an AJGA event and would really like to, but I am going to play my own game for the next few rounds.”

Behind English, tied for second place is Alex Stewart of Peoria, Ariz., and 2009 McArthur Towel & Sports Future Legends Champion Kris Yoo of Schaumburg, Ill., both tied at 3-over-par 73.

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.

Second-round tee times will run from 7 a.m. — 1:30 p.m. off the first tee at The Legend at Bristlecone. For more information about the McArthur Towel & Sports Future Legends contact tournament headquarters at (678) 617-2420.