Pinizzotto and Liu Fighting for First AJGA Titles
Competition heats up during the second round of the TEE UP Junior Challenge presented by Kamen Rider Dragon Knight Cup

BEAUMONT, Calif. — Matt Pinizzotto of Salinas, Calif., surged to the front with a 5-under-par 67 in the second round of the TEE UP Junior Challenge presented by Kamen Rider Dragon Knight Cup. Yu Liu of Beijing, China, gaps the field in the Girls Division after carding a tournament-low 6-under-par in the second round.

Conducted by the American Junior Golf Association, the TEE UP Junior Challenge presented by Kamen Rider Dragon Knight Cup is a 54-hole stroke play event held at Oak Valley Golf Club in Beaumont, Calif. The 144-player field features 101 boys and 45 girls, representing nine states, Mexico, China, Argentina, Thailand and the Philippines. The Boys Division is playing the par-72 course from 6,995 yards and the Girls Division is playing from 6,089 yards.

Pinizzotto started his day well with four birdies on the front nine and a chip-in for birdie on No. 10. Pinizzotto ran into some trouble on the back nine, but his putting pulled him through.

“I made a lot of good putts today,” Pinozzotto said. “The biggest putt came on No. 15. After three straight bogeys, I made a 20-foot birdie putt that got me going again.”

Pinizzotto's second round of 5-under-par puts him at 8-under-par 136 for the tournament. Even though it is only his third AJGA event, Pinizzotto feels comfortable heading into the final round with the lead.

“The final round should be fun,” Pinizzotto said. “I've never been the leader going into the final round of an AJGA event before. It should be fun to see how I can handle it.”

Tyler Torano of Chula Vista, Calif., and Rak Cho of Brea, Calif., sit in a tie for second place with a tournament total of 5-under-par 139 heading into the final round. Daniel Chian of Covina, Calif., carded a 3-under-par 69 in the second round to put him in fourth place for the tournament with a 4-under-par 140. Ryan Tetrault of Orange, Calif., Jonah Texeira of Northridge, Calif., and Shuai Wu of Beijing, China, are tied in fifth in the Boys Division with scores of 3-under-par 141 for the tournament.

In the Girls Division, Liu followed up her even-par first round with a spectacular 6-under-par 66 in her second round. Liu tallied seven birdies on her way to grabbing a commanding four-stroke lead over the rest of the field at 6-under-par 138. Liu credited her success today to getting off to a good start.

“I birdied the first hole,” Liu said. “Whenever I can do that, I know that I am going to have a good day.”

In second place in the Girls Division is Elisabeth Bernabe of Anaheim Hills, Calif. She fired a 3-under-par 69 in the second round and now sits at 2-under-par 142 for the tournament. Chieh Peng of Beaumont, Calif., goes into the final round in third place at 1-under-par 143.

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.

Final round tee times will range from 7 — 8:39 a.m. off of Nos. 1 and 10 tees. For more information about the TEE UP Junior Challenge presented by Kamen Rider Dragon Knight Cup, please contact Tournament Headquarters at (678) 386-1487.