Lyons Cards Low with 65 to Lead at Rivercut Golf Course
Lee Leads by 2 Strokes in Girls Division at the Bass Pro Shops / Payne Stewart Junior Championship

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — Landon Lyons of Baton Rouge, La., fired a 7-under-par 65 to lead the first round of the Bass Pro Shops / Payne Stewart Junior Championship. In the Girls Division, Patricia Lee of Lone Tree, Colo., posted a 2-under-par 70 to take the lead after the first round at Rivercut Golf Course.

The Bass Pro Shops / Payne Stewart Junior Championship is a 54-hole stroke play tournament conducted by the American Junior Golf Association at the Rivercut Golf Course in Springfield, Mo. The tournament field consists of 99 boys and girls ages 12-18 from 17 states and Thailand. The Boys Division is playing the par-72 course at 6,930 yards while the Girls Division is playing at 6,010 yards.

Although Lyons said he struggled this season in the opening holes, he did not seem to have trouble Tuesday when he started with two consecutive birdies. Lyons continued his round with only one bogey on No. 8, which he quickly overcame by tallying four birdies on the back nine.

“I wasn't too down on myself after the bogey,” the Louisiana State University commit said. “The fact that I was 3-under helped a lot and I knew there were more birdie opportunities on the back nine.”

Lyons totaled eight birdies in the first round to take a 3-stroke lead, which he hopes to continue throughout the tournament. With five top-5 finishes under his belt, Lyons said he would like to win at his last AJGA event.

“I played well overall today, hitting 16 greens and making birdie putts, I wish I could do that every day,” Lyons said.

Donald Stimble of Shell Knob, Mo., follows Lyons in second place after posting a 4-under-par 68. Dylan Siebenaler of Sugar Land, Texas will go into Wednesday's round in third place at 69, while Landon Hearnes of Mayflower, Ark., and Connor Davis of Olive Branch, Miss., sit in fourth at 70.

In the Girls Division, Lee recorded six birdies en route to her 2-under-par 70. Despite a bogey on No. 1, Lee came back with birdies on Nos. 4, 5 and 6 to put her at even-par 36 on the front nine. She continued the back nine in stride, adding three more birdies to her card, which put her at 2-under-par 34 for the back nine.

“My putting was pretty good today and it helped a lot,” Lee said. “I had too many bogies on the front, but the back nine made up for it because I made fewer mistakes.”

Lee holds five top-3 finishes in AJGA events and said she learned a lot thus far about her golf game this summer.

“I'm working on trying not to get heated if I'm not starting off well,” Lee said. “If I stay calm, hopefully things will fall into place.”

Summar Roachell of Conway, Ark., posted an even-par 72 to place second while Grace Choi of Dallas came in with a 75 for third.

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 second-round tee times will run from 7:30 a.m. — 12:50 p.m. off the first tee at Rivercut Golf Course. For more information about the Bass Pro Shops / Payne Stewart Junior Championship contact tournament headquarters at (678) 571-7994.