Back Nine Eagles Give Wong Girls Division Lead at the Aspen Junior Golf Classic
Kasten maintains lead in the Boys Division at Aspen Golf Club

ASPEN, Colo. — Alexandra Wong of San Francisco, holed two eagle putts on the back nine en route to a 2-under-par 69 in the second round of the Aspen Junior Golf Classic. In the Boys Division, Corbin Kasten of Southlake, Texas, carded a 4-over-par 75 taking a 4-stroke lead into the final round.

The Aspen Junior Golf Classic is a 54-hole stroke play event conducted by the American Junior Golf Association at Aspen Golf Club in Aspen, Colo. The tournament field includes 72 boys and 24 girls, ages 12-18, from 11 states and four countries. The Boys Division is playing the par-71 course at 7,092 yards and the Girls Division is playing at 6,012 yards.

Following her opening round of 2-over-par 73, Wong came out firing in the second round. After making the turn at 1-under-par 34, she took full advantage of the par-5s on the back nine, making eagles on Nos. 13 and 15. Wong entered the clubhouse with a 36-hole total of even-par 142 and takes a two stroke lead into the final round.

“The eagles mean a lot. I played here last year and was leading after the first day and then I struggled,” Wong said. “Tomorrow is going to be earlier and hopefully even par will hold me in there.”

Patricia Lee of Lone Tree, Colo., carded a 4-over-par 75 in Wednesday's second round and sits two strokes behind Wong in second. In third place, Mikayla Harmon of Gilbert, Ariz., fired a 4-over-par 75 giving her a two-day total of 7-over-par 149.

After posting a 3-under-par 68 in the opening round, Kasten was able to maintain his lead with a two-day total of 1-over-par 143. The Texas native credits his 36-hole success to ball striking, specifically on his approach shots. Entering Thursday's final round, Kasten looks to take his four stroke lead and play conservatively.

“I want to be smart off the tee and not do anything crazy,” Kasten said. “I've been hitting it close on my approach shots so the greens won't affect my game.”

Kolton Lapa of Mesa, Ariz., sits in second after carding a two-day total of 5-over-par 147. In a five-way tie for third each having carded a two-day total of 6-over-par 148 are Thayer White of Santa Barbara, Calif., Ryan Smith of Snowmass Village, Colo., Grant Griffin of Fort Worth, Texas, Cole Nygren of Niwot, Colo., and Clarke Hudgins of Amarillo, Texas.

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 more than 40 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, 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 500 victories on the PGA and LPGA Tours. AJGA alumni include Stewart Cink, Matt Kuchar, Hunter Mahan, Phil Mickelson, Tiger Woods, Paula Creamer, Cristie Kerr, Inbee Park and Morgan Pressel.

Final round tee times at the Aspen Junior Golf Classic will run off the Nos. 1 and 10 tees from 8-10:01 a.m. Thursday. For more information about the Aspen Junior Golf Classic, please contact AJGA National Headquarters at (678) 386-1487, or visit the AJGA website at ajga.org.

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