Brueckner, Burns and Garcia share lead at Bella Collina
Three-way tie leads Girls Division at Montverde Academy Junior All-Star Invitational

Montverde, Fla. — With the second round shortened to nine holes, Jorge Garcia of Miami, Sam Burns of Shreveport, La., and William Brueckner of Walnut Creek, Calif., moved into the lead in the Boys Division with a two-day total of 1-over-par 109 at the Montverde Academy Junior All-Star Invitational. Abbey Carlson of Lake Mary, Fla., Kristen Gillman of Austin, Texas, and Lilia Vu of Fountain Valley, Calif., shot a 27-hole total of 6-over-par 114 to take the Girls Division lead at Bella Collina.

The Montverde Academy Junior All-Star Invitational is a 45-hole stroke play event held at Bella Collina. The 78-player field is made up of junior boys and girls, ages 12-15, who have had success in this season's Gary Gilchrist Golf Academy Junior All-Star Series. In all, 15 states are being represented along with players from 11 foreign countries. Due to inclement weather, the second round was condensed to a stipulated nine-hole round. The Boys Division played the par-36 Nos. 1-9 to 3,396 yards, while the Girls Division played the par-36 Nos. 10-18 at 2,951 yards.

Garcia joins the leaders in the Boys Division with a second round 3-under-par 33. He had three birdies for the day.

“I knew I had to get off hot in the beginning to make a run for it today and ended up making birdies on Nos. 2, 6 and 9.”

Burns shares the lead after carding a 1-under-par 35 and consistent play was key to his low round score.

“I kept making pars today,” Burns said. “I birdied No. 9 both days and played consistently overall.”

Brueckner climbed atop the leaderboard with an even-par 36 in the second round. He earned a spot on the Gary Gilchrist Golf Academy Junior All-Star Team after claiming victory at the 2011 Junior All-Star at River Ridge.

“Overall I just tried to keep my spirits up out there today,” Brueckner said, “The people that love the game the most are the people that want to be out there playing in conditions like this, and I'm one of those people.”

David Mackey of Bogart, Ga., and Dylan Wu of Medford, Ore., are tied for fourth in the Boys Division with a two-day tournament total of 3-over-par 111.

In the Girls Division, Florida native Carlson finished even-par after nine holes. She has four top-15 finishes in AJGA events this year.

“I really had fun today so it was easy for me to relax,” Carlson said. “Also, I kept the ball in the fairway today which is hard on a course like this.”

Gillman's ability to overcome the weather along with her birdie on No. 12 contributed to her 1-over-par 37.

“Today I was prepared for the rain and I play much better in the rain anyway,” Gillman said. “I hit the ball well which made it easier for me to get birdie opportunities.”

Moving into a tie for the lead, Vu stayed positive throughout her round and shot a 1-over-par 37 in the second round.

“No. 15 was my strongest hole because I made my birdie putt which was a relief for me,” Vu said. “I always think there is a chance to come back so I am just going to focus on my game and no one else tomorrow.”

Founded in 1912, Montverde Academy is an independent college preparatory school located in Montverde, Florida. The Academy prepares junior golfers, student athletes and students from across the world with world-class academics and nationally-recognized athletic programs.

Gary Gilchrist Golf Academy, a full-time signature golf instruction program located in Howey-in-the-Hills, Fla., began as an Official Partner of the AJGA in 2009. The partnership features an endowment of an Achieving Competitive Excellence (ACE) Grant and the naming rights to the Gary Gilchrist Golf Academy Junior All-Star Series.

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 for the Boys Division will run from 8-10:40 a.m. off the No. 10 tee and the Girls Division will run from 8:30-9:50 a.m. off the No. 1 tee at Bella Collina Monday, Oct. 10. For more information on the Montverde Academy Junior All-Star Invitational, please contact Tournament Headquarters at (678) 617-9917 or visit the AJGA website at ajga.org.

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