McCarthy Makes Move, Takes Lead into Final Round at FootJoy Invitational
Trio lurks just two back at Sedgefield Country Club

GREENSBORO, N.C. — Denny McCarthy of Burtonsville, Md., fired a 4-under-par 66 to emerge from the pack and grab a two-shot lead after the third round of the FootJoy Invitational. Five players are within three shots going into Friday's final round.

Conducted by the American Junior Golf Association, the FootJoy Invitational is a 72-hole stroke play event held at Sedgefield Country Club in Greensboro, N.C. The 98-player field features golfers from 26 states, Chile, Japan and Mexico. The field includes 25 players who have already signed National Letters of Intent as well as 23 Rolex Junior All-Americans. Home of the PGA TOUR's Wyndham Championship, the par-70 course is played at 7,116 yards. Past champions include Justin Thomas, Brian Harman, Daniel Woltman, Andrew Yun and Peter Uihlein. The field was cut to the top 60 and ties after the third round.

McCarthy, No. 9 in the Polo Golf Rankings, said he used an aggressive game plan to make his move, firing at pins and continuing to look for birdie opportunities to establish his lead. However, with a pack of players waiting to overtake him, McCarthy realizes his lead isn't safe.

“Everyone out here is an extremely great player,” McCarthy said. “I'm going to have to go out tomorrow and do the same thing and fire a good number. I'm definitely not safe where I am right now. Hopefully tomorrow I can go out and be aggressive again and see where that puts me.”

Right on McCarthy's heels at 7-under-par are Anthony Paolucci of Del Mar, Calif., Shun Yat Hak of Lake Mary, Fla., and second-round leader Tanner Kesterson of Plano, Texas.

Paolucci, a runner-up at FootJoy in 2009 and a winner just a month ago at the Thunderbird International Junior, regained his form from the first day, using a 3-under-par 67 Thursday to get himself into position going into the final round. He was bogey-free until carding two fives to end his round, something he knows he can't do in the final round if he hopes to take home the title.

“It's going to come down to the last five holes,” said Paolucci, who is ranked No. 4 in the Polo Golf Rankings. “That's what happened last year. You're going to have to make birdies, so I'm just going to go out there, shoot as low as I can and see what happens.”

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.

Tee times for the final round will run from 7 a.m. — 10:20 a.m. off the No. 1 tee at Sedgefield Country Club. For more information about the FootJoy Invitational contact Tournament Headquarters at (336) 218-0077.