Hometown Hero, Garber, Handles the Heather in Coca-Cola Junior Championship at Boyne Highlands
Foster prevails in playoff to take Girls Division and capture first AJGA win on the Heather Course

HARBOR SPRINGS, Mich. — After leading the first two rounds of the Coca-Cola Junior Championship at Boyne Highlands, Joey Garber of Petoskey, Mich., pulled out a four-stroke victory giving him a tournament total of 6-under-par 210. In the Girls Division, Christina Foster of Concord, Ontario, fired a 1-under-par 71 to provide her with her first AJGA win and a 2-over-par 218 for the tournament. Foster beat out Martina Bertuccioli of Cordoba, Argentina, in a sudden-death playoff for the win.

The Coca-Cola Junior Championship at Boyne Highlands was a 54-hole stroke play event conducted by the American Junior Golf Association at the Boyne Highlands Resort — Heather Course in Harbor Springs, Mich. The 143-player tournament field featured 108 boys and 35 girls, ages 12-18, from 17 states, Argentina, China, Thailand and Canada. The Boys Division played the par-72 course at 6,996 yards while the Girls Division played at 6,077 yards.

Garber started the day strong with birdies on the first two holes. After making a few mistakes and bogeying Nos. 5 and 6, Garber was able to par the next six holes, and make a final birdie on No. 13, giving him three for the day.

“No. 13 was my best hole, I was able to birdie that hole all three days,” Garber said. “I knew the finishing holes would be tough, so I tried to do as well as possible on the front side.”

Garber says he struggled with his short game all week, but was able to consistently hit the ball well off the tee and stay in the fairways to keep him steady.

“This is my home course, so I know that if you can manage to stay in the fairways this course isn't too hard,” Garber said. “I was able to hit good shots off the tee, and that got me the victory.”

After carding a low final round of 5-under-par 67, Sean Friel, of Rochester Hills, Mich., was able to grab the second place spot at 2-under-par 214. In third place was Nicholas Scott of Union, Ohio, with a 1-under-par 215. Tied for fourth place were KK Limbhaust of Bangkok, Thailand, and Andrew Fogg of Greenwood, Ind., at even-par 216.

In the Girls Division, 14-year-old Foster also began her round strong with birdies on Nos. 1, 3 and 4. Foster finished No. 18 with a bogey to force a sudden-death playoff with Bertuccioli . In the first hole of the playoff, Foster hit her second shot only five feet short of the hole, and secured the win.

“I can't explain what I am feeling, I have worked so hard for this,” Foster said. “I was steady throughout the day, everything was working for me; my putting was unbelievable, my irons were on, and my drives were great. I was really nervous on No. 18, I felt as though I did well and that last putt was good, it just didn't go in.”

Bertuccioli took second place at 2-over-par 218. Kris Yoo of Schaumburg, Ill., finished third at 6-over-par- 222.

Boyne Highlands Resort, located in Harbor Springs, Michigan, is home to The Golf Channel's Big Break X: Michigan. The full-service resort lures golfers with 72 holes of public play championship golf and delights vacationers with its Scottish charm. Luxury accommodations, savory cuisine, a par-3 course, horseback trail rides and the Young Americans Dinner Theatre make Boyne Highlands Resort a popular destination for golf and family vacations. Golf and lodging packages start at $76 per person. For more information, visit www.BOYNE.com.

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.

For more information about the Coca-Cola Junior Championship at Boyne Highlands, please contact AJGA National Headquarters at (770) 868-4200.