Grubnich Grabs Win in Sudden-Death Playoff at The Country Club at Muirfield Village
Weaver wins by 12 to repeat victory at the Columbus Junior presented by the Memorial Tournament

DUBLIN, Ohio — Nicholas Grubnich of Crown Point, Ind., fired a 6-under-par 210 and fought through five playoff holes to claim the win in the Boys Division. Lindsey Weaver of Scottsdale, Ariz., shot a final-round 2-over-par 74 on her way to finishing with a 12-stroke victory in the Girls Division.

The Columbus Junior presented by the Memorial Tournament was a 54-hole stroke play tournament conducted by the American Junior Golf Association at The Country Club at Muirfield Village. The tournament field featured 75 boys and 24 girls, ages 12-18, from 17 states, Thailand, Mexico and Canada. The Boys Division played the par-72 course at 6,835 yards while the Girls Division played at 6,090 yards.

Grubnich, who birdied the fifth playoff hole No. 8, shot a 2-under-par 70 to claim his first-ever AJGA victory. Starting his round with a 2-over-par 38 on the front nine, Grubnich turned his game around and carded a 4-under-par 32 on the back nine. Grubnich went 11-under-par on the back nine this week.

“I have played really well on the back here,” Grubnich said. “I shot 38 on the front, but I knew I could post a good number on the back and I got hot and fortunately it was good enough.”

Running on adrenaline and the will to win, Grubnich stayed focused during the playoff. Sinking an eight foot putt for the victory, Grubnich said was an amazing feeling.

“This is my first AJGA win ever,” Grubnich said. “It feels great to win because these are awesome tournaments and there is good competition.”

In a tie for second place at 6-under-par 210 are Otto Black of Pinckney, Mich., Alex Carpenter of Westerville, Ohio., and Henry Mabbett of Griffin, Ga. Tied for fifth place at 5-under-par 211 are McCormick Clouser of Bluffton, Ind., John Callahan of Hinsdale, Ill., Andrew Fogg of Greenwood, Ind., and Charlie Phillips of Mount Vernon, Ohio.

Weaver, who shot 6-under-par 66 and 7-under-par 65 in the first and second round, carded an 11-under-par 205 to win the Girls Division with a commanding 12-stroke victory. Weaver's win was her first of 2010 and gave her a repeat victory at this event.

“The repeat win feels pretty good,” Weaver said. “I've never had a repeat victory before. It's my first win this summer and my fifth AJGA win, so it's pretty exciting.”

Weaver credited her mental game and strong putting as her key to winning this event.

“My attitude and mental game were important this week,” Weaver said. “I just had to keep focused on my game and think process not outcome and not think about the other players or the leader board.”

Finishing in second place was Samantha Swinehart of Lancaster, Ohio, who shot a 1-over-par 217. In third place was Kendall Prince of Lake Oswego, Ore., with a score of 3-over-par 219.

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 Columbus Junior presented by the Memorial Tournament please contact the American Junior Golf Association Headquarters at (770) 868-4200.