Colanta Remains on Top of the Leaderboard After the Second Round
Reynolds and Kaui Battle over First Place in the Girls Division at the Aldila Junior All-Star

SANTA CLARITA, Calif. — Timothy Colanta of Monroe Township, N.J., extended his lead from two strokes to four after carding a 1-over-par 73 in the second round of the Aldila Junior All-Star. Katelyn Reynolds of Los Angeles, and Alexandra Kaui of Henderson, Nev., share the lead in the Girls Division at 5-over-par 149 after the second round.

Conducted by the American Junior Golf Association, the Aldila Junior All-Star is a 54-hole stroke-play competition held on the Valley Course at the Robinson Ranch Golf Club. The 95-player field features golfers from 10 states, Canada, Mexico, Brazil and Thailand. The Boys Division is playing the par-72 course at 6,710 yards while the Girls Division is playing at 5,784 yards.

The Gary Gilchrist Golf Academy Junior All-Star Series is a collection of 10 events specifically designed for boys and girls ages 12-15 and presents opportunities for younger members to develop their skills and earn entry into Open tournaments. The series concludes with the Montverde Academy Junior All-Star Invitational over Columbus Day weekend for winners and top finishers in the Gary Gilchrist Golf Academy Junior All-Star Series events.

Though he is relatively new to the AJGA, Colanta has shown no signs of feeling pressure from being the leader through the first two rounds. Colanta finished his second round with a 1-over-par 73 on what is proving to be a very difficult golf course. Sitting at 4-under-par 140, Colanta is the only golfer under par for the tournament.

“Missed fairways led to bogeys today,” said Colanta. “For the most part, though, I am hitting fairways and getting into good position with my irons.”

In his first ever AJGA event, Collin Morikawa of La Cañada Flintridge, Calif., held on to his second-place position in the Boys Division with a tournament total of even-par 144. Brock Drogosch of Westlake Village, Calif., is in third place with a two-day total of 1-over-par 145. Dylan Wu of Medford, Ore., Joshua Martin of Pinehurst, N.C., and Hayden Shieh of Fremont, Calif., are all tied in fourth at 4-over-par 148.

Reynolds and Kaui have been paired together for the first two rounds of the tournament, and the competition seems to be treating them well as they are tied for the lead in the Girls Division at 5-over-par 149.

Reynolds credits some of her early success to a new putting stroke that she has been working on lately.

“My new putting stroke has helped me make a lot more putts this week,” said Reynolds, “but that part of my game still needs some work.”

Kaui has excelled in different aspects of her game in each of the first two rounds and is looking to put it all together for the final round.

“In the first round, I was all over the place with my driver, but I was putting well,” said Kaui. “Today, I was hitting the ball well, but I couldn't putt. I just need to balance out my game.”

Sitting just two strokes behind the leaders in third place is Stephanie Lau of Fullerton, Calif., after carding a tournament total of 7-over-par 151.

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.

Final-Round tee times will range from 7 a.m. — 12:10 p.m. off No. 1 tee on Thursday, July 15. For more information about the Aldila Junior All-Star, please contact Tournament Headquarters at (678) 327-6982.