Lee takes lead at ClubCorp Mission Hills Desert Junior
Yin battles heat and field for lead at Mission Hills Country Club

RANCHO MIRAGE, Calif. — With temperatures exceeding 110 degrees, John Lee of Los Alamitos, Calif., carded a 4-under-par 68 to take sole possession of the lead at Mission Hills Country Club on day one of the tournament. Twelve-year-old Angel Yin of Arcadia, Calif., shot a 3-under-par 69 to take the lead after day one of the ClubCorp Mission Hills Desert Junior.

The ClubCorp Mission Hills Desert Junior is a 54-hole stroke play event conducted by the American Junior Golf Association at Mission Hills Country Club in Rancho Mirage, Calif. The tournament field features 54 boys and 24 girls from seven states and two countries. The Boys Division is playing the par-72 course at 7,101 yards and the Girls Division is playing at 6,177 yards.

Lee started off strong by eagling No. 2. He continued his strong play by birdying Nos. 9, 11 and 18.

“I was solid all day; all my birdies came on par-5s,” Lee said. “I got out from the par-3s one-over, my goal was to just stay even on the par-3s but I just lost a shot on one. It was a good day overall.”

John Davenport of Newport Beach, Calif., shot a 2-under-par 70 and is in second place. Angelo Jose Gandionco of Cebu City, Philippines and Alex Angard of Encino, Calif., are tied for third by carding 1-under-par 71s. Mark Jensma of Aliso Viejo, Calif., Connor Campbell of Seal Beach, Calif., and Shane Wathanasaynee of Cerritos, Calif., are tied for fifth with even-par 72s.

In the Girls Division, the youngest player in the field, Yin tied her career low by carding a 69. Yin also lead after day one of the PING Phoenix Junior with the same score.

She fired five birdies on the day, but also carded two bogeys during the round.

“My ball striking was pretty good today and I hit a lot of greens,” Yin said. “I'm going to change my strategy a little and try and shoot the same score or par. I'm not going to think too much and I'm just going to go out there and play.”

Andrea Lee of Hermosa Beach, Calif., is in second place after shooting 1-under-par 71. Tiffany Yau of Porter Ranch, Calif., Brittany Mai of Poway, Calif., and Lucianne Lee of Torrance, Calif., are tied for third after even-par 72.

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.

Second-round tee times for the ClubCorp Mission Hills Desert Junior will begin at 6:30 a.m. off the Nos. 1 and 10 tees Wednesday at Mission Hills Country Club — Dinah Shore Tournament Course. For more information about the ClubCorp Mission Hills Desert Junior, contact tournament headquarters at (678) 617-2424.