Park cards 67, takes lead at ClubCorp Mission Hills Desert Junior
Lee remains in first at Mission Hills Country Club
RANCHO MIRAGE, Calif. — Kaitlin Park of Tustin Ranch, Calif., endured the extreme heat and fired a bogey-free, 5-under-par 67 to take the 36-hole lead in the Girls Division at Mission Hills Country Club. In the Boys Division, John Lee of Los Alamitos, Calif., birdied five of his final 11 holes, bringing his 36-hole score to 6-under-par 138.
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.
Park, who has verbally committed to Tulane University, shaved six strokes off her opening-round 73. She pointed to her putting when explaining her second-round success.
“I started out struggling, but my putting really pulled through,” Park said. “I made a lot of long par putts at the beginning and later on I started making my birdie putts.”
Park's 67 is her career low in AJGA play.
“The Kraft Nabisco [Championship] is here,” Park said. “If I ever get the chance to play here later on, I will remember this day.”
First-round leader Angel Yin of Arcadia, Calif., is in sole possession of second place after carding a second-round, 2-over-par 74. Yin, just 12-years-old, stands at 1-under-par 143 for the tournament. Andrea Lee of Hermosa Beach, Calif., and Anna Sophia Bohmer of Cali, Colombia, are tied for third place at 2-over-par 146 for the tournament.
After playing his front nine at 2-over-par, Lee shot a 4-under-par 32 on his final nine holes. He will enter the final round with a five-stroke lead.
“I just want to hit fairways and greens tomorrow,” Lee said. “If the opportunity arises, I'll try to make the putt or go for the pin.”
Connor Campbell of Seal Beach, Calif., shot a 1-under-par 71 and is in sole possession of second place with a 1-under-par 143. Angelo Jose Gandionco of Cebu City, Philippines recorded a 1-over-par 73 and stands alone in third place, at even-par 144.
Andrew Morgan of Long Beach, Calif., Sahith Theegala of Chino Hills, Calif., and Corey Shaun of Rancho Sante Fe, Calif., are tied for fourth place, at 2-over-par 146 for the tournament.
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.
Final-round tee times for the ClubCorp Mission Hills Desert Junior will begin at 6:30 a.m. off the Nos. 1 and 10 tees Thursday at Mission Hills Country Club. For more information about the ClubCorp Mission Hills Desert Junior, contact tournament headquarters at (678) 617-2424 or visit the website at ajga.org.
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