Connelly Leads Again at Junior All-Star at Penn State
DiLisio tops the leaderboard in the Girls Division at Penn State Golf Course

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. — Austin Connelly of Las Colinas, Texas leads the Boys Division for the second day in a row after carding a 1-under-par 71 for a tournament total of 4-under-par 140. Isabella DiLisio of Hatfield, Pa., made a move to take the lead in the Girls Division with a second-round score of 1-under-par 71 for a tournament total of even-par 144.

The Junior All-Star at Penn State is a 54-hole, stroke play event conducted by the American Junior Golf Association at Penn State Golf Course — Blue Course in State College, Pa. The tournament field consists of 96 players, 72 boys and 24 girls, from 18 states, Mexico and Canada. The Boys Division is playing the par-72 course at 6,709 yards and the Girls Division is playing at 5,985 yards.

After leading the Boys Division on Tuesday, Connelly kept the same strategy coming into the second round.

“I was trying to grind out pars and let the birdies come,” Connelly said. “I just wanted to play shot by shot.”

This steady strategy lead Connelly to card a total of 15 pars and two birdies.

“On No. 9 I drove my 3-wood pretty close to the green and was able to finish out with a birdie,” Connelly said. “That gave me some momentum to start the back nine.”

In second place, Randall Herriott of Brandywine, Md., carded even-par 72 for the round with a tournament total of 2-under-par 142. Kyle Sterbinsky of Yardley, Pa., scored a 2-under-par 70 for the day for a 1-under-par tournament total of 143. Rounding out the top five for the Boys Division were Zach Stark of Livingston, N.J., and Cole Berman of Rosemont, Pa., who both tied with a tournament total of 1-over-par 145.

Straight off her win from the National Qualifier at Penn State, DiLisio carded an impressive six birdies for the round.

“I was hitting the ball pretty well today,” DiLisio said. “On No. 14, I hit my shot within a foot of the hole and then sank the putt for a birdie. It gave me a boost of confidence for the back nine.”

Going into the final round, DiLisio hopes to keep up the momentum and play well.

“I just wanted to post another good number and try to make my way up the leader board,” DiLisio said. “I don't think I've ever shot under-par in a tournament before, so I'm pleased with the way I played today.”

Rounding out the top three of the Girls Division was Jackie Rogowicz of Yardley, Pa., who shot a 3-over-par 75 second-round score for a tournament total of 5-over-par 149. Emily Mills of Farmingdale, N.J., carded a 3-over-par 75 for the round with a tournament total of 10-over-par 152.

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.

The final round of the Junior All-Star at Penn State will start at 7 a.m. off the No. 1 tee. For more information on the Junior All-Star at Penn State, contact Tournament Director Lindsay Dodge at (770) 365-1699 or visit the website at ajga.org.