Celano, Patrick win the Under Armour® / Steve Marino Junior All-Star Championship
Juniors go wire-to-wire at The Ritz-Carlton Members Golf Club
SARASOTA, Fla. — Ryan Celano of Naples, Fla., fired a 3-under-par 69 in the final round to finish at 8-under-par 208 and win the Under Armour® / Steve Marino Junior All-Star Championship. Katharine Patrick of West University Place, Texas, carded a 1-over-par 73 in the final round to finish at 3-under-par 213 and win the Girls Division.
The Under Armour® / Steve Marino Junior All-Star Championship is one of 10 events in the Gary Gilchrist Golf Academy Junior All-Star Series. Specifically designed for boys and girls ages 12-15, the Gary Gilchrist Golf Academy Junior All-Star Series presents opportunities for younger players to develop their skills and earn entry into AJGA Open tournaments. The Series concludes with the Montverde Academy Junior All-Star Invitational over Columbus Day weekend for winners and top finishers in Gary Gilchrist Golf Academy Junior All-Star Series events.
Celano was able to break away at the end of the final round, birdying two of his last three holes.
“I hit a good shot out of the bunker on No. 18 and got pretty excited,” Celano said. “I felt confident because I was hitting the ball so well, but I was a little bit nervous throughout the round. I can only control my game, so I wasn't sure what anyone else would do.”
Finishing in second place was David Snyder of McAllen, Texas, with a 6-under-par 210. Tied for third were Jin Zhang of Bradenton, Fla., and Bernardo Curbelo of Venezuela, who each carded 5-under-par 211. In fifth place was Jorge Garcia of Miami, Fla., with a 4-under-par 212.
Patrick led wire-to-wire during the event and was able to stay focused during her final round. She bogeyed No. 1, came back with a birdie on No. 2, and finished strong with her third and final birdie on No. 16.
“Near the end on No. 16, I hit it about 3 inches from the hole,” Patrick said. “That's when I knew that I had it, that the last holes would be good holes. All of these days I was really trying to keep a good mental side of the game and to keep going and not break down.”
Finishing in second place was Jamie Freedman of Miami, Fla., with an even-par 216, and Isabella Skinner of Cumming, Ga., came in third with a 4-over-par 220.
About Under Armour®
Under Armour® (NYSE: UA) is a leading developer, marketer, and distributor of branded performance apparel, footwear, and accessories. The brand's moisture-wicking fabrications are engineered in many different designs and styles for wear in nearly every climate to provide a perfor-mance alternative to traditional products. The Company's products are sold worldwide and worn by athletes at all levels, from youth to profes-sional, on playing fields around the globe. The Under Armour global headquarters is in Baltimore, Maryland, with European headquarters in Amsterdam's Olympic Stadium, and additional offices in Denver, Hong Kong, Toronto, and Guangzhou, China. For further information, please visit the Company's website at www.underarmour.com.
About the Gary Gilfchrist Golf Academy
GARY GILCHRIST GOLF ACADEMY, a full-time signature golf instruction program located in Howey-in-the-Hills, Fla., began as an Official Partner of the AJGA in 2009. The partnership features an endowment of an Achieving Competitive Excellence (ACE) Grant and naming rights to the Gary Gilchrist Golf Academy Junior All-Star Series for juniors ages 12-15.
About the AJGA
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 col¬lege 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 Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Stewart Cink, Cristie Kerr, Paula Creamer and Morgan Pressel.
For more information about the Under Armour® / Steve Marino Junior All-Star Championship, please contact AJGA Headquarters at (770) 868-4200 or visit the AJGA website at ajga.org.
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