Lloyd fires seven birdies in eight holes to lead the AJGA Northern Virginia Junior
Ruiz ahead by one stroke in the Girls Division

HAYMARKET, Va. — Alex Lloyd of Virginia Beach, Va., leads after the first round of the AJGA Northern Virginia Junior carding a 6-under-par 66. Ana Ruiz of Chihuahua, Mexico, leads the Girls Division with a 4-under-par 68.

The AJGA Northern Virginia Junior is a 54-hole tournament conducted by the American Junior Golf Association at the Piedmont Club in Haymarket, Va. The event features 71 boys and 24 girls, ages 12-18, from 21 states, Thailand, United Kingdom and Mexico. The Boys Division is playing the par-72 course at 6,905 yards while the Girls Division is playing the course at 5,960 yards.

Lloyd fired seven birdies in eight holes with four straight birdies on Nos. 8, 9, 10 and 11. He contributed his low round to his steady putting throughout the day.

“I had a nice little streak going,” Lloyd said. “Once you make that many birdies it is easy to get nervous, but I've always had a goofy demeanor about myself and I never get too nervous.”

Tied for second place are Patrick Horsting of Surrey, United Kingdom, and Chris Kapsak of Richmond, Va., posting 4-under-par 68. Michael Hocker II of Chapel Hill, N.C., is in fourth with a 3-under-par 69 and Zach Zaback of Farmington, Conn., sits in fifth place after a 2-under-par 70.

Ruiz has the lead by one stroke after posting four birdies and credited her low round to consistent play.

“I played really well today,” Ruiz said. “I think it was because of my concentration, focus and because I was calm. My high point was my mental game, I didn't let up and I was consistent all day.”

Hana Ku of Basking Ridge, N.J., is in second with a 3-under-par 69. Tied for third place are Alexandra White of Honolulu, and Sammi Lee of Winter Park, Fla., both carding a 1-under-par 71.

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 AJGA Northern Virginia Junior will run from 7:30 a.m. — 9:31 a.m. off the Nos. 1 and 10 tees at Piedmont Club. For more information on the AJGA Northern Virginia Junior, please contact Tournament Headquarters at (678) 617-2424 or visit the AJGA website at ajga.org.

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