Defending Champ Leads Boys Division After First Round of Randy Wise Junior Open
Bernabe Leads Girls Division at Warwick Hills Golf & Country Club

GRAND BLANC, MICH. -Henry Do of Ypsilanti, Mich., shot an even-par 72 to grab lead of the Boys Division at the Randy Wise Junior Open. Elisabeth Bernabe of Anaheim, Hills, Calif., leads the Girls Division after carding a first-round score of 1-over-par 73.

The Randy Wise Junior Open is a 54-hole stroke play event conducted by the American Junior Golf Association at Warwick Hills Golf & Country Club in Grand Blanc, Mich. The tournament field boasts 71 boys and 24 girls, ages 12-18, from 13 states, Indonesia, Venezuela, South Korea, China and Canada. The Boys Division is playing the par-72 course at 7,122 yards and the Girls Division is playing at 6,024 yards.

Do had a rough start to his round, but quickly found momentum to get back in the game. Do carded a total of six birdies and seven pars to take him to the top of the Boys Division.

“I made a few mistakes on the first couple holes,” Do said. “But on No. 7, I hit my third shot close to the hole and sunk a 10 footer. I was on the birdie train after that.”

Having won the Randy Wise Junior Open in 2010 and recently winning the Michigan Junior State Amateur on August 11th , Do hopes to keep the confidence and momentum going into the second round.

“I'm happy with today's round,” Do said. “I feel like I can go lower so I just need to try and stay focused.”

Francesco Ruffino of Bloomfield Hills, Mich., Reed Hrynewich of Muskegon, Mich., and Brett White of Caledonia, Mich., are all tied for second with a score of 1-over-par 73.

Beau Titsworth of Avon Lake, Ohio, Nick Carlson of Hamilton, Mich., Alexander Dombrowski of Gaylord Mich., and Bailey Truesdell of Grand Blanc, Mich., finished the first round with a score of 2-over-par 74.

Bernabe's momentum started early, giving her the confidence for the rest of the day.

“I had just bogeyed No. 2, so I really wanted a birdie on No. 3,” Bernabe said. “I stuck my approach about 10 feet from the hole. It left me with a left to right putt, not the easiest to make, but I sunk it.”

Consistency played a major role in Bernabe's game. She finished the round with 13 pars and two birdies.

“Above all, I maintained pretty consistent,” Bernabe said. “I kept hitting fairways and greens without any big problems.”

Bernabe recently finished within the top three of the Girls Division at last week's Genesis Junior at White Beeches at White Beeches Golf & Country Club.

Talia Campbell of Dallas carded a first-round score of 2-over-par 74. Rounding out the top three of the Girls Division was Muni Lily He of (China) Rancho Santa Fe, Calif., who scored a 3-over-par 75.

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 second round of the Randy Wise Junior Open will start at 7:30 a.m. off the No. 1 tee for the Boys and Girls Divisions. For more information about the Randy Wise Junior Open, please contact Chris White at (770) 601-5196 or visit ajga.org.

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