Grand Blanc native Truesdell leads Boys Division after two rounds at Randy Wise Junior Open
Campbell takes four-shot lead in Girls Division

GRAND BLANC, Mich. — Grand Blanc High School's Bailey Truesdell is even-par after a second-round 70 and will carry a one-shot lead into Thursday's final round at the Randy Wise Junior Open. In the Girls Division, 2009 champion Talia Campbell of Dallas recorded an even-par 72 Wednesday and has the 36-hole lead at 2-over-par 146.

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.

Truesdell lives on the 15th hole at Warwick Hills Golf & Country Club and said that he regularly attended the PGA TOUR's Buick Open. After growing up with high aspirations, the 17-year-old is now the one topping the leaderboard in a national event.

“It's a course I know pretty well and it's pretty special to follow in the pros' footsteps and to play well and up to my expectations as to how I should be playing,” he said.

Truesdell has played in five career AJGA events in the state of Michigan, with his best finish being a T16 showing at the 2009 Coca-Cola Junior All-Star Championship at Boyne Highlands.

“It's always exciting to make them proud of what you're doing, and playing well is obviously key to doing that,” he said of playing in front of friends and family. “It's fun to see them enjoy how I play as much as I'm enjoying it.”

Defending champion Henry Do of Ypsilanti, Mich., carded a second-round 73 and trails by one shot with a 1-over-par total. Tied for third at 2-over-par are Francesco Ruffino of Bloomfield Hills, Mich., and Michael Nagy of Manistique, Mich., while Blaze Hogan of Big Rapids, Mich., is fifth at 4-over-par.

The change in weather played a factor in determining the Girls Division leader. A Texas-style wind swept through Grand Blanc Wednesday, which played to Campbell's strength. The Dallas native used four birdies in her even-par round and built a four-shot cushion heading into the final round.

“I'm used to playing in this wind and I'm very comfortable hitting my approach shots and making good club selections,” Campbell said. “I definitely think it played to my advantage.”

Currently No. 41 in the Polo Golf Rankings, Campbell has four top 10s in national tournaments this season, including a quarterfinal appearance at the U.S. Girls' Junior and a runner-up showing at the AJGA's Rochester Open Championship. She has verbally committed to Notre Dame and is making her third start at the Randy Wise Junior Open.

“This tournament has a special meaning to me seeing as it was my first AJGA victory,” said Campbell, who won in 2009 at Flint Elks Lodge 222.

Two players are tied for second with 36-hole totals of 5-over-par 150. Muni Lily He of Rancho Santa Fe, Calif., carded a second-round 75, while first-round leader Elisabeth Bernabe of Anaheim Hills, Calif., shot 77.

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 Randy Wise Junior Open will run from 7:30 a.m. — 12:40 p.m. off the No. 1 tee at Warwick Hills Golf & Country Club. For more information, please contact Chris White at (770) 601-5196 or visit ajga.org.