The Woodlands, Texas - Jose Antonio Safa of Torreon, Mexico, carded a 7-under-par 65 to take a one-stroke lead at the AJGA Simplify Boys Championship at Carlton Woods after the first round. With conditions ideal for scoring, Safa poured in eight birdies, including a four-birdie streak on hole Nos. 2-5 and 7-8.
The AJGA Simplify Boys Championship at Carlton Woods is one of the longest-running events on the AJGA schedule. Originally played in 1987, the tournament settled at The Club at Carlton Woods in 2009. The event has a storied past with champions such as Jim Furyk, Rickie Fowler and Jordan Spieth.
Safa is playing in his second AJGA Simplify Boys Championship at Carlton Woods, finishing in the bottom 50 percent of the field in 2021. The 65 marks the lowest round for Safa in his international junior golf career. Safa's best AJGA finish came at the 2020 AJGA Junior Championship benefiting the Make-A-Wish Foundation where he was T4.
Sitting one stroke behind Safa, Kush Arora of Pleasanton, California, carded seven birdies en route to a 6-under-par 66 and solo second. Mahanth Chirravuri of Chandler, Arizona, sits in third place after a 5-under-par 67. Matthew Comegys of Van Alstyne, Texas, and Nicholas Gross of Downingtown, Pennsylvania, round out the top 5 at 4-under-par 68.
The second round is on Sunday with tee times off Nos. 1 & 10 from 8:30 a.m. - 10:20 a.m.