AJGA Blog

Seniors’ winning streak on the line

By Chris Richards, AJGA Communications

A high school senior has won the HP Boys Championship at Carlton Woods each of the last three years, and 29 soon-to-be graduates are vying to keep the trend alive in The Woodlands.

After an opening-round 71, Rigel Fernandes is tied for third and is the leading 2013 graduate, just three shots behind junior Scott Scheffler. Though he’s making his first start at The Club at Carlton Woods, Fernandes said he’s drawing upon his experience as a whole.

“It’s a course where you have to be very precise. You can either be really close or really far just depending on one bounce,” said Fernandes, who has signed with South Florida. “I think the experience of playing a lot of junior golf tournaments helped a lot today.”

A quarterfinalist at the 2012 Polo Golf Junior Classic, Fernandes has played 16 AJGA events since 2010 and won the 2012 Under Armour® / Vicky Hurst Championship.

“The biggest difference between an Invitational and an Open is that anybody can win an Invitational,” he said. “The leaderboard is so packed with big names, so it can go to anybody. it’s about precision and playing well in the right moments.”

Nicolo Galletti is sixth after a first-round 72 and is the next leading senior, while four others are tied for seventh after shooting 73: Branson Davis, Thomas Lim, Peter Kim and Brandon Pierce.

Fourth time’s a charm for Hak

The Club at Carlton Woods has hosted the HP Boys Championship since 2009, and Shun Yat Hak has been a part of all four. He’s the only player that can make that claim, and he capped his final appearance Monday with a tournament-clinching 69.

He is the third straight high school senior to capture the title (Bobby Wyatt, 2010; Jordan Spieth, 2011), and reminisced about what he learned from playing with so many great players over the years.

“With the way Jordan hit it last year, he also made a lot of putts. I was inside of him every time, but he always made it first and I missed mine,” said Hak, who played with Spieth in the final pairing of 2011. “This year what I did great was I made a couple more putts, maybe more than other people, and I hit some good iron shots and managed myself really well.”

Hak compiled a scoring average of 72.58 in 12 rounds at The Club at Carlton Woods, with his 3-under-par 69 being a career best.

“I wish I could never graduate high school because I really want to play this tournament every year. Thank you to the volunteers and all the sponsors because I think this is the best tournament on the AJGA,” he said.

- Written by Chris Richards, AJGA Communications

HP Boys champ Spieth lands at top of college rankings

On Feb. 21, 2011, Jordan Spieth concluded his AJGA career with a win at the HP Boys Championship at Carlton Woods.  On Feb. 6, 2012, less than one year after his final AJGA appearance, Spieth moved into the No. 1 spot in the Men’s Collegiate Individual Golfweek / Sagarin Rankings.

For those counting, that’s 350 days.

Pretty quick turnaround for the Dallas native and University of Texas freshman, I’d say. With the collegiate season in full swing, Spieth has quickly cemented his place in college golf, and that place is at the top.

With his 2011 win at the HP Boys Championship
at Carlton Woods, Spieth added his name -
and a banner - to an illustrious list of past champions
including Tiger Woods, Kyle Stanley and Rickie Fowler.

As a junior, Spieth saw the top of the charts as well. He was named the Rolex Junior Player of the Year in 2009 and was a first-team Rolex Junior All-America selection three consecutive years (2008-2010), in part due to his strong play at the HP Boys Championship at Carlton Woods during that time.

Spieth is also ranked No. 2 in the World Amateur Golf Rankings, second to UCLA’s Patrick Cantlay, another AJGA alum who had success at the HP Boys Championship at Carlton Woods. Cantlay finished fourth at the event in 2010, his final AJGA tournament.

Both Spieth and Cantlay are teeing it up at the PGA TOUR’s Northern Trust Open this week. Next year, that could be any of the 78 juniors competing at Carlton Woods this week. For those 78, the future is bright and the sky is limit. The road to success, however, winds through The Club at Carlton Woods’ Fazio Championship Course, or at least it did for Jordan Spieth.

-Written by Ashley O'Dell, AJGA Communications

Fowler near the lead (again) at Bay Hill

By: Chris Richards, AJGA Communications

After his first 18 holes at the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by MasterCard, Rickie Fowler has proven that he still has good memories from his AJGA experiences at Bay Hill Club and Lodge.

An opening-round 69 has given Rickie the clubhouse lead, which is exactly where he finished the last time he competed at Bay Hill as a junior. In 2006, he closed with rounds of 66-67 and finished at 10-under-par, giving him a four-shot victory at the HP Boys Championship.

Said Rickie following his win five years ago: “Knowing the PGA TOUR plays here, you really can't ask for more."

Well, Rickie, start asking for more.

The AJGA played Bay Hill as a 7,189-yard par 72, and Rickie posted a 70.75 scoring average in eight rounds (he shot even-par 288 during his T7 performance at the 2005 HP Boys Championship). Though he and the course have had five years to mature, Rickie is attacking Bay Hill just like he did as a junior.

During his AJGA career, he was a combined 10-under-par on Nos. 4-6. That trend continued Thursday, as he birdied Nos. 5 and 6 en route to his 3-under-par round. Rickie also amassed an under-par scoring average on Nos. 7, 11, 12, 13 and 16. On the other end of the spectrum, the par-4 third hole was most difficult for Rickie as a junior, as he was 3-over-par during his eight rounds in 2005 and 2006.

In 2006, Rickie bested a field that included Peter Uihlein, Kyle Stanley and Bud Cauley. Now competing against a field that features 15 Major champions, Rickie continues to add to his collection of memories at Bay Hill.

Rickie Fowler’s scorecards from 2005 (top) and 2006.

There's No Quit in Ty Dunlap

The scores never tell the full story of a player's round. Case in point: Look at Tyler Dunlap's scores of 79-73-76 at the HP Boys Championship at Carlton Woods and you would never guess that he separated his shoulder five times during play. It first happened during the opening round, but he was able to pop it back into place by pushing it against his knee. With immense pain, he soldiered on and completed the round.

The next day, thanks to the help of some Advil, the Westlake, Texas, resident played once again....and once again, his shoulder popped out of socket during the round. Little did it matter, as Dunlap put it back in place and fired a 1-over-par 73 on a windy day where few players broke par.

Monday's final round brought three more shoulder separations and a great deal more pain. But Dunlap refused to quit and posted an impressive 76, placing him in a tie for 21st place among one of junior golf's strongest fields.

Dunlap's shoulder problems stem from a high school basketball practice last October. While leaping for a dunk, he was pushed from behind and came down hard on the shoulder. After some rehab, he was doing much better and his golf game was in good form.

With a strong AJGA showing to start 2011, it's back to rehab on the shoulder, which needs to heal fast, since the start of track and field is just days away. Dunlap competes in various events, including the long jump and triple jump. But golf and academics are first in priority, as he prepares to attend Texas A&M on an academic scholarship and play golf for the Aggies in the fall.

More than one way to the top

Cody Proveaux and Jordan Spieth have separated themselves from the pack at the HP Boys Championship at Carlton Woods. Though they share identical 36-hole scores of 8-under-par, they have certainly employed their own, contrasting styles.

After his second-round 66, Spieth said that he was happy to feel the wind pick up.

“I think the course played quite a bit harder today. I’m used to the wind, I’m glad the wind picked up, and the greens are firming up,” said the Texas native. “It actually makes the course play a little shorter because you don’t have to fly it all the way to the hole.”

On the other hand, Proveaux thrived during Saturday’s first round when the docile playing conditions were more forgiving of his high ball flight.

“It was a lot harder today because I hit my high ball flight and the wind threw that down a lot. I had to take two, three extra clubs every hole just because of that wind,” said the South Carolina native. “I’m from the south and it doesn’t blow that much in South Carolina, so it’s going to be a big change but I’m going to work on it on the range.”

Monday’s forecast calls for 11 mph winds in The Woodlands, Texas. Does this play into anyone’s advantage? Follow FootJoy Live Scoring to find out!

The AJGA in 2011

As a new year speeds into gear, the AJGA is preparing to get started with a bang at the annual Presidents Day events. The ANNIKA Invitational and the HP Boys Championship at Carlton Woods have been leading off the tournament season for years, and provide an exciting opportunity for the nation’s top junior golfers to showcase their talent on a national stage.

While these two events are in the forefront of the AJGA’s mind, there are many other things to anticipate for the 2011 season.

This year, the AJGA’s schedule will expand to 90 events, hosted in 29 states, Mexico and Puerto Rico (congrats on your wins at the Puerto Rico Junior Open, Jason and Monifa!).

The biennial PING Junior Solheim Cup will be held in Trim, Ireland in September. An invitation to be on the U.S. team will surely be on the minds of junior girls through out the year, as the U.S. hopes to retain the Cup and be the first team- U.S. or European- to win the event on foreign soil. Tournament participants can expect to see U.S PING Junior Solheim Cup Team Captain Meg Mallon scouting talent at AJGA events leading up to team selection.

Aside from the exciting tournaments, the AJGA is working to help develop the juniors within the organization. New programs such as AJGA Cares for the Course, alongside new pace of play initiatives and the return of Leadership Links will create opportunities for these young men and women to grow not only in their golf game, but help to develop charitable giving skills and promote volunteerism.

With a trial run of AJGA Cares for the Course at the Polo Golf Junior Classic under our belts, juniors will notice a major change in the Care for the Course program. In 2011, players will be given sand tubes (don’t worry, they are compact and light!), enabling them to fill divots as they go.  For all of you who do this, the group behind you says thanks!

AJGA National Headquarters is buzzing with new ideas, exciting events and an eye on the future. It’s an exciting time for us, and we hope you are all looking forward to the coming months as much as we are. We’ll see you on the road!

On the Tee with Bobby Gates

Fresh off his Nationwide Tour victory in New Zealand, Bobby Gates joined the AJGA at the HP Boys Championship at Carlton Woods as a guest starter. It was a homecoming of sorts for Bobby, as he returned to the tournament he won as an AJGA member in 2004.

When Bobby won the 2004 HP Boys Championship, it was played in mid-summer at Arnold Palmer's Bay Hill Club and Lodge in Orlando, Fla. Since then, he has graduated from Texas A&M and moved to The Woodlands, Texas.

After beginning the 2010 Nationwide Tour season with a victory at the New Zealand Open and a third-place finish at the Moonah Classic in Australia, Bobby returned home as the Nationwide Tour money leader. He then received an invitation to join Hall of Famer Carol Mann as a guest starter during the final round at Carlton Woods. He gladly accepted and took over duties on the 10th tee, while Mann helmed the first tee for the second year. (See Kristi Bradley's blog)

Despite a 20 mph gusting wind, Bobby engaged every group that began their final round on No. 10, preparing them for their rounds, announcing them and sending them on their way. It was a great way to kick off the final round of an incredible AJGA tournament.

Time with a Hall of Famer

Starting. We do it every round of every tournament. It’s usually uneventful. Welcome to [tournament]. Teeing off is [golfer] from [hometown]. Claps, cheers.

Well today I had the honor of standing on the first tee with Carol Mann, a storied golfer and leader in women’s golf. Mann was a pioneer of the modern day LPGA, winning 38 events and a U.S. Women’s Open in her time as a professional from 1964-1975. She also served as the LPGA president for three years, making big changes to better the organization's marketing campaigns.

A Vare Trophy recipient in 1968 and Hall of Fame inductee in 1977, Mann was delighted to start some of the best junior golfers in the world. Adding her own flare and getting to know each player’s name and future plans, Carol got a first-hand glace into just how great golf’s next generation is.

Major Dan Rooney inspires young men

“When you reach out to those in need, you’re actually the one being helped.”

Major Dan Rooney of the Oklahoma National Guard spoke to juniors and parents after the second round at the HP Boys Championship at Carlton Woods, providing a message that many will not soon forget.

Rooney, an F-16 fighter pilot and golf pro has done many significant things in his life. He played college golf at the University of Kansas, owns and operates a golf course in Michigan and he has fought for our country oversees. But perhaps one of his biggest accomplishments is creating Patriot Golf Day – a day for golfers all over the nation to honor those who have lost their lives fighting for our freedom.

“This is my divine purpose in life.”

Rooney went on to talk about his inspiration for Patriot Golf Day, where courses all over the country ask for $1 more per round, donating proceeds to provide financial support to families who have lost loved ones oversees. The day was such a success in 2007 that Rooney’s vision grew into an organization that has raised millions of dollars for families in need. The Folds of Honor Foundation provides scholarships to children and families of those killed in combat. Learn more at http://www.foldsofhonor.com/.

He then called up Philip Colwell of The Woodlands, Texas, who has decided to continue his golf career with the Air Force. Colwell has dreamed of being a fighter pilot since ninth grade. Rooney then did something that Philip will remember forever. He presented him with an honorary coin, similar to that given to graduates of flight school, signifying Philip’s acceptance by Rooney as a brother in the sky.

“This means so much to me,” said Colwell. “I wasn’t expecting it at all.”

In closing, Major Rooney left juniors with three messages:

1. “Freedom is not free.”

2. “My greatest hope is that you exercise your power of choice. Your choices will define you so use them to give back.”

And perhaps one of the most important messages…

3. “It doesn’t matter how many millions you earn, birdies you make or autographs you sign, but what impact you made on the world.”