AJGA Blog

Friendly foes

Twelve of the opening-round matchups at the Polo Golf Junior Classic pitted Rolex Junior All-Americans against each other. In two of the matches, a pair of First-Teamers squared off.

The significance of these first-round matches, Emma Talley vs. Jaye Marie Green and Matthew NeSmith vs. Motin Yeung, weighed heavy on the outcome of the tournament, but also on the friendships between the players.

NeSmith and Yeung were Wyndham Cup teammates, while Talley and Green represented Team USA at this year’s PING Junior Solheim Cup. For the girls, the gravity of the pairing led the two to agree on silence during the round.

“We text each other every morning, so on the first tee I just acted like I didn’t know her because you don’t want to beat someone that you love,” said Green, who was the defending champion.

Predictably, the match went 19 holes, finally ending with a birdie by Talley. And almost as predictably, Talley said the win was bittersweet.

“It was weird, but I was really happy to pull out the win but it was also bittersweet because I didn’t want to play her, especially in the first round,” said Talley, who advanced to the quarterfinals before losing to Nicole Morales, the eventual champion. “We’ve been friends and teammates and it was really difficult.”

Above: Talley holed her bunker shot for birdie on No. 15 to bring her first-round match to all square versus Green.

-- Written by Chris Richards, AJGA Communications

College Coaches Converge on Polo Golf Junior Classic

College coaches spent time watching players on No. 17 of the Champion today.

There are 156 juniors teeing it up at the Polo Golf Junior Classic, 78 boys and 78 girls. Of the AJGA’s 60-person staff, 36 are on site at PGA National.

The number that stands out the most to everyone on the Champion and Haig courses, however, is 105. There are 105 college golf coaches roaming PGA National scouting the student-athletes that will call their school home in a couple of years.

If you're out on the course tomorrow, take a look at the galleries and notice how many school logos you see. Then, take a look at the AJGA mission statement banner near the practice putting green. Mission accomplished.

 

 

And then there were four

Five days ago, 156 of the world’s greatest junior golfers graced the fairways of PGA National Resort & Spa’s Championship and Haig courses. On Tuesday, that field was cut to 64 and match play brackets were set. At the end of day three, the field had been whittled down to 16, and by the end of Thursday, there were only four players remaining.

The Boys Division features Leesville, S.C.’s Cody Proveaux, the No. 18 player in the Polo Golf Rankings, going head to head against Michael Kim of Del Mar, Calif., who is the No. 28 player in the Polo Golf Rankings.

Proveaux began match play as the No. 2 seed, and was first matched against Motin Yeung, who he defeated 1-up. His next opponent was Junior PLAYERS Champion, Michael Johnson, who gave Proveaux the closest match to date, as it took 20 holes to name a winner. In the quarterfinals, Proveaux only got better, defeating Michael Bernard 4 and 3, and then besting Rolex Junior Player of the Year Anthony Paolucci in the semifinals, 5 and 4.

Kim made short work of his opponent Mads Sogaard in the first round, defeating him 5 and 4, and then needed 18 holes to notch a 1-up victory against JD Tomlinson in the second round. In the quarterfinals, Kim took on three-time Polo Golf Junior Classic stroke play medalist Emiliano Grillo, defeating him 4 and 3. Matched against Jonathan Garrick in the semifinals, Kim claimed a 1-up victory to earn a spot in the championship match.

In the Girls Division, No. 11 seed Karen Chung of Livingston, N.J., will face No. 12 seed Jaye Marie Green of Boca Raton, Fla.

Chung began with a 1-up win over Samantha Marks in the first round, but only needed 16 holes in her 3 and 2 second-round victory over Marijosse Navarro. In the quarterfinals, Chung took on Erynne Lee and defeated her 4 and 2. Her semifinal match would require a couple of extra innings, as she bested Tiffany Lim in 20 holes to solidify her spot in the championship match.

Green began match play with a 2 and 1 victory over Lauren Diaz-Yi in the first round. Her second-round pairing found her going head to head with Ri Hyang Park, where she won in 23 holes- the longest match of the 2010 tournament so far. Green wouldn’t let her quarterfinal match go on that long, as she claimed a 5 and 4 victory over Kelli Oride, before knocking off Jessica Vasilic in the semifinals, 2 and 1.

With the championship matches in full swing at PGA National, stay tuned to find out who will become the next Polo Golf Junior Classic champion and add their name to the impressive list of past champions.

106 Holes Later

Karen Chung has been playing well. So well in fact, she has only used one golf ball through six rounds of competition at the Polo Golf Junior Classic. When Karen teed off this morning in the championship match, she was using the same ball she originally pulled out for the first round of stroke play five days ago on Monday.

It’s a little yellow now. It has quite a few scuff marks. Needless to say it’s well worn. This ball, a Titleist ProV1 with a blue Polo pony, has made it through 36 holes of stroke play and four rounds of match play, with those four matches requiring 70 holes. In total, Karen has used this ball for 106 holes of golf at PGA National.

Stay tuned to ajga.org and FootJoy Live Scoring to see if this golf ball (and Karen) will come out on top in the championship match.

Time to Shine

While the Boys Division of match play is loaded with first-team Rolex Junior All-Americans, the Girls Division has a number of fresh faces with players like Kristen Park, Moriya Jutanugarn, Yueer Cindy Feng and Doris Chen falling in the first rounds. Now it is time for players such as Michelle Butler, Jessica Vasilic, and Jaye Marie Green to shine.

Two players in particular are looking to step up into the spotlight and remove a bad taste in their mouth from last year. Erynne Lee and Karen Chung both did not qualify for match play in last year’s event. Both were paired together in last year’s stroke play portion and wouldn’t you know it – they are playing each other for a chance to appear in the semifinals. After talking with both of them, they are just happy to be advancing in match play, and at the end of the day there is a possibility of one of them squaring off in the championship match tomorrow morning. Be sure to follow this match and the seven other quarterfinal matches on FootJoy Live Scoring.

Representing the Next Generation

The two youngest girls to advance to match play are representing the next generation of AJGA all-stars in style. Not only did Allisen Corpuz (12 years old, 2016 graduate) advance to match play, she knocked off No. 4 seed Manon Gidali in the first round and is currently battling Kelli Oride in a second-round match.

Marijosse Navarro (14 years old, 2015 graduate) faced Rolex Junior Player of the Year Kristen Park in the first round. Navarro opened with two birdies and never relinquished her lead, as she defeated Park, 2-and-1, and is squaring off with Karen Chung in the second round.

Stay tuned to FootJoy Live Scoring to follow these two in their second round matches, and possibly into the quarterfinals!

Looking Forward to Match Play: News and Notes

                 With the first round of match play beginning at the Polo Golf Junior Classic Wednesday, there are several familiar faces and notable matches that promise great golf throughout the morning. The Boys Division brings young talent, while the Girls Division is anchored by many girls who have experienced match play in previous years.
                In the Boys Division, the first match of the day off No. 1 on the Champion Course features stroke play medalist Emiliano Grillo. This marks the third consecutive year the Argentinian has medaled at the Polo Golf Junior Classic. In his first attempt, he fell in the first round, but in 2009, advanced to the quarterfinals. Grillo is hoping the third time is truly a charm when it comes to match play at the Polo Golf Junior Classic.
                Grillo will match up in the first round against Trey Valentine who is playing in only his second AJGA Invitational. His first was this event last year where he finished T45 and failed to advance to match play.
                Grillo is one of only six players returning to match play from 2009. Another veteran is defending champion Oliver Schniederjans, who will go up against Lee McCoy, a junior from Palm Harbor, Fla.
                Stephen Behr, Jr., was added as an alternate to the field last year, but had a breakout performance, advancing to the quarterfinals in his first appearance in an AJGA Invitational. There was never a doubt the 2010 Rolex Junior All-American would be invited back, and he has once again earned his place in the match play bracket.
                Others advancing to match play for a second year are Jay Hwang, Patrick Rodgers and Motin Yeung (who advanced through a sudden-death playoff).
                In a match that pits two first-team Rolex Junior All-Americans, No. 22 seed Beau Hossler will face No. 11 seed and Rolex Junior Player of the Year, Anthony Paolucci.
                Another match of note shows two Birmingham, Ala., natives going head to head. No. 18 seed Stewart Jolly of Mountain Brook High School will face No. 15 seed Michael Johnson of Spain Park High School. This will not be the first time the pair has played together and it most certainly won’t be the last as both have committed to continue their golf career with SEC schools. Johnson signed a National Letter of Intent with Auburn, while Jolly signed with LSU during the NCAA’s early signing period.
                In the Girls Division, experience is the theme of the day, as 13 players return to the Polo Golf Junior Classic bracket from 2009. Of those 13, Tiffany Lim, Grace Na and Emma Talley advanced to the quarterfinals. Lim fell to finalist Victoria Tanco, while Na was defeated by eventual champion Alexis Thompson.
                Though the Polo Golf Junior Classic field features players from 10 foreign countries, one specific country intended to make the most of their trip. Manon Gidali and Celine Boutier, both of France, advanced to match play in convincing fashion, holding the Nos. 4 and 8 seeds, respectively. Joining them is another French player who currently resides in Florida. Shannon Aubert earned the No. 9 seed and could face Boutier in the second round.
                Notable players failing to advance include Victoria Tanco, two-time Rolex Junior Player of the Year, who missed the cut by one. A.J. Newell, who advanced to the semifinals in 2009, also fell below the cut line. In the Boys Division, Sean Kelly barely missed advancing after falling in a sudden-death playoff. Had he advanced, he would have been paired against Emiliano Grillo, who defeated him 3 and 2 in the second round of 2009.

 

Grillo's Triple Play

For the third straight year, Argentinian Emiliano Grillo is the stroke play medalist at the Polo Golf Junior Classic. In 2008, he tied for medalist honors with Evan Beck, but lost in the first round of match play to Matthew Ceravolo. In 2009, he tied for top honors with Curtis Thompson, and advanced as the No. 2 seed to the quarterfinals with wins over Patrick Rodgers and Sean Kelly. His run ended with a loss to eventual champion Oliver Schniederjans.

He is trending in the right direction, so perhaps he is poised for his strongest showing yet. He is this year’s solo medalist after shooting 6-under-par during stroke play. His first-round match versus Trey Valentine goes off at 7:30 am Wednesday, while the player who ousted him last year, Schniederjans, won’t face him until the semifinals, if both players make it that far.

Flashback: 2005 Sportsmanship Award

Five years ago, the AJGA shared the incredible story of Kristin Ingram as she was honored with the Jerry Cole Sportsmanship Award. Today, as a member of the LPGA Futures Tour, her story is being re-told and it is definitely worth a read. Here's a glimpse, with a link to the complete story at lpgafuturestour.com.

By Lisa D. Mickey, LPGA Futures Tour

An Apple, A Tree, A Family Of Her Own: Futures Tour Rookie Gives Thanks

For LPGA Futures Tour rookie Kristin Ingram, her first real Thanksgiving began years ago with one small apple.

It came from the hand of a kind gardener on the grounds of an Uzbekistan orphanage where she spent her first seven years of life. Losing her mother at childbirth, the stark building she called home offered cramped quarters that she shared with more than 300 other children. They mostly slept and dreamed of families who would love them. And their pangs of hunger were a constant reminder of all that was missing or never was.

But one day, as she stood on the dirt grounds watching the man perform his tasks, the gardener turned to her and produced a small gift that, arguably, changed her life.

“He knew I was hungry and he gave me an apple to eat,” said Ingram, now 23. “It was small, but it was good. I remember it. When he gave me that apple, I knew I could have a better life. I also knew those apples could help us get the nutrition we needed because I could climb that tree.”

Kristin Ingram's Story

Doing the Right Thing

The phone calls weren’t easy to make, but they had to be done. One result of these calls would be disqualification. Ashley Armstrong would have to surrender her only AJGA champion’s trophy. The other possible result could be disastrous – the loss of a college scholarship offer.

No matter the implications, Ashley was determined to do the right thing.

Just over a year ago, Ashley won the AJGA Junior at Notre Dame by one shot, or so she thought. That same day, she was offered a scholarship to the University of Notre Dame. Life was great until she discovered a problem. She had signed for an incorrect score, which had caused her to be awarded the championship when she should have gone to a playoff.

The call to the AJGA tournament director resulted in the expected DQ. The call to the Notre Dame coach went better than imagined. Ashley was told that because of her actions, they wanted her even more.

Ashley isn’t the first person to lose a golf tournament because she signed for an incorrect score. It’s not even the main reason she was presented the 2010 Jerry Cole Sportsmanship Award. Ashley also happens to be a straight-A student, a two-time HP Scholastic Junior All-American, and the AJGA’s leading fundraiser in the 2010 Leadership Links program.

“During all those golf tournaments, we learn that golf is so much more than birdies and pars and fairways and greens and championship trophies,” Ashley said during her acceptance speech Sunday night at the Rolex Junior All-America Banquet. “It’s also about honor and integrity, about following the rules, and about doing what’s right, regardless of the consequences.”

That’s what golf is all about, and it is what the Jerry Cole Sportsmanship Award is all about.

- Rob Coleman, AJGA Chief Communications Officer