Sanders, Goodwin Leading Junior Golf

  • Thursday, June 5, 2014
  • special report to chattanoogan.com

RINGGOLD, Ga.— Michael Sanders of Davidson, North Carolina, shot a 4-under-par 67 during Wednesday’s second round at the Evitt Foundation RTC Junior All-Star to move into a first-place tie with first-round leader Noah Goodwin of Corinth, Texas. Kendall Griffin of Sebring, Florida, holds the top spot in the Girls Division at 1-under-par 141.

The Evitt Foundation RTC Junior All-Star is one of 14 events in the Gary Gilchrist Golf Academy Junior All-Star Series. Specifically designed for boys and girls ages 12-15, the Gary Gilchrist Golf Academy Junior All-Star Series presents opportunities for younger players to develop their skills and earn entry into AJGA Open tournaments. The Series concludes with the Junior All-Star Invitational sponsored by NIKEGOLF over Columbus Day weekend for winners and top finishers in Gary Gilchrist Golf Academy Junior All-Star Series events.

Sanders trailed Goodwin by two strokes heading into second-round action.  Both competitors concluded play with a two-day total of 10-under-par 132 and will be looking to earn their first AJGA tournament victory during Thursday’s final round. Throughout the round en route to shooting a 2-under-par 69, Goodwin was struggling with back pain, but managed to card three birdies.

“I just tried to give myself chances for birdie,” Goodwin said. “I left more than one shot out there and wasn’t swinging the best, but I kept giving myself looks. Tomorrow is a new day and I just have to go out there with a clean card and make the best of it.”

Sanders also posted three birdies and added an eagle on No. 17 to climb the leaderboard. The rising freshman went into the round with the mentality that he had nothing to lose and is excited to be at the top of the leaderboard heading into the final round of play.

“It’s pretty exciting since this is only my third event and first year playing in the AJGA,” Sanders said. “It’s been a dream of mine because I’ve won an AJGA Qualifier, but winning a Junior All-Star with this strong of a field would really mean a lot.”

Close behind Goodwin and Sanders is Trent Phillips of Inman, South Carolina, who remains in third place at 9-under-par 133. Evan Sun of Wesley Chapel, Florida, shot a 4-under-par 67 to move into fourth at 7-under-par 135. JonErik Alford of Roswell, Georgia, Jake Milanowski of Peachtree City, Georgia, and Ryan Grider of Lewisville, Texas, are tied for fifth with scores of 6-under-par 136.

In the Girls Division, Griffin dropped one stroke from her first-round score to move into the lead. She notched five birdies during the round and believes her ability to capitalize on those chances was the difference maker in her play today. Like Goodwin and Sanders, Griffin will be competing for her first AJGA win Thursday.

“It feels really awesome,” Griffin said. “I have a picture of an AJGA trophy and head cover in my room so it would be really cool to actually bring that home with me.”

First-round leader Morgan Baxendale of Windermere, Florida, and Sera Tadokoro of Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, are tied for second place with scores of 1-over-par 143.

Final-round tee-times will run from 8 – 10:01 a.m. off the Nos. 1 and 10 tees at WindStone Golf Club. For more information, please contact Tournament Headquarters at (678) 834-2952.

About Gary Gilchrist Golf Academy       

              The Gary Gilchrist Golf Academy, located near Orlando, Fla., in Howey-in-the-Hills at Bishops Gate Golf & Lakeside Community, is the world’s premier junior golf academy. In addition to the junior golf program, GGGA also features summer golf camps, winter golf camps and programs, training and golf lessons for amateurs, professionals and adults.

               The Academy is committed to excellence in every facet of golf, fitness, personal development and academics, evident through exclusive relationships with Montverde Academy, an acclaimed private college preparatory school, and the American Junior Golf Association.

               Gary Gilchrist, founder of the Gary Gilchrist Golf Academy, has been recognized as a Golf Magazine Top 100 Teacher 2013-2014 and as a Golf Digest Top 50 Teacher in America 2011-2012 and 2013-2014. Gilchrist teaches many of the games top juniors and pros at the Gary Gilchrist Golf Academy, of which include: Morgan Hoffmann, Shanshan Feng, Sandra Gal and many more.

About the AJGA

               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 more than 6,000 members from all 50 states and more than 45 foreign 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 fourth decade of AJGA support, became the inaugural AJGA Premier Partner in 2004. In 2007, after 12 years of support, 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 Jordan Spieth, Brandt Snedeker, Bubba Watson, Webb Simpson, Hunter Mahan, Phil Mickelson, Tiger Woods, Stacy Lewis, Vicky Hurst, Inbee Park, Paula Creamer, Cristie Kerr, Brittany Lincicome and Morgan Pressel.

 

 

#AJGA#


 

RINGGOLD, Ga. -- Second Round results from the Evitt Foundation RTC Junior All-Star conducted by the American Junior Golf Association at WindStone Golf Club.
Boys Par: 35-36--71. Yardage: 6393. Rating: 71.1. Slope: 132
Girls Par: 35-36--71. Yardage: 5699. Rating: 73.2. Slope: 130

Boys Division 

Noah Goodwin, Corinth, Texas (2018)      63-69--132     -10 
Michael Sanders, Davidson, N.C. (2018)      65-67--132     -10 
Trent Phillips, Inman, S.C. (2018)      66-67--133     -9 
Evan Sun, Wesley Chapel, Fla. (2018)      68-67--135     -7 
Ryan Grider, Lewisville, Texas (2017)      68-68--136     -6 
JonErik Alford, Roswell, Ga. (2017)      68-68--136     -6 
Jake Milanowski, Peachtree City, Ga. (2017)      70-66--136     -6 
Andrew Spiegler, Abingdon, Va. (2017)      67-70--137     -5 
Spenser Slayden, Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. (2017)      71-67--138     -4 
Shuai Ming Wong, Beijing, China (2018)      68-70--138     -4 
Preston Topper, Suwanee, Ga. (2019)      70-69--139     -3 
Noah Gillard, Greenwood, Ind. (2018)      68-71--139     -3 
Tennoshin Ogawa, Hilton Head Island, S.C. (2017)      67-72--139     -3 
Andrew Kozan, Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. (2017)      73-67--140     -2 
Devan Prabhakar, Dallas, Texas (2017)      69-72--141     -1 
Luke Scealf, Knoxville, Tenn. (2017)      70-71--141     -1 
Tyler Lipscomb, Carrollton, Ga. (2019)      73-68--141     -1 
Josef Dransfeld, Huntington, W.Va. (2018)      72-70--142     E 
Alberto Martinez, Weston, Fla. (2018)      72-70--142     E 
Justin Kim, Rome, Ga. (2017)      71-71--142     E 
Luke Schniederjans, Powder Springs, Ga. (2016)      68-74--142     E 
Taisuke Ono, Hilton Head Island, S.C. (2017)      74-69--143     +1 
Kyle Spencer, Mount Pleasant, S.C. (2017)      73-70--143     +1 
Prescott Butler, Old Westbury, N.Y. (2017)      71-72--143     +1 
Nicholas Mejia, Woodstock, Md. (2017)      73-70--143     +1 
Cullan Brown, Eddyville, Ky. (2018)      73-70--143     +1 
Brady Keran, Canton, Ga. (2017)      72-71--143     +1 
Jake Grula, Winter Park, Fla. (2017)      70-74--144     +2 
Thomas Allkins, Lake Mary, Fla. (2017)      71-73--144     +2 
Zachary Huebner, Longwood, Fla. (2017)      76-69--145     +3 
Austin Fulton, Villa Rica, Ga. (2017)      71-74--145     +3 
Justin Hickman, Chickamauga, Ga. (2017)      74-72--146     +4 
Jackson Suber, Tampa, Fla. (2018)      71-75--146     +4 
Sam McGee, Charlotte, N.C. (2017)      69-77--146     +4 
Winston Margaritis, Collierville, Tenn. (2018)      75-71--146     +4 
Andrew Lafferty, Milton, Ga. (2017)      74-72--146     +4 
Andrew Wood, Zionsville, Ind. (2018)      74-72--146     +4 
Connery Meyer, Marietta, Ga. (2020)      73-73--146     +4 
Patrick Wu, Winter Garden, Fla. (2017)      76-71--147     +5 
Garrett deFisser, Gilbert, Ariz. (2017)      75-72--147     +5 
Alex Hu, Lake Mary, Fla. (2018)      72-75--147     +5 
Luka Karaulic, Lawrenceville, Ga. (2018)      75-72--147     +5 
Jack Heath, Charlotte, N.C. (2020)      73-75--148     +6 
Simms Abney, Madison, Miss. (2019)      77-71--148     +6 
Harrison Yu, La Quinta, Calif. (2017)      71-77--148     +6 
Kyle Cottam, Knoxville, Tenn. (2017)      72-76--148     +6 
Frankie Capan, Phoenix, Ariz. (2018)      71-77--148     +6 
Sam Warkentin, Bainbridge Island, Wash. (2016)      76-73--149     +7 
David Gao, Bradenton, Fla. (2017)      72-77--149     +7 
Matt Liddon, Yazoo City, Miss. (2017)      76-73--149     +7 
Mark Reppe, Dallas, Texas (2017)      71-78--149     +7 
Graham Corbin, Inman, S.C. (2019)      70-80--150     +8 
Alex Markham, Dacula, Ga. (2017)      75-75--150     +8 
Tyson Venable, Chattanooga, Tenn. (2017)      73-78--151     +9 
Jack Brea, Charlotte, N.C. (2017)      76-76--152     +10 
Eric Brown, Lake Charles, La. (2017)      76-77--153     +11 
Bradley Plaziak, Alpharetta, Ga. (2017)      79-75--154     +12 
Parker Gillam, Cary, N.C. (2017)      76-78--154     +12 
Connor McKinnon, Johns Creek, Ga. (2017)      75-79--154     +12 
Grant Smith, Charlotte, N.C. (2019)      75-79--154     +12 
Cole Manion, Clarkson, Ky. (2016)      81-74--155     +13 
Evan Spence, Ooltewah, Tenn. (2016)      79-76--155     +13 
William Miller, Beaumont, Texas (2016)      78-78--156     +14 
Wil Sheppard, Mount Pleasant, S.C. (2017)      78-78--156     +14 
Jordan Rodriguez, Buford, Ga. (2018)      75-82--157     +15 
Andrew Mora, Douglasville, Ga. (2017)      77-80--157     +15 
B. Davis Smith, Atlanta, Ga. (2017)      82-75--157     +15 
Harrison Corbin, Inman, S.C. (2018)      74-83--157     +15 
Davis Kirk, Dalton, Ga. (2017)      78-80--158     +16 
Alexander Yun, Weston, Mass. (2018)      77-85--162     +20 
Owen Sertl, Marietta, Ga. (2017)      80-83--163     +21 
Patten Williams, Davidson, N.C. (2017)      79-90--169     +27 

Girls Division 

Kendall Griffin, Sebring, Fla. (2017)      71-70--141     -1
Sera Tadokoro, Hilton Head Island, S.C. (2017)      72-71--143     +1
Morgan Baxendale, Windermere, Fla. (2017)      67-76--143     +1
Hiu Lam Vanessa Yan, Bradenton, Fla. (2017)      72-74--146     +4
Brooke Sansom, Pike Road, Ala. (2018)      72-75--147     +5
Alison Chang, Walnut, Calif. (2016)      75-72--147     +5
Ashley Zagers, Oldsmar, Fla. (2017)      74-74--148     +6
Rachel Heck, Memphis, Tenn. (2020)      73-75--148     +6
Ivy Shepherd, Peachtree City, Ga. (2018)      76-73--149     +7
Abigail Heck, Memphis, Tenn. (2017)      73-76--149     +7
Sammi Blackburn, Monroe, Ohio (2017)      78-73--151     +9
Kelsey Zeng, Orlando, Fla. (2017)      72-81--153     +11
Megan Hou, Rowland Heights, Calif. (2016)      78-76--154     +12
Felicia Chang, La Habra Heights, Calif. (2016)      83-74--157     +15
Julianna Collett, St. Simons Island, Ga. (2016)      79-78--157     +15
Anabelle Chang, Walnut, Calif. (2017)      78-80--158     +16
Grace Massengill, Hickory, N.C. (2016)      84-76--160     +18
Sophie Guo, Bluffton, S.C. (2019)      83-77--160     +18
Keagan Dunn, Buford, Ga. (2018)      80-81--161     +19
Alyssa Montgomery, Knoxville, Tenn. (2019)      80-85--165     +23
Oi Lam Michelle Yan, Bradenton, Fla. (2016)      86-82--168     +26
Amelia Root, Jacksonville, Fla. (2018)      83-87--170     +28
Rheagan Hall, Charleston, Tenn. (2018)      87-84--171     +29
McKenzie Frizzell, Ringgold, Ga. (2018)      89-91--180     +38
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