~Zagers, Dao Share Lead in Girls Division~

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BARRIE, Ontario – Karl Vilips of Foxfire, North Carolina, and Cullen Chung of Westmount, Quebec, each carded an even-par 71 to tie for the lead after the first round of the AJGA / CJGA Junior Championship. In the Girls Division, Ashley Zagers of Oldsmar, Florida, and Céleste Dao of Notre-Dame Ile Perrot, Quebec, share the lead at 4-over-par 75 at the Horseshoe Resort – Highlands Course.

Vilips is playing in his first AJGA tournament since earning his first title at the AJGA Junior at Forest Lake presented by Tom Holzer Ford three weeks ago. The 14-year-old is currently No. 90 in the Polo Golf Rankings, and said that he was able to hit his irons close on nearly every hole.

“I think if I hit the ball the same way tomorrow and for the rest of the tournament – and maybe read my putts better or just practice on my putting – I hope I can shoot some really low numbers,” Vilips said.

Chung made back-to-back birdies on Nos. 15 and 16, and finished with four total birdies in the round. The 17-year-old said that his birdie on No. 2 helped motivate him for the rest of the day.

“I saved some good mid-range putts and I hit a lot of fairways today, which helped,” Chung said. “Tomorrow I’m going to try to keep hitting good drives and get good shots into the green.”

Tied for third at 1-over-par 72 are Peyton Callens of Langton, Ontario, and Khan Lee of Surrey, British Columbia. In a four-way tie at fifth at 2-over-par 73 are Charlie Watson of Toronto, Ontario, Kelvin Young Woong Lim of Thornhill, Ontario, Chandler McDowell of Springbrook, Alberta, and Fritz Lo of Vancouver, British Columbia.

In the Girls Division, Zagers bookended her back nine with birdies on Nos. 10 and 18, which included her sinking a 30-foot downhill putt on No. 18 to finish the round. The Leadership Links participant said her putting was her main strength, helping her save many pars.

“That birdie on No. 18 was a great way to end my round,” Zagers said. “For tomorrow, I’m just going to go out and not think about my round too much, I just have to work through it.”

Playing in her very first AJGA event, Dao began her round with birdies on Nos. 2 and 4. The 14-year-old then started the back nine with a birdie on the par-3 No. 10, and notched her fourth birdie on No. 14 to help put her at the top of the leaderboard.

In a two-way tie in third at 5-over-par 76 are Phoebe Yue of West Vancouver, British Columbia, and Jayla Yoonji Kang of Surrey, British Columbia.

Second-round tee times will run from 7 a.m. – 12:10 p.m. off the No. 1 tee at Horseshoe Resort – Highlands Course.  Follow the conversation on Twitter with @CJGA, @AJGAGolf and #AJGACJGAJr.

About the CJGA

The Canadian Junior Golf Association (CJGA) is a “registered Canadian amateur athletic association” (RCAAA) not-for-profit registered federally with Revenue Canada. The CJGA is dedicated to providing Canada’s junior golfers with the necessary skills and knowledge required to lay a foundation for a future in competitive golf.

Through its six-stage competitive development program that focuses on tournaments, clinics, international competitions, and mentoring programs with PGA Tour professionals, the CJGA introduces the game to juniors as young as five and offers competitive multi-day events for the more advanced golfer. The CJGA acts as a feeder system to provincial and national competitions, collegiate and university golf, as well as professional and recreational golf. For more information please visitwww.cjga.com

The Canadian Junior Golf Association is generously supported by its National Partner, Freedom 55 Financial, which provides financial security advice and planning for Canadians.

About the AJGA

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 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.

For Additional Information:
Tim Wing
Media Relations
American Junior Golf Assocation
248.943.5821
team2@ajga.org