Courtesy of Stephanie Dittmer with the AJGA:
AJGA/American Junior Golf Association
FJ INVITATIONAL
Sedgefield Country Club – Donald Ross Course
Greensboro, N.C.
June 9 – 13, 2014
Baxter, Connelly tied for the lead at FJ Invitational after second round
Both card two-day total of 134 at Sedgefield Country Club
GREENSBORO, N.C. –Benjamin Baxter of Flower Mound, Texas, and Austin Connelly of Irving, Texas, are tied for the lead after two days of play at the FJ Invitational with a tournament total of 6-under-par 134 on the Donald Ross course at Sedgefield Country Club.
Baxter, who has signed a National Letter of Intent at Southern Methodist University and is playing in his first AJGA Invitational, tallied four birdies en route to his 2-under-par 68 second round. Moving up two spots from his first-round standing, he carded a 2-under-par 33 front nine before recording an even-par 35 on the back.
“The competition is really solid here, as it always is,” Baxter said. “It’s my first invitational so I’m really excited. I’m just going to try and stick to my game plan and play the best I can the rest of the tournament.”
Connelly, who has verbally committed to Southern Methodist University, also tallied a 2-under-par 68 in the second round to tie for the lead with one of his future teammates. He captured four birdies on a bogey-free front nine for a 4-under-par 31, moving up two places from his first-round standing. Connelly, striving for his fourth AJGA career victory, is playing in his second-consecutive FJ Invitational.
“It’s going to be a lot of fun playing with Ben [Baxter] going forward,” Connelly said. “He’s one of my best friends and I’m really excited to see what happens.”
Tied for third are Nick Hardy of Northbrook, Illinois, and Tyler Strafaci of Davie, Florida, with a total of 4-under-par 136. Dean Sakata of Diamond Bar, California, follows behind with a tournament total of 137. Three competitors are tied for sixth, including William Register of Burlington, North Carolina, Andreas Halvorsen of St. Augustine, Florida, and Isaiah Logue of Fairfield, Pennsylvania, who all carded two-day totals of 138.
Benjamin Griffin of Chapel Hill, North Carolina, Gray Townsend of Winston-Salem, North Carolina, Tyler Moore of Escondido, California, and David Kim of Buena Park, California, are all tied for ninth at 1-under-par 139.
Third-round tee times will run from 7-11:50 a.m. off the No. 1 at the Sedgefield Country Club—Donald Ross Course. For more information about the FJ Invitational, please contact Tournament Headquarters at (770) 601-5196.
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.
GREENSBORO, N.C. — Second Round results from the FJ Invitational conducted by the American Junior Golf Association at Sedgefield Country Club.
Boys Par: 35-35–70. Yardage: 7110. Rating: 75. Slope: 143
Boys Division – Donald Ross Course
Benjamin Baxter, Flower Mound, Texas (2014) 66-68–134 -6
Austin Connelly, Irving, Texas (2015) 66-68–134 -6
Tyler Strafaci, Davie, Fla. (2016) 70-66–136 -4
Nick Hardy, Northbrook, Ill. (2014) 68-68–136 -4
Dean Sakata, Diamond Bar, Calif. (2014) 64-73–137 -3
Isaiah Logue, Fairfield, Pa. (2014) 67-71–138 -2
Andreas Halvorsen, St. Augustine, Fla. (2015) 69-69–138 -2
William Register, Burlington, N.C. (2014) 68-70–138 -2
Tyler Moore, Escondido, Calif. (2015) 71-68–139 -1
Benjamin Griffin, Chapel Hill, N.C. (2014) 66-73–139 -1
David Kim, Buena Park, Calif. (2014) 68-71–139 -1
Charles Kim, Cedar Park, Texas (2015) 65-75–140 E
Gray Townsend, Winston-Salem, N.C. (2014) 73-67–140 E
Anton Serafini, Lake Mary, Fla. (2016) 69-71–140 E
Tyler Joiner, Leesburg, Ga. (2015) 70-71–141 +1
Scott Stevens, Chattanooga, Tenn. (2015) 71-70–141 +1
Wes Artac, Kingwood, Texas (2014) 72-69–141 +1
Jose Montano, Bradenton, Fla. (2014) 71-70–141 +1
Nathan Jeansonne, Keithville, La. (2015) 71-70–141 +1
Caleb Proveaux, Lexington, S.C. (2016) 71-71–142 +2
Cooper Dossey, Austin, Texas (2016) 70-72–142 +2
Cheng Jin, Singapore, Singapore (2016) 66-76–142 +2
Cameron Champ, Sacramento, Calif. (2014) 75-67–142 +2
Davis Shore, Knoxville, Tenn. (2017) 71-71–142 +2
Andrew Orischak, Hilton Head Island, S.C. (2017) 69-73–142 +2
Chandler Phillips, Huntsville, Texas (2015) 66-76–142 +2
Mark Lawrence, Richmond, Va. (2015) 70-73–143 +3
Chandler Blanchet, Gainesville, Fla. (2014) 72-71–143 +3
David Mackey, Bogart, Ga. (2015) 72-71–143 +3
Kyle Sterbinsky, Yardley, Pa. (2015) 72-71–143 +3
KK Limbhasut, Loma Linda, Calif. (2014) 69-74–143 +3
Philip Barbaree, Shreveport, La. (2017) 72-72–144 +4
Luis Gerardo Garza, Leon, Mexico (2016) 77-67–144 +4
Varun Chopra, Champaign, Ill. (2017) 72-72–144 +4
Spencer Soosman, Westlake Village, Calif. (2016) 71-73–144 +4
Bennett Baker, Tallahassee, Fla. (2015) 73-71–144 +4
William Gordon, Davidson, N.C. (2015) 74-70–144 +4
Trevor Phillips, Inman, S.C. (2016) 69-75–144 +4
Andrew Walker, Battle Creek, Mich. (2016) 74-71–145 +5
Thomas Walsh, High Point, N.C. (2015) 73-72–145 +5
Qi Wen Wong, Bradenton, Fla. (2014) 74-71–145 +5
Dylan Wu, Medford, Ore. (2014) 72-73–145 +5
Dawson Armstrong, Brentwood, Tenn. (2014) 73-73–146 +6
Walker Lee, Houston, Texas (2017) 73-73–146 +6
Taisei Negishi, San Diego, Calif. (2016) 73-74–147 +7
Spencer Ralston, Gainesville, Ga. (2016) 71-76–147 +7
Luis Gagne, Orlando, Fla. (2015) 69-78–147 +7
Kristian Caparros, Hollywood, Fla. (2015) 73-74–147 +7
Payton Taylor, Vero Beach, Fla. (2014) 72-76–148 +8
Charlie Kennerly, Jupiter, Fla. (2016) 79-69–148 +8
Zach Tracy, Houston, Texas (2015) 78-70–148 +8
Daniel Wetterich, Cincinnati, Ohio (2015) 76-72–148 +8
Maxwell Miller, College Station, Texas (2015) 80-69–149 +9
Camilo Mexsen, Howey In The Hills, Fla. (2016) 75-74–149 +9
Justin Kim, Fullerton, Calif. (2016) 71-78–149 +9
Ryoto Furuya, Wesley Chapel, Fla. (2016) 74-75–149 +9
Patrick Martin, Birmingham, Ala. (2015) 76-73–149 +9
Youxin (Robin) Wang, Lake Mary, Fla. (2017) 72-77–149 +9
Jake DeZoort, Tuscaloosa, Ala. (2015) 74-76–150 +10
Andy Ogletree, Little Rock, Miss. (2016) 76-74–150 +10
Tyson Reeder, Edmond, Okla. (2015) 75-75–150 +10
Ryan Grider, Lewisville, Texas (2017) 75-75–150 +10
Brandon Smith, Frisco, Texas (2015) 75-75–150 +10
Edwin Yi, Beaumont, Calif. (2015) 73-77–150 +10
Jeremy Wall, Brielle, N.J. (2014) 70-80–150 +10
Trey Winstead, Baton Rouge, La. (2017) 76-74–150 +10
Jack Comstock, Jacksonville, Fla. (2015) 74-76–150 +10
Kevin Conners, Downingtown, Pa. (2015) 81-70–151 +11
Nick Heinen, Edmond, Okla. (2014) 73-78–151 +11
Michael Graboyes, Watchung, N.J. (2014) 78-74–152 +12
Jens Verhey, Reno, Nev. (2014) 79-73–152 +12
Joshua Seiple, Castle Rock, Colo. (2014) 75-77–152 +12
Jackson Lang, Lexington, Mass. (2015) 76-77–153 +13
Eduardo Carrete, Queretaro, Mexico (2016) 79-74–153 +13
John Augenstein, Owensboro, Ky. (2016) 81-72–153 +13
Matt Cheng, Taipei, Taiwan (2015) 78-76–154 +14
Justin Chong, Granada HIlls, Calif. (2015) 80-74–154 +14
Connor O’Brien, Rowayton, Conn. (2015) 76-78–154 +14
Collin Morikawa, La Canada Flintridge, Calif. (2015) 76-78–154 +14
Jonathan Rector, Hendersonville, N.C. (2015) 77-77–154 +14
Sean Yu, Beaumont, Calif. (2015) 75-80–155 +15
Derick Kelting, Amarillo, Texas (2015) 78-77–155 +15
Peter Griffith, Westlake Village, Calif. (2015) 72-83–155 +15
Roberto Lebrija, Mexico City, Mexico (2016) 73-82–155 +15
Zach Partin, Lewisville, Texas (2014) 80-76–156 +16
Conor Rodrigues, Kingston, Ontario (2014) 80-76–156 +16
Graham Gosselin, Knoxville, Tenn. (2015) 81-75–156 +16
Will Minton, Raleigh, N.C. (2015) 80-79–159 +19
Jake Leavitt, Woodstock, Md. (2014) 81-81–162 +22