Cunningham Sets Competitive Course at Centennial AJGA Junior

Oregon Golfers

Boys Division
3 Tye Gabriel  2010 Portland, Ore.  70-69-68--207 
16 Kevin Murphy  2013 Rogue River , Ore.  73-74-71--218 
17 Cole  Madey  2015 West Linn, Ore.  76-70-73--219 
17 Sulman Raza  2012 Eugene, Ore.  75-71-73--219
17 Sulman Raza  2012 Eugene, Ore.  75-71-73--219  
30 Dylan Wu  2014 Medford, Ore.  73-76-74--223  
33 Seth  Reynolds  2011 Klamath Falls, Ore.  71-77-76--224 

Girls Division
6  Morgan Thompson  2011 Tualatin, Ore.  75-70-70--215 
15  Kendall Prince  2011 Lake Oswego, Ore.  75-74-75--224 
15  Monica Vaughn  2013 Reedsport, Ore.  77-74-73--224 

MEDFORD, Ore. — George Cunningham of Litchfield Park, Ariz., shot an 8-under-par 64, the lowest round ever recorded during competitive play at Centennial Golf Club, to win the AJGA Junior at Centennial. He earned a five-stroke victory with a tournament total of 17-under-par 199. In the Girls Division, Jennifer Ha of Calgary, Alberta, claimed a four-stroke victory in her AJGA debut.

Conducted by the American Junior Golf Association, the AJGA Junior at Centennial was a 54-hole stroke-play competition held at Centennial Golf Club in Medford, Oregon. The 130-player field featured 82 boys and 48 girls, representing 11 states and Canada. The Boys Division played the par-72 course from 7,164 yards while the Girls Division played from 6,086 yards.

Cunningham, who led by three shots before the second round, made an astounding eight birdies in the final round. He made five birdies in a seven-hole stretch in the middle of his round, separating himself from the field. He credits his ability to focus and not get complacent to his success all week.

“I went into my round pretending that I was tied,” Cunningham said. “I tried to play the same way I had all week, and was excited when all of the birdies started to fall.”

Next, Cunningham will compete in the U.S. Amateur at Chambers Bay in University Place, Wash.

“I'm excited to see how I can compete next week,” Cunningham said. “Making it to match play is the main goal for me.”

Jake Knapp of Costa Mesa, Calif., shot his second 66 of the tournament to claim second place at 12-under-par 204. Tye Gabriel of Portland, Ore., finished third at 9-under-par 207. John Lee of Los Alamitos, Calif., and David Kim of Manhattan Beach, Calif., tied for fourth at 6-under-par 210.

Ha entered the final round with a three-stroke lead. Though she was admittedly nervous on the tee, Ha started strong, as she was 1-under-par through five holes. A double-bogey on No. 10 narrowed her lead to two strokes, but she rebounded down the stretch, finishing the last eight holes at 2-under-par.

“Until my last putt went in, I wasn't ever completely relieved,” Ha said. “I was really nervous and really excited all day. I was just trying to not get carried away with scores, focus on the next shot and stay positive.”

Jennifer Yang of Coquitlam, B.C., shot the low round of the day, a 4-under-par 68, to finish second at 3-under-par 213. Amy Lee of Brea, Calif., Esther Lee of Los Alamitos, Calif., and Ciera Min of Hilo, Hawaii, tied for third at 2-under-par 214.

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 approximately 5,000 junior golfers from 49 states and 30 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 Watch USA, which is in its third decade of AJGA support, became the inaugural AJGA Premier Partner in 2004. In 2007, after 12 years of support, Polo Ralph Lauren became the AJGA's second Premier Partner.