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Lewis hangs on to win Girls Division at El Camaleón Golf Club
PLAYA DEL CARMEN, Quintana Roo, México -- Jay Burlison of Salinas, Calif., carded a final-round 4-over-par 74 Friday to seal the win in the Boys Division of the Mayakoba Junior Golf Classic with a tournament total 7-over-par 217. Amelia Lewis of Jacksonville, Fla., finished with a three-day total of 8-over-par 221 to win the Girls Division.
 | | 2008 Mayakoba Junior Golf Classic Champions Amelia Lewis and Jay Burlison. |
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Conducted by the American Junior Golf Association, the Mayakoba Junior Golf Classic, the only event on the AJGA schedule held in México, was a 54-hole stroke play event held at El Camaleón Golf Club. The field consisted of 76 players, of which 27 were from México. The rest came from eight U.S. states. El Camaleón Golf Club, home to the PGA TOUR's Mayakoba Golf Classic, was played as a 6,940 yard par-70 in the Boys Division and a 6,003 yard par-71 in the Girls Division.
Burlison, who led by one stroke after the second round, finished his round with two birdies, three bogeys and a double bogey to earn his first AJGA victory. The win for Burlison comes in his first AJGA Open event.
"I started out slow, I was a little nervous out there," Burlison said. "But I was able to calm down after my birdie on No. 6 and got another one on No. 11 and those helped me fight off the nerves. I played it safe on the rest of the holes and it's exciting to get my first win."
Seiji Liu of Bradenton, Fla., finished second with a 9-over-par 219. Marshall Talkington of Jackson, Tenn., finished in third place with a 10-over-par 220. Carlos Ortiz of Zapopan, México, took fourth place with a three-day total 223. Gregory Rochna of Houston, Chris Contreras of San Antonio and Austin Roberts of Carmichael, Calif., all finished tied for fifth at 14-over-par 224.
Lewis' win is also her first in an AJGA tournament after finishing in the top 10 eight times in her career. She struggled early, starting with a bogey and a double bogey on Nos. 1 and 2, but improved her game after that, staying consistent enough to end up on top.
 | | Lewis finished with a three-day total of 8-over-par 221 to win the Girls Division. |
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"Every part of my game was just decent, nothing special today," Lewis said. "I was able to hold it together and make some putts when I needed to and that's what matters. [This win] is just a great way to end the summer and it feels amazing to finally win in the AJGA after being so close so many times."
Katelyn Sepmoree of Tyler, Texas, took second with a three-day total of 9-over-par 222. Finishing in third place was Paola Valerio of Atizapan De Zaragoza, México, with a 10-over-par 223.
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 largest Association of its kind, the AJGA has an annual junior membership (boys and girls ages 12-18) of more than 5,000 junior golfers from 49 states and more than 25 foreign countries.
AJGA alumni have risen to the top of amateur, collegiate and professional golf. More than 160 former AJGA juniors currently play on the PGA and LPGA Tours and have compiled more than 300 wins. AJGA alumni include Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Jim Furyk, Stewart Cink, Davis Love III, Cristie Kerr, Pat Hurst, Paula Creamer, Brittany Lincicome, Morgan Pressel and Julieta Granada.
For more information about the Mayakoba Junior Golf Classic please contact AJGA National Headquarters at 770-868-4200.
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