JOHNSON -- Jayna Choi entered this week's KPMG Stacy Lewis Junior All-Star Invitational at Blessings Golf Club as one of the top-rated players among the group of 12- to 15-year-olds competing in the American Junior Golf Association invite-only tournament.
The only thing missing on Choi's resume after eight AJGA events is a victory, but two rounds into the Stacy Lewis Invitational has set that box up to be checked.
KPMG Stacy Lewis Junior All-Star Invitational
Wednesday at Blessings Golf Club, Johnson
Second-Round Results
Boys
Canon Claycomb, Bowling Green, Ky. — 71-68 — 139
Karl Vilips, (Australia) Wesley Chapel, Fla. — 72-70 — 142
Aaron Chen, Fremont, Calif. — 75-69 — 144
Mason Nome, Houston, Texas — 71-73 — 144
Khavish Varadan, (Malaysia) Wesley Chapel, Fla. — 74-72 — 146
Mauricio Figueroa, Guadalajara, Mexico — 71-76 — 147
Robin Williams, Peterborough, United Kingdom — 71-77 — 148
Kelvin Lim, Thornhill, Ontario — 73-75 — 148
Connor Creasy, Abingdon, Va. — 75-75 — 150
Denver Davis, Fayetteville — 75-75 — 150
Clay Seeber, Newport Beach, Calif. — 71-80 — 151
James Song, (Canada) Rancho Santa Fe, Calif. — 80-73 — 153
Nicklas Staub, Boynton Beach, Fla. — 76-77 — 153
Alex Zhu, San Ramon, Calif. — 75-78 — 153
Kento Yamawaki, (Japan) Encintas, Calif. — 74-79 — 153
Nicholas Cassidy, Johns Creek, Ga. — 75-79 — 154
John Driscoll III, Ridgewood, N.J. — 78-77 — 155
Andy Mao, Johns Creek, Ga. — 77-78 — 155
Chris Kim, Cary, N.C. — 72-83 — 155
Tyler Lipscomb, Carrolton, Ga. — 80-76 — 156
Connor Gaunt, Cabot — 74-82 — 156
Sixian (Tyler) Guo, (China) Addison, Texas — 77-83 — 160
Vivek Vasireddy, Fremont, Calif. — 81-80 — 161
Philip Choi, Corinth, Texas — 80-87 — 167
Jude Kim, Plantation, Fla. — 85-83 — 168
Girls
Name^Hometown
Jayna Choi, Collierville, Tenn — 67-72 — 139
Harmie Constantino, Taguig, Philippines — 68-75 — 143
Michaela Morard, Huntsville, Ala. — 71-75 — 146
Sadie Englemann, Austin, Texas — 72-74 — 146
Angelina Kim, Los Angeles, Calif. — 73-75 — 148
Xin (Cindy) Kou, (China) Windermere, Fla. — 72-76 — 148
Megan Furtney, South Elgin, Ill. — 73-77 — 150
Ya Chun Chang, Taiwan, Taiwan — 74-77 — 151
Macy Fox, Marble Falls, Texas — 76-76 — 152
Grace Ni, Cypress, Texas — 73-79 — 152
Auston Kim, St. Augustine, Fla. — 80-73 — 153
Rachel Heck, Memphis, Tenn. — 75-78 — 153
Laura Miller, Niceville, Fla. — 74-79 — 153
Katherine Muzi, Walnut, Calif. — 78-75 — 153
Brittany Shin, Cape Coral, Fla. — 78-76 — 154
Briana Chacon, Whittier, Calif. — 80-75 — 155
Quynn Duong, San Jose, Calif. — 83-73 — 156
Anne Chen, (Australia) Sugar Land, Texas — 82-74 — 156
Brianna Navarrosa, San Diego, Calif. — 80-76 — 156
Jennie Park, Carrolton, Texas — 76-80 — 155
Kayla Sam, Anaheim Hills, Calif. — 81-83 — 164
Casey Ott, Conway — 81-86 — 167
Baili Park, Germantown, Tenn. — 87-82 — 169
Estibaly Garcia Rubio, Tijuana, Mexico — 85-91 — 176
Ellie Szeryk, London, Ontario — 74 — WD
Choi, 15, of Collierville, Tenn., is ranked No. 36 in the AJGA rankings, behind only No. 25 Grace Ni of Cypress, Texas, and No. 32 Rachel Heck of Memphis in this week's tournament. Ni, Heck and all others are looking up to Choi on the leaderboard as her even-par 72 followed up a 67 from Tuesday for a two-day total of 5-under 139, good enough for a four-shot lead over Harmie Constantino of Taguig, Philippines.
"[Tuesday] was a lot more of an easier pin position to me, and my shots weren't as good today," Choi said. "But I'm glad that I kept it in good position."
Choi shot a 3-over 40 on the front nine, bogeying the par 4 first, the par 4 third and the par 3 eighth. But she rallied on the back nine with five birdies and a double bogey to claw back to even par for the day.
With a four-stroke lead over Constantino, the winner at the AJGA All-Star at Lost Springs two weeks ago, Choi said her approach won't change in today's final round.
"It's golf. You never know what's going to happen," Choi said. "I'm just going to try and play better and see what happens."
Choi admitted getting her first AJGA victory at the Stacy Lewis Invitational would be extra special.
"I think this [tournament] is so special because we're playing at the [University] of Arkansas facility," Choi said. "And we never have played a course like this. So that makes it really special."
In the boys division, Canon Claycomb, 15, of Bowling Green, Ky., shot the low round Wednesday with a 4-under par 68 and leads the tournament by three shots at 5-under par 139.
Karl Vilips of Wesley Chapel, Fla., is at 2 under in second place.
Sports on 06/23/2016