PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. (August 31, 2014) – There were two 68s and two rounds of 69 posted at the challenging TPC Sawgrass in Sunday's final round of the Junior PLAYERS. But fortunately for 36-hole leader Sam Horsfield, none of them were recorded by his closest pursuers, Kristian Caparros or Brad Dalke.

After opening rounds of 71 and 69, Horsfield was able to bring home the major AJGA title with a final round 73, holding off Caparros and Dalke, who made headlines in 2010 by verbally committing to Oklahoma at age 12. (Dalke is certainly playing his way into the early expectations.)

Horsfield started his 2014 with a win at the historic New Years Invitational in Florida, and made it to the final 32 at the USGA Public Links and to match play at the U.S. Amateur.

Today, Horsfield got off to a slow start, making a bogey and double in the first three holes. But he was able to turn it around before making the turn.

“It was a struggle today early,” Horsfield told the AJGA. “I started out bogey, par, double. I just tried to stay patient because I knew there would be a few birdie opportunities coming up.”

“I was able to make birdie on No. 9 which kind of kick-started my round. Then I made back-to-back birdies and even though I kind of struggled on 18 a bit, it worked out.”

The University of Florida verbal commit considers this win the biggest accomplishment of his junior career.

“This is awesome,” Horsfield said. “This is such a great field and for my first AJGA win, it was great. This is my biggest win so far in my junior career so I’m pretty happy right now.”

Kristian Caparros of Hollywood, Florida, finished the event tied for second with Brad Dalke of Hobart, Oklahoma, at 2-under-par 214. Caparros’ round was steady through the front nine and included three birdies in four holes between Nos. 9 and 12. Although he was the sole leader for a portion of the day, Caparros found trouble on No. 17 and was unable to convert in the final two holes. The T2 finish is his highest in an AJGA Invitational.

Dalke, a three-time AJGA Invitational champion, finished the day with a pair of birdies and 14 pars. After taking an early lead during the final round, Dalke dropped a pair of shots late on the front nine, before a 1-under-par back nine. This was the fourth Junior PLAYERS Championship presented by TaylorMade-adidas Golf for the University of Oklahoma verbal commit. In 2012, Dalke finished second and among the top 20 in both 2011 and 2013.

Hidetoshi Yoshihara of Irvine, California, took fourth place at 1-under-par 215, for his best AJGA Invitational finish. In a five-way tie for fifth were Kyler Tate of Winter Garden, Florida, Sam Burns of Shreveport, Louisiana, Teodoro Soldati of Laino, Italy, Zachary Bauchou of Forest, Virginia, and Will Grimmer of Cincinnati, Ohio. Tate and Burns posted the low rounds of the day at 4-under-par 68 and Soldati made event history as the first Italian player to finish among the top five. Will Chandler of Atlanta, rounded out the top 10, posting a 2-over-par tournament total of 218.

PREVIOUSLY POSTED

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. (August 30, 2014) – The conclusion of the second round at The Junior PLAYERS Championship presented by TaylorMade-adidas Golf, finds the United Kingdom’s Sam Horsfield of Davenport, Florida, at the top of the leaderboard. Horsfield carded a two-day total of 4-under-par 140 at TPC Sawgrass - THE PLAYERS Stadium Course to take the lead.

Horsfield began the day tied for fifth, two strokes off the lead. He quickly built his momentum as he birdied the first three holes, and took the lead after a front nine 2-under-par 34. Horsfield notched two more birdies on the back, including a final birdie on No. 18 to finish with a second-round total of 3-under-par 69.

“Having the opportunity to play TPC Sawgrass for four days in a row is awesome,” Horsfield said. “This field is really strong and it’s great to play with competition like this. I played really well today and it’s great to be in the lead, but anything could happen tomorrow.”

At No. 16 in the Polo Golf Rankings, Horsfield is verbally committed to the University of Florida, which he will attend next fall. The Junior PLAYERS Championship presented by TaylorMade-adidas Golf marks the second AJGA event Horsfield has played. He reached the semifinals at the 2013 Polo Golf Junior Classic.

After entering the round tied for the lead, Austin Connelly of Irving, Texas, now sits in a five-way tie for second, two strokes behind Horsfield. Connelly tallied three birdies during his second round and ended the day at 1-over-par 73.

Hidetoshi Yoshihara of Irvine, California, is currently tied for second after carding 4-under-par 68, the lowest round of the tournament. Will Chandler of Atlanta, Kristian Caparros of Hollywood, Florida, and Brad Dalke of Hobart, Oklahoma, are also tied for second after second-round 2-under-par 70s for each of them. Chandler and Dalke each notched four birdies during the round, while Caparros posted an impressive six birdies to help move him up the leaderboard.

In a five-way tie for seventh are Andy Zhang of Reunion, Florida, Will Grimmer of Cincinnati, Ohio, Viraj Madappa of Kolkata, India, Zachary Bauchou of Forest, Virginia, and Nathan Jeansonne of Keithville, Louisiana, each carding a 36-hole total of even-par 144.

Final-round tee times will run from 8 – 10 a.m. off Nos. 1 and 10 tees. For more information about The Junior PLAYERS Championship, please contact tournament headquarters at (770) 601 8922.

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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.

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.

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