STILLWATER, OK (October 8, 2017) - After carding an opening-round 3-under-par 69, Canon Claycomb of Bowling Green, Kentucky, took control on Sunday with a 5-under-par 67. The two-day total of 8-under-par 136 leaves him with a seven-stroke advantage heading into Monday’s AJGA PING Invitational final round.
Claycomb’s second-round score bests marks set by current PGA TOUR professionals when they competed at The PING Invitational during their junior careers. Jordan Spieth, who won The PING Invitational twice, carded a round of 4-under-par 68 in 2008. Rickie Fowler shot a 3-under-par 69 in the first round of the 2006 Invitational and went on to finish third.
Parker Coody of Plano, Texas, tallied a 3-under-par 69 to move into solo second place with a tournament total of 1-under-par 143. Joe Highsmith of Lakewood, Washington, Sean Maruyama of Encino, California, and Julian Perico of Peru are T3 at even-par 144.
Amari Avery of Riverside, California, and Lucy Li of Redwood Shores, California, lead the Girls Division heading into the final round. The juniors both carded a score of 2-under-par 70 in the second round for a tournament total of 3-under-par 141. Li finished runner-up at The PING Invitational last year while Avery is making her debut in the event.
Gina Kim of Chapel Hill, North Carolina, scored a 2-under-par 70 in the second round to move to one stroke back. Kim carded a bogey-free front-nine and tallied five birdies on her round.
Final-round tee times will run from 8:30 a.m. to 10:20 a.m. off Nos. 1 and 10 at Karsten Creek on Monday, October 9.
AJGA PING Inv. Leader Claycomb is On Record Setting Pace
Lucy Li and Amari Avery share the 36-hole lead in the Girl's Division