Ogletree, Li win RTC Junior titles

photo Ailin Li putts on the 18th green Thursday on her way to a win in the girls division during the final round of the AJGA tournament at the Windstone Golf and Country Club.

RINGGOLD, Ga. - Andy Ogletree is on a winning streak.

He won his division of the Futures Tour Championship on Sunday in Greenville, Miss. He and his father, Jim, drove all night to make it in time for a practice round Monday at WindStone Golf Club.

They drove away from Ringgold and back to their home in Little Rock, Ark., with another trophy.

Ogletree shot a final-round 5-under-par 66 to win the Ringgold Telephone Company Junior Classic with a three-day total of 6-under 207.

"I figured 6 under would win, so I tried to birdie every hole," said Ogletree, who also won a "Big Break" style competition Tuesday, when he mashed a marshmallow about 50 yards with his driver. "Winning is like a weight off your shoulders."

Jacob Eklund was the runner-up at 209, followed by Harrison Corbin at 210. Ben Rebne led the Chattanooga-area contingent by tying for 52nd.

Ailin Li of Windermere, Fla., shot a final-round 3-under 68 and won the girls' division by three strokes with a 1-under 212.

"For the first two days you just set a goal for yourself, and you can't say, 'I want to make a birdie on every hole,'" Li said. "You have to say even or 2 over, then on the last day just be calm."

Li, a rising sophomore, overcame a two-stroke deficit to start the day and defeated Kaho Monica Matsubara by three shots. Katherine Holmes tied for fourth and led the Chattanooga-area girls with a 222.

"My goal for the day was to shoot 2 under," Li said. "I had an aim, and I was working for it during my round, and that's how I won."

Ogletree finished with a flurry. He began the final round three shots off the lead. He stood at 1 over for the tournament through six holes Thursday.

Then he birdied six of his final 11.

"I went bogey, double-bogey on 5 and then birdied Nos. 7, 9, 10, 12, 15 and 17," he said. "I just didn't give up. I hit some shots close and I made a lot of putts."

Contact David Uchiyama at duchiyama@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6484. Follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/UchiyamaCTFP.

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