Jalen Ledger of Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., carded a field-low 5-under-par 65 in the second round to sit atop the leaderboard at the Evitt Foundation RTC Junior All-Star with a 5-under-par 135 two-day tournament total. Jordan Daniel of Newnan, Ga., carded a 3-over-par 73 to stand at a 3-over-par 143 for the girls' tournament.

The Evitt Foundation RTC Junior All-Star is one of 11 events in the Gary Gilchrist Golf Academy Junior All-Star Series. Specifically designed for boys and girls ages 12-15, the Gary Gilchrist Golf Academy Junior All-Star Series presents opportunities for younger players to develop their skills and earn entry into AJGA Open tournaments. The Series concludes with the Junior All-Star Invitational over Columbus Day weekend for winners and top finishers in Gary Gilchrist Golf Academy Junior All-Star Series events.

The Evitt Foundation RTC Junior All-Star is a 54-hole stroke play event conducted by the American Junior Golf Association at WindStone Golf Club in Ringgold, Ga. The tournament field includes 72 boys and 23 girls, ages 12-15 from 20 states, Canada and Mexico. The Boys Division is playing par-72 at 6,352 yards, while the Girls Division is playing at 5,658 yards.

Ledger managed to improve five strokes from his first-round score of even-par 70 which helped him jump six spots. Ledger went 5-under-par on the back nine, which he credited to his putting.

“I was able to drive the green on No. 14 to within seven feet and I made the putt for eagle,” Ledger said. “I felt really comfortable with my putting and was able to get two of my last three holes.”

Braden Thornberry of Olive Branch, Miss., sits in second going into the final day with a 4-under-par 136 tournament total. In third place sits Eric Bae of Cary, N.C., with a 3-under-par 137 tournament total. Terrence Zhang of Orlando, Fla., is in fourth place with a 2-under-par 138 tournament total. Rounding out the top five is Issei Tanabe of Huntington Beach, Calif., who carded an even-par 140 tournament total.

Daniel, who holds a one-shot lead, feels at ease on the course having played this event last year.

“I felt comfortable heading into this event since I remembered the course,” Daniel said. “I remembered how I felt playing this course last year so I only had to make a few adjustments for this year.”

Rounding out the top three in the Girls Division are Payton Schanen of Kennesaw, Ga., and Kaho Matsubara of San Diego who carded tournament total of 4-over-par 144 and 9-over-par 149 respectively.