11/20/2009 - Duke Sports Information

DURHAM, N.C. - Duke men's golf head coach Jamie Green announced the signing of Austin Cody and Yaroslav Merkulov to National Letters of Intent on Friday. Both players are ranked among the top 10 players in the 2010 class, giving the Blue Devils perhaps the top recruiting class in the country.  According to National Junior Golf Scoreboard, Cody and Merkulov are ranked fourth and fifth, respectively, in the 2010 class. On the Golfweek/Sagarin Junior Ratings, Merkulov is listed third and Cody is listed No. 6 in the class of 2010.

"We couldn't be more thrilled about having Austin [Cody] and Yaroslav [Merkulov] signing National Letters of Intent with Duke this week," Green said. "Both young men fit perfectly with the current squad that we have and the direction we are building the program for the future. They come from very supportive families. Duke University's Athletic Department will be very proud and excited when they step onto campus next fall."

Austin Cody
Cody, a native of North Charleston, S.C., is an American Junior Golf Association (AJGA) three-time Rolex Jr. All-America selection and a 2009 EA Sports All-America Boys' Golf Team. He ranks 13th in the Golfweek/Sagarin Junior Ratings (sixth in the class of 2010) and is also listed at No. 16 in the Polo Golf Rankings, which accounts for the best junior amateurs, regardless of age. Cody has five top 20 finishes in AJGA sanctioned tournaments. At the South Carolina Golf Association State Junior (SCGA) at Bulls Bay, S.C., Austin fired a three-round total of 202 (67-65-70) to come in second place.

Cody also holds impressive titles in consecutive years in several national tournaments. He is a three-time Callaway Golf Junior World Champion, Press Thornton Future Masters Winner, and four-time Donald Ross Invitational Champion.

Along with his success nationally, Cody has been a force at Pinewood Prep earning eight varsity letters after first playing for the high school team as a fifth grader. Cody has been named All-State six times and is a three-time SCISA 3-A Golfer of the Year. As a senior, Cody was named the 2009 SCJGA Jay Haas Player of the Year.

This past fall, Cody won the SCISA 3-A State High School Championships in Myrtle Beach, S.C., with rounds of 67-70. He has also qualified for the SCGA State Amateur three times and was part of the 2008 United States Golf Association Amateur Qualifier.

Cody also has match play experience, having been selected twice to the Canon Cup team, which pits the best American junior golfers from the East and West Coasts in a format similar to the Ryder Cup. Cody notched a 2-1 record, winning his singles match, 4&3, against the West.

Yaroslav Merkulov
With his play this year, Merkulov has jumped up in the rankings and is recognized as one of the premier junior golfers in the U.S. The Penfield, N.Y. native was a 2009 Rolex Jr. first team All-America choice and is tabbed third in the Polo Golf Rankings and sixth in the Golfweek/Sagarin Junior Ratings (third in his class).

Merkulov has also excelled academically at Penfield High School, earning high honors throughout his high school years as member of the National Honor Society.

Merkulov was the runner-up at the 2009 Junior PLAYERS Championship at TPC Sawgrass, one of his five top 20 finishes this year at AJGA sanctioned events. In his last three tournaments, Merkulov had two top five finishes. He was also a member of the 2009 Canon Cup, compiling a 3-0-1 record at the event.

Perhaps most impressive was Merkulov's win at the 87th New York State Amateur, tying for the youngest champion in tournament history at 17-years-old. The senior has been tabbed All-Greater Rochester three times and an All-State selection four times. He was the Section V champion and twice a runner-up in the state championship. Merkulov has also won the New York State Junior Amateur twice along with the New York State Boy's Amateur in 2006.

The two Duke-bound golfers were paired together at the 2009 Canon Cup, winning 1-up in their match against the West when Cody drained a 40-footer on the 18th hole.

"They are exceptionally competitive, very focused and determined to improve on a daily basis" Green said. "They fully recognize and appreciate the value of their education right along with their desire to compete at the highest level in their sport."