TOURNAMENT RECAPS Matt Kinsinger of Reno, Nev., won the California Junior Classic Jan. 20
thanks to some solid putting in the first two rounds. Kinsinger, who
finished at 3-under 213, made several lengthy putts of 30-40 feet and
credited his success in the final round to solid ball-striking. Darren
Schwartz of Westlake Village, Calif., followed his second-round 67 with a
closing 74, which was good for a 2 under total and the runner-up trophy.
In the boys 13-15 division, Brett Bocci of Hillsborough, Calif., won a
three-man playoff for the title. Trevor Carle of Santa Rosa and Will
Haydon of Palo Alto finished tied for second after Bocci made birdie on
the third playoff hole.
In the girls division, Ki-Shui Liao continued her domination of the
FCWT with a six-shot victory. Liao carded a final-round 1-under 71 to
finish at 3 over for the tournament. Vanessa Brockett of Los Angeles and
Casey Gee of Sacramento, Calif., finished tied for second at 9 over. * FCWT San Antonio Round Up, Tapatio Springs
Ben Smock of San Antonio shot a final-round 77 Jan. 20, which went with
his opening 71, for a one-shot victory over Kevan Boone of El Paso, Texas.
Boone had rounds of 74-75 for 149. In the 13-15 division, Chris Walker of
the Woodlands, Texas, shot a 21-over 165 to finish one shot ahead of Davis
Dewald of Kempner, Texas, and Dallas' Travis Wadkins.
Ashley Freeman of Belleville, Ill., also went home with a FCWT title.
After placing third at TPC Woodlands three weeks ago, Sylvan cruised to
the girls 16-19 title, winning by six strokes. * FCWT Kiawah (S.C.) Island Classic
John Saari of Lilburn, Ga., captured the Kiawah Island Classic Jan. 20
in tough, cold conditions. Lilburn, who finished at 13-under 229, said
patience was key to winning the event. Finishing just one back was Marco
Morales from Coral Gables, Fla., with a 230 total.
In the boys 13-15 division, Mike McMillan of Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.,
finished at 19-over 163 to claim his first victory this year on the FCWT.
Carling Coffing from Middletown, Ohio, won the 16-19 girls division
with a 245 total. * IJGT Colleton River, Bluffton, S.C.
Derek Oldham of Lexington, Ky., battled heavy winds Jan. 20 to finish
at 11-over 227 and capture the title at Colleton River by one stroke over
Ryan Leveque of Charlotte, N.C. In the boys 13-15 division, Reed Howard of
Greenwich, Conn., followed rounds of 74 and 71 with a final-round 74 to
claim his first victory. Mexico's Diego Munoz closed with 77 to finish
second.
In the girls 15-19 division, Brittany Collins of Bluffton, S.C.,
cruised to victory with a 241 total. Stephanie Brown of Hilton Head
Island, S.C., claimed second after a final-round 83. * Texas Junior Tour at Barton Creek Resort, Austin, Texas
Creighton Honeck of Austin, Texas, edged Kevin Lozares from Mt. View,
Calif., by seven strokes Jan. 20 and claim the title at Barton Creek
Resort. * SJGT Jekyll Island (Ga.) Junior
Mark Harrell of Hazlehurst, Ga., won the SJGT Jekyll Island Junior Jan.
20 by seven shots over Benjamin Kishigian of Warner Robins, Ga., and
Philip Pettitt Jr. of Murfreesboro, Tenn. Harrell carded a final-round
7-under 65 to finish at 5-under 139.
A playoff was needed to determine the winner in the girls division.
Ashley Medders of Alma, Ga., and Jennifer Cassidy of Dalton, Ga., finished
at 13-under 157. Medders won the title on the third playoff hole.
* FCWT
California Junior Classic, Teal Bend, Sacramento, Calif.
-
For complete results, visit www.golfweek.com/amateur/
- For complete results,
visit www.golfweek.com/amateur/
- For complete results, visit www.golfweek.com/amateur/
- For complete
results, visit www.golfweek.com/amateur/
- For complete results, visit www.golfweek.com/amateur/
-
For complete results, visit www.golfweek.com/amateur/
ELLIOTT: NAME
GAME With 95 events (58 boys and 37 girls) completed this season in the
Golfweek/Titleist Junior Rankings and with close to 1,000 players having
played in the minimum number of two events in order to be ranked, it's a
good time to sit down and take an up-close look at the rankings.
To the Main Event, the All-star teams which were formed from an
exhaustive review of the rankings by the team here at Junior Golf Extra
headquarters.
GOES BEYOND NUMBERS
- For more, visit www.golfweek.com/juniorgolf/.
NEWS AND
NOTES Michelle Wie was on the practice range at Waialae Country Club before
the Pro-Junior Golf Challenge at the Sony Open. She started with her
wedges and worked her way through the bag until she pulled out a driver.
That's when PGA Tour players -- five on each side of her -- stopped
what they were doing to watch. With her long, fluid swing, the Hawaiian
teen-ager cracked one drive after another toward the back end of the
range, some of them approaching 300 yards.
Why all the interest?
Wie is only 13, and she might be the biggest youth sensation in golf
since a kid name Tiger Woods appeared on the ''Mike Douglas Show'' at age
2.
The pros murmured after each drive struck by the eighth-grader, who is
nearly 6 feet.
''Just missed it a hair -- 280,'' Jerry Kelly said sarcastically after
one shot. * The mailing of the American Junior Golf Association's 2003 Membership
Brochures has been delayed. The brochure contains information about the
AJGA as well as a membership application. Brochures will be mailed Jan.
21, officials said last week.
Males wanting to play an Ashworth Preseason Junior Series event --
which are filled on a first-come, first-serve basis -- will need to apply
online at www.ajga.org.
Applications for the Easter weekend tournaments (April 18-20) are
scheduled for release online in early March while applications for the
remainder of the season are scheduled for release online by late March.
Exact dates for these applications will be announced when the tournament
schedule is finalized.
Applications for all tournaments in 2003 will be online only.
For more information, contact the AJGA Player Services Department at
1-877-373-2542.
* The United States took first place in four of six divisions at last
week's Aaron Baddeley Junior World Championship. The event -- played Jan.
15-17 at Denarau Golf and Racquet Club in Nadi, Fiji -- featured teams
from Canada, New Zealand, Australia, Fiji as well as the United States.
Patton Kizzire (boys 17 and under), Brian Harmon (boys 16 and under),
Phillip Francis (boys 15 and under) and Jennifer Pandolfi (girls 17 and
under) took top honors in their respective divisions at the second-year
event.
Baddeley, a top junior before turning pro after winning the 1999
Australian Open, said he wants to create a junior event with a pro
tournament atmosphere.
''As a junior I was always thinking of ways to make events better so
this was my chance,'' said Baddeley, who lost on the second playoff hole
last week to Ernie Els at the Sony Open in his first event as a PGA Tour
member. ''It's a pro event for juniors.''
* On Jan. 25, PGA Merchandise Show attendees will have the opportunity
to attend a seminar entitled ''Junior Golf Programs That Work.'' The
seminar is a part of a new educational emphasis during the Show.
JuniorLinks.com is a Web site that promotes communication and best
practices in junior golf. The site was built as a collaborative effort of
the GOLF 20/20 initiative and its development and management has been led
by the U.S. Golf Association. A panel of speakers representing various
junior golf initiatives will be presented from 3-4 p.m. in room 102-A.
Check next week's Junior Golf Report for complete details from the
seminar.
* The moment was Hoganesque, although it had more to do with
curiosity than perfection.
- For more, visit www.golfweek.com/juniorgolf/
PLAYER TO
WATCH Robinson has turned his game up a notch in 2003, placing inside the
top-10 in his first four events. He tied for third in the FCWT Deacon Run,
sixth in the Donald Ross Junior, seventh in the IJGT Harbour Town
tournament and ninth on Jan. 20 at the FCWT Kiawah Island Classic.
Robinson is a top student at Science Hill High School where he carries
a 3.2 GPA and hopes to become a golf course architect one day or pursue a
career designing golf equipment.
Name: Brad Robinson
Age: 16
Golfweek/Titleist
Ranking: 42nd (as of Jan. 21)
Residence: Jonesborough,
Tenn.
The Skinny: Robinson, who started playing golf at age 6, learned
to play on his own. His parents, Mike and Linda, were not serious golfers
but they did notice his interest in the game and they moved to a golf
course community.
THIS WEEK'S
SCHEDULE
IJGT: Ojai (Calif.) Valley Golf Resort, Jan. 24-26
Golfweek/Titleist
Performance Index (as of Jan. 21) - For complete rankings, visit www.golfweek.com/juniorgolf/ratings/boys.asp
GIRLS - For complete rankings, visit www.golfweek.com/juniorgolf/ratings/girls.asp
BOYS
1. Tyler
Leon 69.76
2. Robert Gates Jr. 69.97
3. Benjamin
Alvarado 70.68
4. Brendon Todd 70.94
5. Chanin
Puntawong 71.24
6. Lance Lopez 71.31
7. Ryan
Cairns 71.48
8. Trent Leon 71.67
9. Greg Rodgers
71.71
10. Jonathan Moore 71.71
1. Paula Creamer 69.67
2. Emma Cabrera
72.55
3. In-Bee Park 72.63
4. Nicole Hage 73.14
5.
Julieta Granada 73.20
6. Jane Park 73.20
7. Ashley
Knoll 73.34
8. Carmen Alonso 73.45
9. Elisa
Serramia 73.59
10. Brittany Lincicome 73.61
RECRUITING
CENTRAL - For more college recruiting information, visit the Ping American
College Golf Guide at www.collegegolf.com/.
If a high school course is spread over two years, how does
the NCAA count that course toward the core-course requirement as applied
to freshman eligibility? The NCAA rules state that a one-year course that
is spread over a longer period of time (i.e. two years or three semesters)
is considered as one course and would receive a maximum of one core-course
credit.
THIS WEEK IN
GOLFWEEK
In the Jan. 25 issue of Golfweek, Alistair Tait analyzes
the British Amateur date change and Jay A. Coffin catches up with wonder
twins Aree and Naree Song Wongluekiet.
POLL
QUESTION
Log on to golfweek.com and participate in the ''It's Your
Honor'' poll question. This week: Aaron Baddeley's runner-up finish at the
Sony Open gives the Aussie a head start in the race for '03 Rookie of the
Year. Who gets your vote for this season's top newcomer?
Have a question about the Golfweek/Titleist Performance Index? E-mail
rankings@golfweek.com.
Have an
interesting junior note to report, or know an interesting junior we can
profile? E-mail Golfweek scoreboard editor Graham Elliott at gelliott@golfweek.com.