NEW GUIDELINES FOR RANKED EVENTS

Golfweek has unveiled new guidelines for junior tournaments to be included in the 2003-04 Golfweek/Titleist Performance Index compiled by Jeff Sagarin.

The new guidelines, which become effective Sept. 1, require ranked tournaments to be at least 36 holes and have a minimum of 40 boys and 12 girls at the start of an event.

Tournaments must have pace of play and code of conduct policies and prohibit the use of caddies and golf carts.

''As participation in competitive junior golf continues to grow, standardization of rankings-related policies has become critical,'' said Golfweek publisher Jim Nugent. ''We talked to the leaders in junior golf, and developed policies that are in the best interest of junior golfers.''

The Index includes more than 122 tournaments and 3,295 juniors.
- For complete guidelines, visit www.golfweek.com/articles/2003/juniorgolf/boys/32363.asp.

TOURNAMENT RECAPS

* AJGA -- Ashworth Preseason Junior at Hot Springs

Michael Gammon of Garland, Texas, made a scrambling bogey at the par-5 final hole March 30 to win the AJGA Ashworth Preseason Junior at Hot Springs.

Gammon -- who closed with 78 for a 152 total and his first AJGA title -- played the front nine at Hot Springs Country Club's Arlington Course in 1 over to take a five-shot lead. But the 17-year-old bogeyed Nos. 10 and 11 while his closest pursuer, Reed Davis of Cordova, Tenn., closed the gap with some late birdies.

Gammons hit his approach shot 50 yards over the green at the closing hole and got up-and-down for bogey and the victory.

''Winning this tournament gives me confidence,'' Gammon said.

Davis finished one stroke back at 153, while Josh Bain of Abilene, Texas, placed third at 154. Rounding out the top five were Jason Cuthbertson of Conway, Ark., and Mu Hu of Bradenton, Fla., at 155 and 156, respectively.
- For complete results, visit www.golfweek.com/articles/2003/juniorgolf/boys/32344.asp

* PJGT -- Sun Ice Coal Classic, Pete Dye GC, W.Va.

Andrew Guthrie of Madisonville, Tenn., won the weather-shortened Plantations Junior Golf Tour SunIce Coal Classic title March 29. Guthrie shot a 2-under 70 for a four-stroke victory over Michael Mulieri of Silver Spring, Md. David Pfotzer of Newark, Del., finished in third, six shots back, at 76.

In the girls 12-19 division, Danielle Wolter of Evansville, Ind., shot a 12-over 84 to take the title. Katie Trachok of Pittsburgh, Pa., finished alone in second, one back. Hillery Wilson of Hudson, Ohio, and Heather Omran of Clarksburg, Md., tied for third with 89s.

HOGGARD: WIE HAS TALENT
TO TURN BACK GOLF'S CLOCK

For the second time in four years a junior crashed what long ago became a grown-up party.

This time around the youthful interloper was 13-year-old phenom Michelle Wie. In 2000, it was another 13-year-old, Aree Song (formerly Wongluekiet), who joined players more than twice her age in the most unlikely of places. Defying logic, odds, conventional wisdom and their own self-effacing expectations both teen-aged sensations played their way into the final group on Sunday at a major championship.
- For more, visit www.golfweek.com/articles/2003/juniorgolf/girls/32345.asp

NEWS AND NOTES

* Golfweek announced April 1 a new junior event, the Golfweek/Precept Junior Invitational, to be held Oct. 12-13 at Sea Trail Golf Resort & Conference Center which is located near Mrytle Beach S.C.

The field for the 54-hole event will include players from the top 200 in the Golfweek/Titleist Performance Index compiled by Jeff Sagarin. Invitations will be sent Aug. 1.

Thirty-six holes are scheduled to be played Oct. 12 followed by the final 18 Oct. 13.

Entry into the event is $265 and includes breakfast and lunch during both competition days as well as a practice round. For more information, call 877-805-4653 or e-mail khiggins@golfweek.com.

* The State Farm Insurance Collegiate Players Tour, entering its 10th season this June, will add a new twist in 2003 with the creation of a junior division for high school sophomores and junior. Junior boys will play the same course from the same tees as the college players, but will compete for their own championship. At the end of the summer, the junior champions and runners-up will have their own national competition along with the CPT National Championship in Dallas.

For more information on the Collegiate Players Tour, its junior division or its 2003 schedule call 214-369-8301 or e-mail at Barry@collegiateplayerstour.com.

* Short shots: Casey Wittenberg had rounds of 72-67-68-73 at the Azalea Invitational, a prestigious amateur event, and finished second, five shots behind champion Spencer Levin. Luke List finished tied for fifth place and Randy Lowry finished tied for 13th while top-ranked junior Tyler Leon was 30th. . . . The Canadian Junior Golf Association announced March 27 that Sony of Canada Ltd. will sponsor the CJGA Player of the Month Award in 2003. The award will be given to a junior each month from April through October to recognize the player's achievement in CJGA events as well as in the community. Sony will present each player of the month with a Sony NetMD Walkman portable recorder/player.

PLAYER TO WATCH
Name: Sommer Scholl
Age: 16
Golfweek/Titleist Ranking: 30^th (as of April 2)
Residence: Riverside, Calif.
The Skinny: In her last 13 events, Scholl has compiled four victories and five top 10s. In the first week of March she posted rounds of 73-72 to earn her first victory of the year at the International Junior Golf Tour's Quail Ranch Tournament in Moreno, Calif.

So far this season in the two ranked events she has competed she carries an overall record of 66-14.

Last season she won her first AJGA tournament -- the AJGA Callaway Junior All-Star Classic in Cathedral City, Calif., by five strokes with a even-par 144 total. Three weeks later she competed in the U.S. Girls' Junior Amateur, where she missed advancing to match play by 11 shots. Her other victories came on The Junior Tour and the California Junior Tour.

THIS WEEK'S SCHEDULE

AJGA
April 4-6 -- AJGA Ashworth Preseason Junior at Maryland

FCWT
April 4-6 -- FCWT Junior Open at Trophy Lake, Seattle

IJGT
April 4-6 -- The Homestead Resort, Hot Springs, Va.

PJGT
April 5-6 -- Golf Works Cooks Creek Classic, Cooks Creek GC, Ashville, Ohio

NUMBER CRUNCHING
Here is a list of last week's winners and their movement in the Golfweek/Titleist Performance Index:

BOYS
BOYS AJGA -- AJGA Ashworth Preseason Junior at Hot Springs -- Michael Gammon (No. 454 to 360)
PJGT -- SunIce Coal Classic -- Andrew Guthrie (Not Ranked to 35th)

GIRLS
PJGT -- SunIce Coal Classic -- Danielle Wolter (Not Ranked)

RECRUITING CENTRAL
In addition to the NCAA division I and II definitions of ''qualifier'' for a student-athlete who has graduated from high school and meets both the core-course GPA and SAT/ACT minimums and a ''non-qualifier'' who meets none of the requirements, there is also a designation for ''partial qualifier.''

A partial qualifier has graduated from high school but only meets either the core-course requirement or the SAT/ACT minimum. A partial qualifier is eligible to practice with a team at its home facility and receive an athletics scholarship during the student-athlete's first year. After a partial qualifier's first season, the student-athlete has three seasons of eligibility at a division I school and four years of competition at a division II institution.

A partial qualifier may earn a fourth year of division I competition, provided that at the beginning of the fifth academic year following the student-athlete's initial full-time college enrollment the student has received a four-year degree.

- For more college recruiting information, visit the Ping American College Golf Guide at www.collegegolf.com/.

THIS WEEK IN GOLFWEEK
Check the April 5 issue of Golfweek for a complete Masters preview and a look back at Michelle Wie's wonderful week at the Kraft Nabisco Championship.

POLL QUESTION
Log on to golfweek.com and participate in the ''It's Your Honor'' poll question. This week: Who will win the Masters April 10-13?

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.

Have a question about the Golfweek/Titleist Performance Index? E-mail rankings@golfweek.com.