TOURNAMENT RECAPS

* AJGA -- AJGA Ashworth Preseason Junior at Maryland

Josh Hedge of Billings, Mont., shot a final-round 71 for a 2-over 144 total and eight-stroke victory at the Ashworth Preseason Junior at Maryland.

The high school sophomore's final round April 6 at the University of Maryland Golf Course in College Park, Md., included birdies on Nos. 9 and 11 and several 8-footers to save par.

"I am sure that most of the players this weekend thought the weather was tough to play but I thought it was perfect coming from Montana," said the 16-year-old. "This is my first AJGA event and I can't believe that I won."

Richard Brazeau of Portsmouth, N.H., shot a final-round 76 to finish second at 152 while Tyler Brewington of Orangeville, Pa., was third at 152 after a closing 76.
- For complete results, visit www.golfweek.com/amateur/

* FCWT -- FCWT Junior Open at Trophy Lake

Erik Flores of Grass Valley, Calif., continued his season-long run through FCWT when he won the circuit's Junior Open April 6 at Trophy Lake in Port Orchard, Wash. Flores, who shot a final-round 72 for a 1-under 215 total, earned his second consecutive FCWT victory.

"I missed two 6-footers today, everything else went in the hole," Flores said.

Sterling Clark of Salt Lake City finished alone in second at 9-over 225 while Canada's Ryan Lidkea -- who made a late run in the final round with a 2-under 34 on his final nine holes -- was third at 226.
- For complete results, visit www.golfweek.com/amateur/

* IJGT -- The Homestead Resort

Daniel Kefale of Woodbridge, Va., held off Chris McCartin of Arlington, Va., and Bryant Hare of Raleigh, N.C., in a playoff to win the IJGT tournament April 6 at Homestead Resort in Hot Springs, Va.

On the first extra hole, the par-5 first, McCartin and Kefale made par while Hare made bogey. Kefale, who posted rounds of 70-75, sealed the victory with a par on the second playoff hole, the 153-yard par-3 second hole. McCartin had rounds of 74-71, while Hare shot 71-74 for 145 totals.

In the girls 11-14 division, Ashley Baker of Dublin, Ohio, posted rounds of 88 and 89 to take the title.
- For complete results, visit www.golfweek.com/juniorgolf/

* PJGT -- Ashville, Ohio

Brad Cieslinski of Natrona Heights, Pa., captured the PJGT's tournament April 6 at the Golf Works Cooks Creek course in Ashville, Ohio. Cieslinski shot a 1-under 71, the low round of the tournament, to edge Dan Doyle of Rochester, Mich., by one stroke. Nicholas Morrow of Waterford, Mich., finished alone in third after rounds of 77-75.
- For complete results, visit www.golfweek.com/juniorgolf/

FROM THE CART PATH:
SO LONG TO PARENT/CADDIES

The Golfweek/Titleist Junior Index recently struck a blow for sanity when it banned tournaments that allow caddies effective Sept. 1. The image of a junior and father/caddie walking down the fairway intently discussing strategy is a heartwarming one, but frequently at odds with a grimmer reality.

Parent caddying invites parental micromanagement, which leads to on-course bickering and overly-long rounds.
- For more, visit www.golfweek.com/articles/2003/juniorgolf/boys/32417.asp

NEWS AND NOTES

* Paula Creamer, No. 1 in the Golfweek/Titleist Performance Index, was given a sponsor exemption into her first LPGA event. The 16-year-old will play the Asahi Ryokuken International Championship May 8-11 at Mount Vintage Plantation in North Augusta, S.C.

''I don't just want to play, I want to get in the top 10 and, hopefully, be in the hunt on Sunday,'' Creamer said. ''I think I can do that.''
- For more, visit www.golfweek.com/articles/2003/juniorgolf/girls/32392.asp

* Amateur Chanin Puntawong shot an Asian PGA Tour record-tying 11-under 61 April 5 at the Thailand Open, the 16-year-old's first professional event.

''I am really happy with the round,'' said Puntawong, a Thai native who is No. 8 in the Golfweek/Titleist rankings. ''My best before today was 64 at a junior tournament (Golfweek/Ashworth Top 100) in the United States.''

Puntawong rattled off seven birdies in a row from the second hole and his 61 matched Chung Chun-hsing's score from the 2001 Maekyung LG Fashion Open in Korea. Puntawong -- winner of the Innisbrook Christmas Junior Classic in December -- has attended the David Leadbetter Golf Academy in Bradenton, Fla., for four years.
- For more, visit www.golfweek.com/articles/2003/pro/world/32394.asp

* The PGA Tour's Andy Bean will team with a group of LPGA Tour players to launch a First Tee program in Lakeland, Fla.

"Andy is a very recognized name in Lakeland, and I think it will add a lot of excitement to the program," said Sherrin Smyers, a former LPGA player who has led the effort to bring a First Tee program to the area and whose husband, Steve, is donating his golf course design expertise to the project.

"I've lived here 20 years and there is not one young golfer who comes up who has not had contact with Andy. He will be an avenue to reach a lot of young would-be golfers and he will be great out there."

Construction is expected to begin in October or November, with The First Tee of Lakeland YMCA opening in the summer of 2004.

* Short shots: The 2003 Signal Mountain Junior Invitational is scheduled to be played June 17-19 at Signal Mountain (Tenn.) Golf and Country Club. The tournament is open to juniors ages 12-18. Applications are due April 25 and can be found at the event's Web site (www.smgcc.org).

PLAYER TO WATCH
Name: Ashlen Christie
Age: 15
Golfweek/Titleist Ranking: 130^th (as of April 9)
Residence: Winnipeg, Canada
The Skinny: Christie came over to the United States two years ago to play golf and she studies at the International Junior Golf Academy in South Carolina. Making the move from Canada, Christie felt that the best opportunity to improve her game mentally, physically and technically was in the United States.

So far this season she has played in two Golfweek/Titleist ranked events and finished inside the top 10 in both. Her best finish came at the IJGT event at TPC at Sawgrass last November when she was runner-up after rounds of 81-79-82. Christie also placed sixth at the IJGT's Colleton River Plantation tournament in January.

Her goals include earning a golf scholarship and becoming a member of the Manitoba Canadian National team.

THIS WEEK'S SCHEDULE

FCWT
April 11-13 -- FCWT Cape Cod Classic, New Seabury Ocean/Dunes, Mashpee, Mass.

IJGT
April 11-13 -- Seaview Marriott (Pines Course), Absecon, N.J.

PJGT
April 12-13 -- Softspikes PJGT National Challenge, Links at Hiawatha (N.Y.)

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

BOYS
AJGA Ashworth Preseason Junior at Maryland, College Park, Md. -- Josh Hedge (Not Ranked)

FCWT Junior Open at Trophy Lake, Port Orchard, Wash. -- Erik Flores (37th to 26th)

IJGT The Homestead Resort, Hot Springs, Va. -- Daniel Kefale (232nd to 196th)

PJGT Golf Works Cooks Creek Classic, Cooks Creek GC, Ashville, Ohio -- Brad Cieslinski (Not Ranked to 328th)

RECRUITING CENTRAL
One of the most significant news items involving college athletics recently is a NCAA proposal to penalize programs who do not graduate their athletes. Possible consequences include loss of scholarships or even banishment from post-season play. Under current rules, athletes must earn their degrees within six years of initial enrollment to count as graduates.

The graduation rate standard presently in use penalizes programs whose athletes leave school early to turn pro or transfer to other institutions. In part, the intent of the proposal is to reward programs who achieve academic success, but critics include coaches with high profile programs who frequently lose underclassmen to the pros or have student-athletes transfer to other schools.

Athletes who transfer to other schools and then graduate count against the original institution's graduation rate even if they earn their degree within the six-year time frame.

Although the rule is primarily aimed at basketball and football, golf is not immune to possible penalties. Phil Mickelson took an incredible course load the spring semester of his senior year so he could graduate from Arizona State in four years and Ohio State men's coach Jim Brown has graduated all but three student-athletes in his 29-year tenure while making 26 NCAA appearances.

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

THIS WEEK IN GOLFWEEK
Check the April 12 issue of Golfweek for a special report on the behind-the-scenes culture of player representation in professional golf.

POLL QUESTION
Log on to golfweek.com and participate in the ''It's Your Honor'' poll question. This week: What is your favorite major championship to watch?

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.