TOURNAMENT RECAPS

* AJGA Thunderbird International Junior

Brian Harman of Savannah, Ga., picked up his first national title May 27 with a final-round, 3-under-par 69 at the American Junior Golf Association's Thunderbird International Junior.

Harman, a left-hander who entered the event No. 7 in the Golfweek/Titleist Rankings, began the final round with a one-shot lead over Song Jeon of Ocala, Fla., while Anthony Kim of La Quinta, Calif., was three shots off the pace. Harman carded three birdies on the front nine to make the turn at 3-under-par 33 and parred the rest of the way for a one-shot victory.

"I knocked down about a 20-foot putt for birdie on No. 6 and after that, I thought I would probably play pretty well," Harman said.

Harman held off a strong charge from Kim who carded six birdies in the final round. Trailing by two on No. 18, Kim reached the par-5 final hole in two shots and narrowly missed his eagle putt which would have forced a playoff. Harman made a routine par at the last hole for the title.

"When it (the eagle putt) was about halfway to the hole, I saw it had too much speed and I knew I had won it," Harman said. "This tournament was No. 1 on my summer schedule and I was really looking forward to it."

"This is the best field all year and I really wanted to do well here. This is probably the most stressful tournament I have ever played."

Harman finished with a 9-under 207 total while Kim, who closed with 67, was at 208. Tied for third at 213 were Jeon and Brendon Todd of Cary, N.C. Rounding out the top five was Joshua Wooding of Riverside, Calif.

In the girls division, Ashley Knoll of The Woodlands, Texas, took the title for her first major championship. Knoll carded an even-par 72 to finish the tournament at 3-under 213. She finished with three birdies, including a key putt at No. 15 to keep her round going.

"I thought if I shot even-par today that I would win," said Knoll, who is bound d for Oklahoma State. "After the birdie on No. 15, I was just trying to get it to 1 under for the day. I was just playing the course and not worrying about the other people.''

Two shots back after a closing 71 was Amanda Blumenherst of Scottsdale, Ariz. Brittany Lincicome of Seminole, Fla., took third place with a 216 total. San Diego's Hannah Jun placed fourth at 217 while Lauren Todd of Phoenix and Julieta Granada of Bradenton, Fla., rounded out the top 5 at 220. Top-ranked Paula Creamer finished outside the top 2 for the first time this season. Creamer shot rounds of 75-72-75 to tie for eighth.
- For complete results, click here. 

* IJGT/Titleist Tournament of Champions

Michael Quagliano of White Plains, N.Y., burned Grand Cypress Resort's North/South and New Courses with rounds of 66-68-72 on is way to victory in the boys 16-19 division at the IJGT's Tournament of Champions May 26. Derek Oldham of Lexington, Ky., carded rounds of 70-72-70 to finish second.

Salt Lake City's Robbie Fillmore, Canada's Andrew Milloy, Philip Hendrickson of Danville, Ky., and David Dragoo of Scottsdale, Ariz. tied for third at 2-under 214.

In the boys 13-15 division, Chad Bricker of Waynesboro, Pa., held off Mexico's Diego Munoz and won the boys 13-15 division by two strokes. Bricker had rounds of 69-65-70 for a 12-under 204 total.

Louis Amira of Lady Lake, Fla., followed his first two rounds of 68-77 with a closing 6-under 66 win the boys 11-12 division by two strokes. San Diego's David Sztrom was second at 213.

In the girls 15-19 division, Glory Yang of Murrieta, Calif., defeated Amber Lundskog of San Diego on the first playoff hole. Yang got up-and-down for par on the 327-yard, par-4 first hole of the South Course for the victory. Both girls finished tied at 230.

In the girls 11-14 division, Won Joo Choi of Murrieta, Calif., out dueled Taylore Karle of Plano, Texas, with a closing-round 74. Choi finished at 228 while Karle (73) was a shot back.
- For complete results, click here.

* FCWT National Championship at Doral

Severe thunderstorms forced officials at the FCWT National Championship to shorten the event to 36 holes.

In the boys 16-19 division, Michael Young of Jacksonville, Fla., won his second consecutive FCWT National Championship title.

After a first-round 69, Young scorched the Doral's Blue Monster course with a 65 that included nine birdies and two bogeys. Inclement weather pushed second round play into Sunday but no one was able to catch Young.

"I hit a lot of fairways and greens in regulation and putted well," said Young, who needed 24 putts in his second round. "I knew there were a lot of good players in this huge, deep field, so I figured I'd have to play well. I did feel good coming in, and believe that being the returning champion was an advantage."

Kyle Moore of Dublin, Ohio, was runner-up after rounds of 69-70. Moore's second round included a 31 on the front nine, where he made six birdies in seven holes. Moore began the tournament with a 3-wood second shot to 8 feet at the par-5 first hole for eagle. Chase Cooper finished third after rounds of 70.

Sophomore Christine Yum was able to overcame the weather and delays to win the girls division. Yum, winner of this season's FCWT Plantation event, had rounds of 71-68-72 to finish at 1 over. The Sarasota, Fla., resident -- who was named a FCWT All-American second team selectee, had two double bogeys and 11 birdies for the week.

Hagen Weintraub of Pembroke Pines, Fla., shot 71-74-70 to finish second. Defending champion Sookhee Baek and Tiffany Chudy tied for third place.
- For complete results, click here.

From the Cart Path:
Will Sorenstam's feat
inspire more juniors?

The crowds following Annika Sorenstam at the Bank of America Colonial were notable in two ways: the large number of men who came to cheer openly for a woman athlete; and the presence of many girls for whom Sorenstam clearly was an inspiration.

The question is how many girls will take advantage of increased opportunities to play and totally dedicate themselves to golf excellence.
- For more, click here.

NEWS AND NOTES

* The IJGT announced the 14-player Team USA that will play the Canadian Junior Golf Tour's Team Canada in the inaugural North America Cup July 1-4.

The Ryder Cup-style event will feature four divisions: Kevin Grabeman and Thomas Bethel (boys 17-18); Amber Lundskog and Marissa Patterson (girls 18 and under); Michael Quagliano, Chad Bricker, Ben Herrera and Derek Oldham (boys 15-16) and Drew Kittleson, Mark Costanza, Michael Soowal (boys 13-14).

Three additional players will be named to the boys 13-14 division.

''We just want to make sure it's a fun tournament for the players, that it is competitive, and that it's a great learning experience,'' said John Stanley, the IJGT's director of tour operations. ''We will take it from there and develop it into something that is always competitive. We may try to involve other countries and make it into more of an international cup.''
- For more, click here.

* Last year at Prairie Dunes in Kansas, Aree Song (formerly Wongluekiet) made headlines when she opened with 71 and was tied for 16th after Round 1 at the U.S. Women's Open. In 1998 fellow amateur Jenny Chuasiriporn lost to Se Ri Pak in a playoff.

Chances are good this year's amateur darling will emerge from the sectional qualifier June 9 at The Country Club at Heathrow (Fla.).

Twenty-seven of the 50 players who will tee it up at Heathrow are amateurs including nine of the top 70 juniors.
- For more, click here.

* With an abundance of confidence and wide smiles the 13-year-old tandem of Henrietta Brockway and Florentyna Parker blended into Ladies European Tour life easily at the Lancia ladies Open of Portugal last week.

Despite missing the cut, each carded rounds of 77, both admitted to being treated ''like young women'' and not precocious teen-agers.

The teens were paired with European No. 1 Paula Marti and described the experience as ''awesome.''

The Team Faldo players are scheduled to make their second start in a pro event next month at the LET's Irish Open.

* Short shots: The Callaway Golf PGA Junior Series begins its season June 2-4 at Bear Trace in Winchester, Tenn., and concludes Aug. 11-12 at Webster (N.Y.) Golf Club. This summer's schedule features 11 events, including five 54-hole (three-day) and six 36-hole (two-day) tournaments. Entry fees are $60 for 36-hole events and $90 for 54-hole events. For more information, visit http://www.pga.com/ or call the PGA of America (561) 624-8400. . . . . Jenna Moore of Renton, Wash., aced the 116-yard, par-3 third hole on Grand Cypress Resort's New Course at the IJGT's Titleist Tournament of Champions.

PLAYER TO WATCH
Name: Justin Thomas
Age: 10
Golfweek/Titleist Ranking: Not ranked (as of 05.28.03)
Residence: Goshen, Ky.
The Skinny: Thomas, who was rated the top 8-9 year old boy in the Plantations Junior Golf Tour earlier this year, began his golf career when he was 12 months old.

''I just watched (golf) on TV and thought it was cool. Also, my dad is a golf professional, so I just got into it and started hitting balls,'' Thomas said. ''Fortunately, I've gone far with the sport.''

The Goshen Ky., native is following in the footsteps of his father and grandfather, a long-time Ohio golf pro.

Off the course, Thomas enjoys playing basketball with his friends but golf is his primary focus.

The 10-year-old said his most memorable moment on the course came last October during an event in Knoxville, Ky.

''It was the first time I shot in the 60s in a tournament, and I shot 64,'' he said.

THIS WEEK'S SCHEDULE

May 27-30 -- First State Bank Southwestern Junior Classic; Isleta Eagle GC, Albuquerque, N.M.

May 27-30 -- Nike Golf Junior All-Star Classic at Jacksonville; Paradise Point GC (Gold Course) Jacksonville, N.C.

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

BOYS
PJGT Tour Championship -- Alex Martin (Not Ranked)
AJGA Thunderbird International Junior -- Brian Harman (seventh to fifth)
FCWT National Championship -- Michael Young (81st to 52nd)
IJGT/Titleist Tournament of Champions -- Michael Quagliano (61st to 58th)

GIRLS
PJGT Tour Championship -- Kiley Bishop (Not Ranked)
FCWT National Championship -- Christine Yum (66th to 47th)
AJGA Thunderbird International Junior -- Ashley Knoll (seventh to fourth)
IJGT/Titleist Tournament of Champions -- Glory Yang (Not Ranked)

RECRUITING CENTRAL
Two items sent from Southern California's athletics department to the golf media in the last week should be of interest to high school players. One was the announcement that the USC women had won the NCAA Division I Championship.

The other release gave scoring statistics for the USC men's team. According to the release, eight of USC's players carded rounds in the 60s this season but only five were allowed to advance to this week's NCAA final in Stillwater, Okla.

High school golfers and their parents should take note.

USC director of golf Kurt Schuette said he receives hundreds of letters for both the men's and women's teams from prospects each year who are mid-level handicap players. Letters and resumes sent to coaches with either sub-standard golf or academic standards indicated the player had not bothered to do much homework before deciding which schools to write.

Potential student-athletes should study a school's standards and find a good match before sending a resume.
- For more college recruiting information, visit the Ping American College Golf Guide at www.collegegolf.com/.

THIS WEEK IN GOLFWEEK
Check the May 31 issue of Golfweek for a complete review of the NCAA Division I Women's Championship.

POLL QUESTION
How many more PGA Tour events would you like to see Annika Sorenstam play?

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.