| |
 |
|
An
Easter Tradition Continues |
Six
champions crowned at prestigious Open events |
| |
The
AJGA continued what has become a tradition over the years by conducting
three events over Easter Weekend in Braselton, Ga., The Woodlands,
Texas, and Mesa, Ariz.
 |
| Kimberly
Donovan awaits the results of a pitch shot. The Hopkinton, Mass.,
native earned her first AJGA crown Easter Weekend. |
In Braselton,
the impending threat of severe afternoon weather caused the final
round of the Mizuno Junior at Chateau Elan to be shortened to a nine-hole
stipulated round in both the Boys and Girls Divisions. David Holzworth
of Chapel Hill, N.C., and Kimberly Donovan of Hopkinton, Mass., persevered,
winning their respective divisions, but two different ways.
Holzworth, 17, came from two shots back Sunday to win his first AJGA
event. He carded birdies on Nos. 2 and 4, highlighted by 15-foot putts
on each occasion. A crucial moment during his round came when he hit
his tee shot on the 188-yard, par-3 sixth into the left greenside
bunker. Leading by a stroke, he played out of the bunker to 12 feet
and sunk the putt for par to maintain his lead he would not relinquish.
Donovan, 15, had to protect her lead she built during the first round.
Jacqui Concolino of Orlando, however, who started two shots back,
pulled even with Donovan after four holes during the final nine.
On the 151-yard, par-3 16th, Donovan garnered par while Concolino
finished the hole with bogey, giving Donovan the lead for good. Concolino
carded two more bogeys on Nos. 17 and 18, while Donovan ended par-bogey
to put both their nines at 3-over-par 38, giving Donovan a two-shot
victory at 107 and her first AJGA crown.
Meanwhile at The Woodlands, hometown star Bronson Burgoon dominated
the back nine of the Panther Trail Course to claim the title at the
PING Junior at The Woodlands. Burgoon, who had a large gallery following
him throughout the weekend, earned his first AJGA victory with a final
round-69.
 |
| After
many near-misses, Bronson Burgoon claimed his first AJGA title
in his hometown. |
Burgoon,
a 2004 third-team Rolex Junior All-American, finished the weekend
with a tournament total of 5-under-par 139. He played especially well
on the back nine where he was 8-under-par for the two days. Burgoon
carded four birdies during the final round, including Nos. 1 and 18.
Burgoon
took the outright lead on the par-5 16th with a birdie. Another birdie
on No. 18 sealed the victory and sent the greenside gallery into a
frenzy.
A pair of Texans tied for second as Drew Allenspach of Sugar Land
and Jeffrey Edelman of Southlake finished with a tournament total
of 2-under-par 142.
Sarah Zwartynski of Allen, Texas, also earned her first AJGA victory
with a come-from-behind win, shooting consecutive 75s and erasing
a three-shot deficit to claim the title.
Zwartynski’s final round got off to a rough start as she made
double-bogey and bogey on the first two holes. She played even-par
the rest of the day, recording two birdies and two bogeys against
12 pars.
 |
| 2002
Rolex Junior Player of the Year In-Bee Park was back to her
winning ways at the Heather Farr Classic. |
Zwartynski
needed only 25 putts during the final round.
Jenny Kim of Los Angeles finished second with a tournament total of
74-77-—151.
While
the storms raged at Chateau Elan and the wind and cold took over at
The Woodlands, the only thing hotter than the sunny weather at the
Heather Farr Classic in Mesa, Ariz., was the golf being played at
Longbow Golf Club.
Scottsdale, Ariz., native Drew Kittleson was able to put together
rounds of 69-70—139 on the 6,996-yard track to earn his first
AJGA victory at the Heather Farr Classic. Rory Hie of Lakewood, Calif.,
came up one stroke short in his effort to repeat as the tournament’s
champion, tying for second with Richard Lee of Vancouver, B.C.
Three-time Rolex Junior All-American and 2002 Rolex Junior Player
of the Year In-Bee Park of Las Vegas, started the final round one
stroke off the lead, but played consistently in the final round to
finish the tournament with a 4-under-par 138 and a one-stroke victory
over first-round leader Tiffany Joh of San Diego.
Park’s 138 ties the Heather Farr Classic tournament record for
low 36-hole total. Joh and Angela Park of Torrance, Calif., found
their own place in the record book as they each carded a 4-under-par
67 in one of their rounds to set the women’s competitive course
record at Longbow Golf Club.
|
|
