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AJGA NIKE GOLF JUNIOR ALL-STAR
CLASSIC AT JACKSONVILLE
Paradise Point Golf Course-Gold Course
Camp Lejeune, N.C.
May 27-30, 2003
CONCOLINO NIPS YI IN GIRLS
DIVISION AT AJGA NIKE GOLF JUNIOR ALL-STAR CLASSIC
O'Connell holds off Rada for Boys Division crown
CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. -
Jacqui Concolino of Orlando, Fla., edged Vicki Yi of Athens,
Ga., by one stroke in the Girls Division of the AJGA Nike
Golf Junior All-Star Classic at Jacksonville. In the Boys
Division, Kevin O'Connell of Raleigh, N.C., shot a third round
score of 1-under-par 70 for the title.
The 54-hole event was conducted on the par-71 Gold Course
at Paradise Point Golf Club at Camp Lejeune. Conducted by
the American Junior Golf Association, the Nike Golf Junior
All-Star Classic at Jacksonville featured 74 players with
boys and girls, ages 13-15, representing 19 states, including
21 juniors from North Carolina.
Concolino and Yi matched each other through the final round
with each carding a 1-over-par 72, but Concolino's one stroke
advantage from the second round gave her the victory, 214
to 215. Concolino felt the final pairing helped her keep her
focus in a pressure-filled situation.
"I loved playing with Vicki," said the 15-year-old.
"I had two nerve-wracking putts, one on 14 for par and
one on 16 for birdie, but I kept my focus for both and knocked
them in."
Rounding out the top three in the Girls Division, Laura Ormson
of Granger, Ind., and Tia Gannon of Hilton Head Island, S.C.,
tallied 220.
O'Connell took charge of the Boys Division by defeating Patrick
Rada, 15, of Anderson, S.C., by four strokes. O'Connell birdied
three holes (Nos. 6, 12, and 14) and shot par on 13 holes.
"My iron play was solid the entire tournament,"
said the 15-year-old O'Connell. "I was very consistent
today. I made a lot of pars and hit 16 greens."
The remaining top eight in the Boys Division include North
Carolina native Chesson Hadley of Raleigh, Paul Woodbury of
Lake City, S.C., Ross Mizell of The Woodlands, Texas, and
Tal Everett of Sea Island, Ga., all tied for third with 217.
In a tie for seventh, Matthew Loftus of Ridgefield, Conn.,
and Luis Lemus of Mission, Texas carded 218.
The winners from this week's event will receive two tournament
exemptions into AJGA Open events and an invitation to the
Nike Golf Junior All-Star Series Championship in Portland,
Ore. A top-eight finish for the boys and a top-three finish
for the girls in any Nike Junior All-Star Classic Series event
will receive an invitation to the Nike Golf Junior All-Star
Series Championship.
For more information on the AJGA Nike Golf Junior All-Star
Classic at Jacksonville, or any other AJGA event, please contact
AJGA National Headquarters at (770) 868-4200.
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