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BUICK JUNIOR OPEN PRESENTED BY GOLFWEEK
Spring Meadows Country Club
Linden, Michigan
June 16-19, 2003
PRESSEL
FINISHES 3-UNDER AS ONLY PLAYER UNDER PAR
Carroll captures his first AJGA title with even-par
LINDEN,
Mich. - Morgan Pressel of Boca Raton, Fla., fired a 1-over-par
73 Thursday in the Buick Junior Open presented by Golfweek
to finish as the only competitor under par for the tournament.
In the Boys Division, Cornelius Carroll of St. Simons Island,
Ga., claimed his first AJGA victory after shooting a final-round
1-under-par 71.
Conducted by the American Junior Golf Association, the Buick
Junior Open presented by Golfweek featured 98 players
with boys and girls, ages 13-18, representing 21 states and
Canada. The 54-hole event was held on the par-72 Spring Meadows
Country Club golf course.
Pressel led the Girls Division from the start shooting a 72-68-73—213.
Pressel, a 15-year-old U.S. Women's Open qualifier, started
the round with an eagle on the par-5 second, which kept her
in the lead the rest of the day.
"I played solid and consistent," Pressel said. "That's
what is important. It's exciting to win."
Pressel's schedule is non-stop for the rest of the season.
Next week she will compete as the defending champion in the
Toldo Group Eastern Canadian Junior in Windsor, Ontario. She
will follow that tournament with a bout at the Rolex Tournament
of Champions and then will move on to the U.S. Women's Open
for the second time in three years.
"I'll have to step it up a bit to do well in the Open,"
she said.
Jennifer Tangtiphaiboontana of Long Beach, Calif., carded
a 74-73-78—225 total to finish in second place. She placed
third in last year's event.
"I'm relieved it's over," the 18-year-old said.
"And I'm glad I survived it."
This is Tangtiphaiboontana's last summer with the AJGA. She
is hoping to secure a title before leaving for Stanford University
in the fall. She, too, will be competing in the Rolex Tournament
of Champions after competing in the AJGA Mission Hills Desert
Junior.
Amber Prange of Noblesville, Ind., rounded out the top-three
girls with a 79-72-76—227.
In the Boys Division, Carroll carded a 71-74-71-216 to secure
his first title in three years of AJGA competition.
"It feels good," the 16-year-old said. "I've
had a lousy season so far. I've been in the middle or top
third all year."
Carroll decided to make a few changes on the greens in order
to feel confident about his short-game.
"I changed my stance to a side-saddle to make better
putts," he said. "You're always trying to win. Hopefully
this win takes the pressure off for future tournaments."
Clark Klaasen of Grand Rapids, Mich., finished in second place
with a 72-70-76—218. Klaasen was a qualifier in Sunday's
event.
"I
knew I could compete and give it a run to win," the 16-year-old
said. "The wind cost me a few strokes today, but I fought
and grinded it out the whole way."
Dan Doyle of Rochester, Mich., and Kevin Grabeman of Springboro,
Ohio, tied for third with 4-over-par 220s. George Gandranata
of Bradenton, Fla., rounded out the Boys Division top-five
with a 221 for the tournament.
For more information on the Buick Junior Open presented by
Golfweek, contact the AJGA at (770) 868-4200.
#AJGA#
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