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ABILENE REPORTER-NEWS / LAWRENCE HALL ABILENE JUNIOR
Abilene Country Club
Abilene, Texas
July 14-17, 2003
FRYE RETURNS TO ABILENE
AND LEADS AFTER ROUND ONE AT 7-UNDER-PAR 64
Creamer leads Girls Division at 5-under-par 66
ABILENE, Texas - Defending champion
Jeremy Frye of Palestine, Texas, leads the Boys Division of
the Abilene Reporter-News / Lawrence Hall Abilene Junior with
a 7-under-par 64 after the first round on Tuesday. In the
Girls Division, Paula Creamer of Pleasanton, Calif., is in
the lead at 5-under-par 66.
Conducted by the American Junior Golf Association, the Abilene
Reporter-News / Lawrence Hall Abilene Junior is a three-round
event and features a 120-player field, 99 boys and 21 girls,
with 101 of the participants from Texas. Past Champions include
Scott Verplank, Phil Mickelson, Emilee Klein, Heather Bowie
and Kelli Kuehne.
Frye, 18, leads the Boys Division by two strokes after 18
holes of play and felt little pressure coming into this year's
tournament.
"I didn't feel any pressure to defend my title coming
in," Frye said. "I just wanted to go out and make
as many birdies as I could and I actually played a little
better than I expected."
Frye tallied 10 birdies, one bogey and one double-bogey and
is comfortable with his game going into the second round.
"I like this course because I can reach all the par-5s
in two," Frye said. "The only thing I'm going to
change is my driver off six. I hit it in the water and doubled,
I won't do that tomorrow."
Harris Graham of Argyle, Texas, and Carter Lawnin of Kingwood,
Texas, are tied for second place in the Boys Division at 5-under-par
66.
The 17-year-old Graham capitalized on holes 13 and 14 by birdieing
both before getting his final birdie on a spectacular shot
on No. 16.
"I made two good birdies on Nos. 13 and 14 and that made
me think that I could take it low today," Graham said.
"I hit a flop shot on 16 from 25 yards that landed right
and trickled in, it was probably the best shot I've ever hit."
Lawnin, 18, attributed his score to his short game and course
layout.
"I putted real well today and I had solid mid-low irons,"
Lawnin said. "The course shapes my game pretty well."
Rounding out the top five in the Boys Division are Cole Howard
of Burleson, Texas, Drew Zadow of Plano, Texas, Colton Williams
of Jacksboro, Texas, and K.T. Livingston of Midland, Texas.
Creamer, 16, leads the Girls Division by two strokes after
18 holes of play and looks to extend that lead in the second
round on Wednesday.
"I missed a lot of 12 to 15 footers that I should have
made," Creamer said. " I feel I can definitely go
lower if I give myself a chance."
Lauren Espinosa of Irving, Texas, shot a 3-under-par 68 and
sits two strokes behind Creamer in second place.
"I was shooting for a bogey-free round, I've never had
one," Espinosa said. "I know Paula won't give up,
she's going to fight to the end."
Rounding out the top three in the Girls Division is Brittany
Tomerlin of San Angelo, Texas, at 1-over-par 72.
The Abilene Reporter-News / Lawrence Hall Abilene Junior continues
at 7:00 a.m. Wednesday off the No. 1 tee at Abilene Country
Club. For more information on the event, call tournament headquarters
at (915) 692-1855.
#AJGA#
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