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AJGA hp BOYS JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIP
The Westin Innisbrook Golf Resort - Copperhead and Island
Courses
Palm Harbor, Florida
July 27-August 1, 2003
LOPEZ STREAKS TO THE TOP
OF THE LEADERBOARD
Sipe one stroke back of lead as 78 players make the
cut
PALM HARBOR, Fla.
- Lance Lopez of Fresno, Texas, fired an even-par 71 on the
Copperhead Course to grab a one-stroke lead after the second
round of the AJGA hp Boys Junior Championship on Wednesday
at the Westin Innisbrook Golf Resort. Lopez stands at 3-under-par
140.
The 72-hole stroke-play event, conducted by the American Junior
Golf Association, features 143 boys from 29 states and two
foreign countries. The event is being contested at the Westin
Innisbrook Golf Resort, Copperhead and Island Courses. First-
and second-round play took place on both courses during the
first and second rounds. The Copperhead will serve as the
tournament course for the final 36 holes. Past champions of
the event include David Duval, Jim Furyk and Tiger Woods.
After two rounds, the tournament field was cut to the top
72 players including ties. Seventy-eight boys made the cut
at 10-over-par 153.
It took Lopez, who began the day one shot behind the leader,
a little while to get his round rolling. Despite two bogeys
and a double bogey on the front nine of the Copperhead Course,
Lopez finished strong as he recorded birdies on three holes
on the back nine.
"I just hung in there, did all I could and came out strong,"
Lopez said. "I feel very confident with my ball-striking
and my irons and drivers."
Lopez's score of 3-under-par 140 puts him in first place by
one-shot. Derek Sipe of Yorba Linda, Calif., rode the low
round of the tournament, a 4-under-par 67, into second place
with a two-day total of 2-under-par 141.
"I feel good,"Sipe said. "I don't mind starting
one shot back because I'd love to make a little come-from-behind
run. I feel confident. I'm hitting the ball well and putting
it well. I'd love to shoot another 67."
On the Island Course, Timothy Freund of Greensboro, Ga., stands
at 1-under-par 142 and sits alone in third place after the
second round of play. Freund struggled on the back nine shooting
a 3-over-par 39, but settled down after making the turn. He
got rolling on No. 1 and had four birdies on the front nine.
"After I doubled No. 18 I got angry and decided I was
going to make some birdies," Freund said. "No. 18
woke me up. I was in a daze after the delay, but my birdie
on one got me back on track and built my confidence."
Mark Anderson of Beaufort, S.C., and Trent Leon of Dallas
remain in contention with two-day totals of even-par 143 after
solid rounds on the Copperhead Course. Anderson jumped up
from 13th place with a round of 1-under-par 70 Wednesday.
Leon fired a second-round 3-over-par 74. The duo is tied for
fourth place.
Third-round tee-times will begin at 8:00 a.m. Thursday on
the Copperhead Course and conclude at 9:48 a.m. For more information
on the AJGA hp Boys Junior Championship, contact tournament
headquarters at (727) 942-2000, ext. 2889, or log onto ajga.org.
#AJGA#
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