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AJGA NEEDHAM JUNIOR AT
DIABLO GRANDE QUALIFIER
Diablo Grande - The Legends West Course
Patterson, California
August 11-14, 2003
12 BOYS AND FOUR GIRLS QUALIFY
AT DIABLO GRANDE
Hie, Marshall, Yount and Lee
take top spots
PATTERSON, Cailf. - Joanne Lee of San
Carlos, Calif., shot a 1-under-par 71 to claim first in Girls
Division of the AJGA Needham Junior at Diablo Grande qualifier,
while three California natives finished tied for top honors
in the Boys Division. Rory Hie of Cerritos, Matt Marshall
of Los Gatos and Jake Yount of Danville all carded 3-under-par
69s.
Conducted by the American Junior Golf Association, the AJGA
Needham Junior at Diablo Grande Qualifier is being held at
the par-72 Diablo Grande - The Legends West Course and features
a field of 78 boys and 20 girls from four states.
Lee, 14, carded three birdies compared to two bogeys en route
to her first place finish and credits her short game for her
success at the qualifier.
"I felt great around the greens today," Lee said.
"I was chipping close and sinking my putts."
The AJGA Needham Juinor at Diablo Grande will mark the first
AJGA event of Lee's career, and she says consistency is her
main objective for the upcoming week.
"This is pretty exciting since it's my first time getting
in an AJGA tournament," Lee said about winning the qualifying
round. "I just want to play well and score like I did
today. Hopefully I will stay in the low 70's this week."
Lee is joined by three other California girls as they head
into tournament play Tuesday. Martha Burkard of Alameda shot
a 1-over-par 73 for second place, and Soo Cho of Glendale
took third with a 4-over-par 76. The fourth spot in the Girls
Division went to Hilaire Fouts of Davis, who won a sudden-death
playoff after firing an 80.
In the Boys Division, Hie, Marshall and Yount went low for
medallist honors at 69.
The AJGA Needham Junior at Diablo Grande will mark the fifth
AJGA event of Hie's career, as he looks to improve on his
best AJGA finish, 7th at the 2003 AJGA I.R.I. Golf Group Arizona
National Junior.
"I like this course and I think I can score well here,"
remarked Hie who carded five birdies and two bogeys Sunday.
" I want to finish in the top-5 this week."
Despite one bogey and one double bogey, Marshall carded six
birdies en route to his 69-finish on Sunday and looks to challenge
the boys field in Patterson this week.
Yount's 3-under-par finish marks his personal best in an AJGA
qualifier, as he has had to qualify for each of the three
AJGA events he has played in to date.
"I want to play the same game I did today," Yount
said. "Sixty-nine is my goal now and I would like to
shoot that all week. If I can stay low, I think I'll see a
top-ten finish."
Jordan Francis of Yorba Linda, Calif., Michael Jensen of Los
Altos, Calif., and Billy Olsen of Fountain Valley, Calif.,
finished tied for fourth after posting matching rounds of
2-under-par 70.
Lawrence Hsu of West Covina, Calif., took seventh after carding
a 1-under-par 71. Eighth place went to three boys from California;
Doug Fortner of Tustin, Grahame Skytte of Alamo and Brandon
Kingsolver of Yuba City all posted rounds of even-par 72.
Nick Wilcox of Modesto, Calif., and Karl Katnik of Santa Ana,
Calif., earned the final two qualifying spots via a 5-hole
sudden-death playoff.
The first round of the AJGA Needham Junior at Diablo Grande
begins Tuesday with tee times starting at 7 a.m. off the first
tee.
For more information on the AJGA Needham Junior at Diablo
Grande, please contact tournament headquarters at (209) 892-7403.
#AJGA#
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