AJGA
BURGETT H. MOONEY, JR. ROME CLASSIC
Coosa Country Club
Rome, Georgia
August 14-17, 2003
SUCHER
FIRES CAREER-BEST 66 TO TAKE LEAD IN ROME
Wright takes two-stroke lead with first-round 70
ROME,
Ga. -- Zack Sucher of Mobile, Ala., shot an opening-round
66 Friday at the AJGA Burgett H. Mooney, Jr. Rome Classic
to take a one-shot lead over Atlanta's Tim Schaetzel. Heather
Wright of Houston jumped out to a two-stroke lead in the
Girls Division with a two-under-par 70.
Conducted by the American Junior Golf Association, the Burgett
H. Mooney, Jr. Rome Classic features players from 13 states,
including 39 from the Peach State. The 54-hole tournament,
held at Coosa Country Club, returns to Rome for its eighth
year.
Sucher is fresh off a tie for third at the AJGA Kroger Junior
Invitational, where he shot rounds of 70-71-75-216 during
the first week of August. Friday's round of 6-under-par
66 was the 2005 high school graduate's best score in a competitive
round of golf.
"I only had 10 putts on the front nine," Sucher
said. "I made all kinds of 10 and 20 footers, I just
made everything. At Kroger everything was lipping out, but
today they were all rolling in."
After starting out with two straight birdies, the 16-year-old
added two more in the next seven holes to craft a bogey-free
32 on the front nine. Sucher's back nine was also bogey-free
and was highlighted by birdies on Nos. 12 and 13.
Schaetzel's 67 stands alone in second, while Benjamin Kishigian
of Warner Robins, Ga., and John Turnipseed of Rainbow City,
Ala., fired 68s to finish the first round tied for third.
Rounding out the Boys Division tied at fifth are Joshua
Chong of Alpharetta, Ga., Justin Hare of Charleston, S.C.,
Nathan Spoon of Graham, N.C., and William Wilcox of Pell
City, Ala., all at 3-under-par 69.
Wright's round saw her collect four birdies, including a
blistering four-hole stretch in which she birdied three
of the final four holes on the front nine.
"It felt good to finally sink some putts and be consistent
with my game," Wright said. "My putter is really
working for me and I'm putting my irons close."
Just two shots back of Wright is Sharla Cloutier of Niceville,
Fla., who was 1-under par through 17 holes until a bogey
on No. 18 put her back to even-par 72. Whitney Sylvan of
Columbia, S.C., sits in third after an opening-round 74.
Second-round tee times will begin Saturday at 7:30 a.m.
off the No. 1 tee at Coosa Country Club.
For more information on the AJGA Burgett H. Mooney, Jr.
Rome Classic, please contact tournament headquarters at
(706) 234-2200.
