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LESSING’S AJGA CLASSIC
The Links at Shirley
Shirley, New York
August 11-14, 2003
TARIK CAN AND DOES TAKE
HOME BOYS TITLE
Creamer takes home top honors in Girls Division
SHIRLEY, N.Y. – Tarik Can of New York won the
Boys Division of the Lessing’s AJGA Classic on Thursday
with a 7-over-par 224. Paula Creamer of Pleasanton, Calif.,
was the top finisher in the Girls Division with a 1-under-par
215.
Conducted by the American Junior Golf Association, the Lessing’s
AJGA Classic was held August 12-14 at The Links at Shirley.
The three-round event featured an 84- player field, 66 boys
and 18 girls, with 38 participants from New York.
Can, 18, came into the final round nine strokes off the lead
and used a play-off hole to seal the victory. Can battled
with Billy Hanes of Elma, N.Y., on No. 18 and made par to
assure his first win of the year.
“I was really nervous going into the playoff,” said
Can. “I didn’t really think I had a chance coming
into today but I just tried to play well and prepare for my
next tournament. It seemed to work.”
Hanes, 17, used birdies on holes eight and nine to turn around
his final 18 holes and save par on his front nine. Hanes made
birdie on No.18 to force the playoff with Can and record his
best finish of 2003.
“I had no clue where I stood on the last hole,”
said Hanes. “I was just concerned with the leaders and
tried to play better than them.”
Kyle Hartlaub, 16, of Summit, N.J., finished in third place
in the Boys Division with a 10-over-par 226.
“I just played shot-to-shot,” said Hartlaub. “I
knew I had a chance to win.”
Jeff Wolniewicz of West Seneca, N.Y., and Larry Haertel of
Greenwich, Conn., fired an 11-over-par 227 to take fifth place
in the Boys Division.
In the Girls Division, Creamer, 16, used steady golf to obtain
her fourth AJGA win this season with a 54-hole total of 1-under-par
215.
“I had a lot of fun out there today,” said Creamer,
a first-team Polo Golf Junior All-American. “This win
brings back some confidence in my golf game.”
Fourteen-year-old Megan Grehan of Mamaroneck, N.Y., took second
place with a 5-over-par 221.
“I knew I had to go out and play well to win,” Grehan
said. “I putted poorly today and that hurt me the most.”
In third place in the Girls Division was Stephanie Connelly
of Pasadena, Calif., who finished at 12-over-par 228.
“I came into today shooting for third place,” Connelly
said. “My short game was amazing and I actually stuck
a few shots on these hard greens.”
For more information on the Lessing’s AJGA Classic, call
the AJGA national headquarters at (770) 868-4200.
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