FIDELITY INVESTMENTS JUNIOR CLASSIC QUALIFIER
Stow Acres Country Club
Stow, Massachusetts
August 9, 2004
KEANE FIRES 5-UNDER-PAR ROUND TO WIN QUALIFIER
Kim earns second-straight qualifier medallist award
STOW, Mass. – Jonathan Keane of Edmonds, Wash., used a 5-under-par front-nine to win the Fidelity Investments Junior Classic Qualifier by two shots over Tyler Kett of Brewster, Mass.
Lois Kim of Bayside, N.Y., learned she had gotten into the qualifier field less than 24 hours before it began. Not having seen the course did little to disrupt her game, however, as she fired a 3-over-par 76 to win the Girls Division. Julie Kim, her sister, finished second after a 7-over-par 80.
The Fidelity Investments Junior Classic Qualifier was an 18-hole shotgun-start event conducted by the American Junior Golf Association at Stow Acres Country Club. The event featured 92 of the nation’s premier junior golfers, ages 12-18, from 14 states and Canada. Twelve boys and two girls qualified for next week’s Fidelity Investments Junior Classic.
Keane began his round on hole No. 14 and made par on his first nine holes, before beginning a blitz of birdies starting on hole No. 4. He would play the next six holes in a combined 5-under-par.
“Everything went well today,” said Keane, who has never played in an AJGA event but was making his second qualifier appearance. “I just played freely and went after it.”
Even after two bogeys at Nos. 10 and 11, an eagle at the 468-yard par-5 No. 12 got Keane back to 5-under-par.
“I only hit about two bad shots all day,” Keane said. “I haven’t been putting very well lately, but I putted well today.”
Kett used a 2-under-par back-nine to shoot his round of 3-under-par 70 and finish second. Jeff Wallace of Franklin, Mass., was second after a 2-under-par 71, and Alex Park of Ithaca, N.Y., finished third with an even-par 73.
Other boys who qualified for the Fidelity Investments Junior Classic were: Matt Ehrlich of Blue Bell, Pa.; John Giannuzzi of Wellesley Hills, Mass.; Colby Hart of Chestnut Hill, Mass.; Harris Berger of Chestnut Hill, Mass.; Eric Leach of Stratham, N.H.; Adam Klein of Bethesda, Md.; Christopher Conroy of Annapolis, Md.; David Putney of Unionville, Conn.; Greg Feldmann of Wellesley, Mass.; Adam Lewicki of Avon, Conn.; Justin Hughes of Simsbury, Conn.; and Dave Christie of New Canaan, Conn.
Keane, Ehrlich, Giannuzzi, Berger and Christie chose to have one tournament exemption added to their Performance-Based Entry status instead of playing in the Fideltiy Investments Junior Classic.
Lois Kim won her second-straight AJGA qualifier as the only player to break 80. That came despite driving more than three hours the previous night after learning she had gotten into the field.
“I didn’t even get a practice round, so I was just guessing where to hit the ball,” said Lois, who opted to take a tournament exemption rather than play in the Fidelity Investments Junior Classic. “My short game was awesome. I had a lot of up-and-downs.”
Julie Kim, her sister, had the same amount of time to see the course – namely, walking it in the early morning before the round – but also managed to play well enough to qualify.
Snatching the final qualifying spot was Megan Trachok of Pittsburgh, Pa., who had three birdies on her way to a round of 81.
The American Junior Golf Association is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to the overall growth and development of young men and women who aspire to earn college golf scholarships through competitive junior golf. The largest association of its kind, the AJGA has a junior membership (boys and girls ages 12-18) of approximately 5,000 junior golfers from 50 states and 30 foreign countries.
Titleist, the AJGA’s National Sponsor, has been the catalyst and driving force behind the Association’s success since 1989. Rolex Watch USA, a supporter of the AJGA since 1983, became the inaugural AJGA Premier Partner in 2004.
AJGA alumni have risen to the top of amateur, collegiate and professional golf. More than 160 former AJGA juniors currently play on the PGA and LPGA Tours and have compiled more than 300 wins. AJGA alumni include Phil Mickelson, Tiger Woods, Davis Love III, Mike Weir, Charles Howell III, Jim Furyk, Vicki Goetze-Ackerman, Grace Park, Christie Kerr and Beth Bauer.
The Fidelity Investments Junior Classic will start at 7 a.m. off the No. 1 tee on Tuesday, August 10, at The International – The Pines. For more information about the Fidelity Investments Junior Classic, please contact tournament headquarters at (978) 779-1339.
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