CHRYSLER AJGA BOYS INVITATIONAL
The Cardinal Golf & Country Club
Greensboro, N.C.
June 10-14, 2002

GUTKNECHT, LANGE SHARE LEAD AT INAUGURAL EVENT
Nine players finish first round under par in Greensboro

GREENSBORO, N.C. - Bill Gutknecht of The Woodlands, Texas, and Brett Lange of Atlanta each carded a 4-under-par 66 Tuesday to capture a share of the lead after first-round play at the Chrysler AJGA Boys Invitational, held this week at The Cardinal Golf & Country Club.

The Chrysler AJGA Boys Invitational, conducted by the American Junior Golf Association, features 99 players from 20 states, Canada, and Singapore, with nearly 20 percent of the field hailing from North Carolina. The inaugural 72-hole event, which runs Tuesday through Friday with no cut, includes 22 Polo Golf Junior All-Americans. Rocco Mediate, two-time champion of the PGA TOUR's Greater Greensboro Chrysler Classic, is serving as honorary chairman for the competition.

Gutknecht, a 17-year-old senior-to-be, recorded birdies on Nos. 2, 4, 6 and 9 en route to a round of 31-35-66. Playing in his third AJGA tournament this year, Gutknecht is looking to better a fifth-place finish at the TaylorMade-adidas Golf Junior at Bentwood in Porter, Texas, this past Easter, his highest career AJGA finish.

"I hit the ball pretty well and didn't miss many fairways or greens," Gutknecht said. "My drive on No. 1 was pretty good and it got my confidence going. Shooting low is pretty fun.

"The greens got pretty hard at the end, but I got a couple of fortunate breaks, and I took advantage of them."

Lange, the medalist in Sunday's qualifier, holed out from 120 yards for eagle on the 413-yard par-4 ninth to round out a 4-under-par front nine. The 16-year-old made nine pars on the back to finish the day at 31-35-66.

"I had some good up-and-downs on the back and some good saves for par," Lange said. "I expected to play well today since I've been playing well lately. I'm happy with a 66."

Lange, who tied for sixth in the 2001 Greater Greensboro Chrysler Junior, was excited to make it back into the tournament field this year.

"This course is a perfect fit for me," Lange said. "I'm not that long of a hitter, but I can usually get it in the fairway. I just need to stay aggressive and push myself to play better this week. I can't get comfortable with where I'm at."

Gutknecht and Lange share a one-stoke advantage over Brad Doster (33-34-67) of Winter Park, Fla., and Erik Olson (35-32-67) of Renton, Wash. Polo Golf Junior All-American Webb Simpson of Raleigh, N.C., and Brian Harman of Savannah, Ga., finished the first day of play in a tie for fifth at 68, two strokes behind the leaders.

Second-round tee times will begin Wednesday, June 12, at 7:30 a.m. off of the No. 1 tee at The Cardinal Golf & Country Club.

For more information on the Chrysler AJGA Boys Invitational, contact tournament headquarters at (336) 668-2746, ext. 215, or visit our Web site at ajga.org.

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