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CHRYSLER AJGA BOYS INVITATIONAL
The Cardinal Golf & Country Club
Greensboro, N.C.
June 10-14, 2002
HAN CAPTURES TITLE AT INAGURAL
CHRYSLER AJGA BOYS INVITATIONAL
Simpson, Lange take runner-up honors in Greensboro
GREENSBORO, N.C. - Seung Su Han of Chino Hills, Calif.,
fired a 4-under-par 66, to lock up first place at the Chrysler
AJGA Boys Invitational, held at the par-70 Cardinal Golf &
Country Club. Han ended the week with a 5-under-par 275 to
claim his second AJGA title.
Webb Simpson of Raleigh, N.C., and Brett Lange of Atlanta,
finished one shot back in a tie for second place at 276.
The Chrysler AJGA Boys Invitational, conducted by the American
Junior Golf Association, featured 99 players from 20 states,
Canada, and Singapore, with nearly 20 percent of the field
hailing from North Carolina. The inaugural 72-hole event included
22 Polo Golf Junior All-Americans. Rocco Mediate, two-time
champion of the PGA TOUR's Greater Greensboro Chrysler Classic,
served as honorary chairman for the competition.
Coming into the final round, Han had a good feeling about
his chances. Han, who was tied for 66th place after an opening-round
76, was bothered early in the week by allergies, which made
it hard for him to breathe. However, he recovered to shoot
under par for the rest of the tournament.
Han smoked the back nine, carding birdies on Nos. 10, 13,
15, 16 and 18 to finish at 35-31-66. The 15-year-old knew
he had to birdie the final hole to take sole possession of
first place and break away from Simpson, who had posted a
4-under-par 276 in the group ahead of him. Han came through
on No. 18, sinking a 30-foot birdie putt to clinch the title.
"My heart was fluttering a bit (during that putt),"
said Han, who raised his hands in victory after the putt dropped.
"I knew there were three guys tied for first, but I didn't
get pressured. I felt like I was going to make a long putt
today. I was very lucky."
Simpson, a Polo Golf Junior All-America, got things rolling
on the 153-yard, par-3 11th by sinking a 35-foot for birdie,
the first of four on the back nine. He finished the round
35-31-66 and shared low final-round honors with Han.
"That shot got the adrenaline going," the 16-year-old
said. "The key today was keeping the ball in play. Coming
into a tournament like this, all you can ask for is to be
in the tournament on the back nine."
Lange, who was the medalist at Sunday's qualifier and the
leader coming into the final round, struggled on the front,
bogeying the first three holes. He regained his composure
and made birdies on Nos. 12, 14 and 18 for an even-par round.
"Coming into the round, I knew people were trying to
catch me, but there's nothing I can do about the other guys,"
Lange said. "(After the front), I was in shock a little
bit. I knew there was a lot of golf to be played. It was just
a matter of making some birdies to get back in the tournament."
Brendon Todd of Cary, N.C., who was neck-in-neck with the
leaders through 15 holes, bogeyed Nos. 16 and 17 to drop out
of the lead. However, Todd recovered and birdied the final
hole to finish in fourth place at 1-under 69 and 277 for the
tournament. Roberto Castro of Alpharetta, Ga., took fifth,
shooting 68 to end at 2-under for the tournament.
For more information on the Chrysler AJGA Boys Invitational
or other tournaments conducted by the AJGA, contact the main
office at (770) 868-4200.
#AJGA#
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