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AJGA PING JUNIOR AT JUNIOR LAKE
Trophy Lake Golf & Casting
Port Orchard, Wash.
June 17-20, 2002
OLSON OPENS FOUR-SHOT LEAD AT PING JUNIOR
AT TROPHY LAKE
Creamer begins title defense with narrow opening-round
lead
PORT ORCHARD, Wash. - Erik Olson of Renton, Wash.,
and Paula Creamer of Pleasanton, Calif., claimed first-round
leads Tuesday at the AJGA PING Junior at Trophy Lake, conducted
by the American Junior Golf Association at Trophy Lake Golf
& Casting.
The 54-hole stroke play tournament, one of five AJGA tournaments
sponsored by PING, includes 84 players from 12 states, Canada
and Malaysia, and runs through Thursday.
Olson, 18, is off to a hot start as he begins his final
summer before moving on to the University of Washington. Despite
chilly, rainy conditions, Olson avoided costly mistakes as
he fired a 5-under-par 67 to take a four-stroke lead following
the first round.
"I hit the ball well and kept it out of trouble,"
said Olson, who hit 17 greens in regulation. "That's
huge - it's so tough to make pars when you're missing greens
out here."
When Olson's tee shot on the first hole rolled into a divot,
he figured it was going to be a tough day. Instead, he hit
a 9-iron from the divot to eight feet and drained his birdie
putt. With three birdies, an eagle, and no bogeys, Olson was
able to build a sizable lead over the rest of the field.
Tarik Can of Douglaston, N.Y., is alone in second place after
shooting a 1-under-par 71. Five players share third place
at even-par 72, including Darren Schwartz of Westlake Village,
Calif.; Todd Sapiro of Chandler, Ariz.; Chris Scott of Valley
Springs, Calif.; Christian Akau of Waipahu, Hawaii; and Eric
Hastings of Spokane, Wash.
In the Girls Division, Creamer is on the right track as she
seeks to defend one of her three AJGA titles from 2001. With
an opening-round, 1-under-par 71, Creamer holds a one-shot
lead.
After a slow start, the 15-year-old Creamer made the turn
at 1-over-par, but caught fire on the back. While the rain
was at its worst, Creamer made four birdies to take over the
Girls Division lead.
"I'm pretty tough in these weather conditions,"
Creamer said. "It's the same for everybody, so I just
kept mentally tough and fought through it."
Even on the front side, where Creamer made no birdies, she
felt she played well.
"I gave myself birdie opportunities, but I didn't make
the putts," she said. "I told myself to stay patient.
On the back, the putts started falling for me."
Jennifer Tangtiphaiboontana of Long Beach, Calif., who finished
runner-up to Creamer one year ago at Trophy Lake, is tied
for second with Katie Brophy of Spokane, Wash., at even-par
72.
The PING Junior at Trophy Lake will continue Wednesday, with
tee times at 7-9 a.m. off the first and 10th tees. For more
information, please contact the AJGA headquarters at (360)
874-8337.
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