AJGA PING JUNIOR AT TROPHY LAKE
Trophy Lake Golf & Casting
Port Orchard, Wash.
June 17-20, 2002

CREAMER'S RECORD-BREAKING 67 SECURES SECOND TITLE AT TROPHY LAKE
Can earns five-shot victory in Boys Division

PORT ORCHARD, Wash. - Paula Creamer of Pleasanton, Calif., and Tarik Can of Douglaston, N.Y., sustained their second-round leads Thursday to win their respective divisions at the AJGA PING Junior at Trophy Lake.

The 54-hole stroke play tournament, one of five American Junior Golf Association tournaments sponsored by PING, includes 84 players from 12 states, Canada and Malaysia. Trophy Lake Golf & Casting has hosted the event since its inception in 1999.

Creamer, 15, fired a girls' tournament record 5-under-par 67 in the final round to run away with her second straight title at Trophy Lake. Her three-round total of 71-69-67-207 set a girls' tournament record at 9-under-par and gave her a nine-shot margin of victory. Creamer also added a fourth AJGA title to her resume, to go along with two other national junior tournament titles.

"I didn't feel much pressure," Creamer said. "I had a four-shot lead going into the day, and I felt that if I could make pars, I'd put the pressure on the others."

With par as her goal, Creamer's round didn't go exactly as planned. She birdied the first hole after hitting her approach to three feet - her first of five birdies on the day. Her second birdie came at No. 4, where she drained a 35-foot putt. Another highlight came at the short par-4 15th, where Creamer drove the green with a 282-yard drive, then two-putted for birdie.

"I had a lot of fun with the girls I played with," said Creamer, a first-team Polo Golf Junior All-American. "I played with Jennifer (Tangtiphaiboontana) everyday and she was great. It helped to take away some of the pressure."

For the second straight year, Tangtiphaiboontana finished runner-up to Creamer. This time, she carded three consecutive rounds of even-par 72, finishing nine shots behind Creamer. Katie Brophy of Spokane, Wash., placed third at 5-over-par 221.

In the Boys Division, Tarik Can never fell out of the lead during the final round. Beginning the final day with a two-shot lead, the 17-year-old made a pair of early bogeys, much like he did in the second round, before coming back strong with a pair of birdies.

"I felt a little bit of pressure," Can said. "But I knew I played well on the back nine yesterday, so I just stuck to that thought."

Can fired rounds of 71-69-73-213 to claim first place at 3-under-par. The win was Can's third career AJGA title, but his first since 2000, when he won two events.

Can echoed the words of many players after three rounds on the scenic Trophy Lake Golf & Casting golf course.

"The golf course is beautiful. The greens were perfect," said Can, a New York native making his first trip to Washington. "I wanted to see Washington and I thought it was beautiful."

Mike Fiedler of Faribault, Minn., placed second at 73-69-76-218, five shots off the pace. Do Ha of Kent, Wash., finished six shots back at 3-over-par 219, while Alex Coe of Danville, Calif., and Steven Dales of Abbotsford, British Columbia, tied for fourth place at 5-over-par 221.

For more information about the PING Junior at Trophy Lake, please contact the AJGA National Headquarters at (877) 373-2542.

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