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AJGA FIRST STATE BANK SOUTHWESTERN JUNIOR
CLASSIC
Isleta Eagle Golf Course
Albuquerque, New Mexico
May 28-31, 2002
LOWRY SHOOTS SOLID BACK NINE TO TAKE TOP
SPOT
Rollins jumps ahead in Girls Division after second round
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. - Tallying a 4-under-par 68, Randy
Lowry stepped into the lead after second round action at the
AJGA First State Bank Southwestern Junior Classic. The 15-year-old
from Spring, Texas, carded a 32 on the last nine holes to
total 137 after two rounds of play. In the Girls Division,
Ashley Rollins of Austin, Texas, shot a 5-under-par 67 to
take the lead with a total of 138.
Conducted by the American Junior Golf Association, this 54-hole,
three-day event is being held at the par-72 Isleta Eagle Golf
Course. The 99-player field features players from 15 states,
including four Polo Golf Junior All-Americans. Twenty-one
New Mexico natives are representing their home state.
Lowry, a Polo Golf Junior All-American, managed even-par on
the front nine despite getting off to a slow start with bogeys
on holes No. 1 and 8. He then birdied Nos. 10, 12, 14 and
15 to close out the second round at 68, moving up from his
second-place first round finish.
"I felt good going into the round," Lowry said.
"I bogeyed the first hole, but I stayed calm and patient.
I was waiting for putts to drop, and they started falling
in the back nine."
Holding a three-stroke lead, Lowry is looking for improvement
in Friday's final round.
"I'm not going to think of a number, just keep making
birdies," he said.
Trailing Lowry is Derek Tolan of Highlands Ranch, Colo., who
birdied Nos. 11, 16 and 18 to finish at 3-under-par 69 for
a two-day tournament total of 140. In third place at 141 is
Kenny Coakley of Lakewood, Colo. Tied for fourth are Jeremy
Alcorn of Brownwood, Texas, and Colter Kautzmann of Phoenix
at 142.
On the girls' side, Rollins powered through the second round,
carding only two bogeys and seven birdies to add to her first-round
score of 71. Rollins scored the lowest round in the Girls
Division in the tournament's 14-year history.
The 17-year-old attributes today's sub-par performance to
an improved short game.
"I was making a lot of putts today," she said. "I
hit shots a lot closer to the hole, too."
Tied for second place are Amanda Blumenherst of Scottsdale,
Ariz. and Lauren Todd of Phoenix at 143. Despite a bogey on
the fourth hole, Blumenherst found her way back into contention
with an eagle and a birdie on Nos. 5 and 6, respectively.
Final-round action begins Friday at 7 a.m. off the No. 1 tee
of Isleta Eagle Golf Course's Mesa Course.
For more information about the AJGA First State Bank Southwestern
Junior Classic, or any other AJGA events, please call tournament
headquarters at 505-869-0590, or visit the Association's Web
site at ajga.org.
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