AJGA SPOKANE JUNIOR CLASSIC
MeadowWood Golf Course
Liberty Lake, Washington
August 12-15, 2002
SEVENTEEN BOYS, THREE GIRLS QUALIFY FOR
SPOKANE JUNIOR Lee, Oliver shoot under par to earn medalist honors
LIBERTY LAKE, Wash. - Thirty-three boys and seven
girls faced off in the AJGA Spokane Junior Classic Qualifier,
vying for 20 berths into the championship. Lucas Lee of Torrance,
Calif., shot a blazing 5-under-par 67 to place first of the
17 Boys Division qualifiers. Jamie Oliver of Los Alamitos,
Calif., earned medalist honors in the Girls Division at 1-under-par
71.
Conducted by the American Junior Golf Association, the AJGA
Spokane Junior Classic Qualifier was held on the par-72 MeadowWood
Golf Course in Liberty Lake, Wash.
Lee, playing in his second career AJGA event, attributed his
performance to solid approach shots and putting. The 15-year-old
said though his game recently has been on a decline, it came
together today for a below-par performance.
"My goal was to shoot even par on the back nine and under
par on the front," he said. "I've been struggling
for a while, but today everything went straight."
Lee nailed birdies on holes No. 1, 3, 4, 8, 11, 12 and 16,
and carded only two bogeys during the round to go 5-under-par
and earn medalist honors in the Boys Division.
Brian Fairbank of McLean, Va., and Nick Geyer of Agoura Hills,
Calif., tied for second at 2-under-par 70, and Tyler Hairston
of Las Vegas, Nev., placed fourth at 1-under-par 71.
Andrew Gihm of Edmonds, Wash., Kevin Chen of Alamo, Calif.,
Josh Vornsand of Henderson, Nev., Michael Thorsen of Winnetka,
Ill., Dane Bagnell of Edgewood, Wash., Kwang Rho of Vancouver,
Canada, Jake Deskins of University Place, Wash., and Ryan
Dahl of Richland, Wash., tied for fifth at even-par 72.
Ryan Barton of Las Vegas, Nev., Andrew Nakamura of Whittier,
Calif., Chris Barley of Springfield, Ore., and John Skelton
of Laverne, Calif., tied for 13th at 73.
Brett Bocci of Hillsborough, Calif., claimed the final Boys
Division spot on the first hole of a sudden-death playoff.
In the Girls Division, Oliver stormed through her round, carding
four birdies and three bogeys to go 1-under-par 71 and take
first place. Though Oliver had back-to-back bogeys on Nos.
7 and 8, the 17-year-old drained a 20-foot putt for birdie
on the par-5, 469-yard 12th hole to clinch a spot in the tournament.
"This week I want to shoot under par and I think I can
do it," Oliver said. "I just need to work on my
putting."
Chris Yun of University Place, Wash., finished second at 74,
and Alix Plaster of Liberty Lake, Wash., grabbed the last
Girls Division spot at 76.
The first round of the AJGA Spokane Junior Classic begins
Tuesday, Aug. 13, at 7 a.m. off the No. 1 tee of MeadowWood
Golf Course. The 54-hole event features 99 players from 13
states and Canada, including 39 Washington natives.
For more information about the AJGA Spokane Junior Classic,
call AJGA tournament headquarters at (509) 255-5044.
The American Junior Golf Foundation is the primary recipient of all charitable giving to the AJGA and as such administers a variety of programs designed to compliment the AJGA and the members and families who make up our community. Learn more about these important programs and how your contributions to the Foundation secure the AJGA’s financial future for future generations to come.
The Achieving Competitive Excellence (ACE) Grant program provides financial assistance to junior golfers who wish to play in AJGA events. Its goal is to give top-flight golf opportunities to young golfers regardless of financial resources. This program helps to fulfill the AJGA’s mission of developing young men and women who aspire to earn college golf scholarships through competitive junior golf.
Leadership Links
What is Leadership Links?
Leadership Links is a new program whereby the AJGA is able to further its mission to help develop young men and women by teaching charitable giving skills and service-oriented practices at an early age. This program gives juniors all the tools necessary to donate their time, talent and resources to local charities and the AJGA youth development programs. Please click here to learn more about the program and the different opportunities available.
The American Junior Golf Association is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to the overall growth and
development of young men and women who aspire to earn college golf scholarships through competitive junior golf.
