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AJGA SPOKANE JUNIOR CLASSIC
MeadowWood Golf Course
Liberty Lake, Washington
August 12-15, 2002
WILCOX SURVIVES PLAYOFF TO CLAIM SPOKANE
TITLE
Svicarovich sets record en route to Girls Division title
LIBERTY LAKE, Wash. - Chad Wilcox of Peoria, Ariz.,
won the AJGA Spokane Junior Classic on the second hole of
a sudden-death playoff involving three players tied at 11-under-par
205. In the Girls Division, Kristen Svicarovich of Hillsboro,
Ore., broke the MeadowWood Golf Course women's competitive
record with her final round 69 en route to her second AJGA
title of the year.
Conducted by the American Junior Golf Association, the AJGA
Spokane Junior Classic was held at the par-72 MeadowWood Golf
Course in Liberty Lake, Wash. The 54-hole event featured 99
players from 12 states and Canada, including 41 Washington
natives.
Wilcox opened his round with an eagle on the par-5, 561-yard
second hole. He went on to birdie holes No. 3 and 7 to finish
the front nine at 3-under-par. On the back nine he carded
another eagle on the 12th hole and added birdies on No. 14
and 16 to card a 33 on the back and finish the championship
with a three-day total of 68-71-66-205.
"I hit the ball awesome all week," Wilcox said.
"Today I missed a few putts early, but I made some good
ones on the back to gain some confidence. After my bogey on
No. 18 I thought I was out of the race, so I was really shocked
when I found out I was in a playoff."
The sudden-death playoff included Wilcox, Soo Kyo Ahn of Tacoma,
Wash., and Dustin Frontis of Yakima, Wash. Wilcox and Ahn
made par on the first playoff hole, No. 18, and moved on to
No. 10. Wilcox hit the green in two and sank a 25 foot putt
for birdie to claim his first AJGA title.
"Going into the playoff I was pretty nervous, but I was
confident because of the way I played this week," Wilcox
said. "I just wanted to play the playoff holes the same
way I played them this week. When I sank that birdie putt
on No. 10 it felt really good. It is a great honor to win
an AJGA event."
Ahn and Frontis finished tied for second at 11-under-par 205.
Christopher Heintz of Brea, Calif., and Bucky Coe of Encinitas,
Calif., finished in a tie for fourth at 208.
In the Girls Division, Svicarovich entered the final round
in a tie for the lead at 2-under-par 142. She started her
round with three pars and went on to birdie four of the last
six holes on the front nine. Svicarovich finished the front
nine at 4-under-par 32.
"My putts were falling all day and my driver was really
on," Svicarovich said. "I came into the round a
little nervous, but I started the day with a lot of pars and
I was able to calm myself down. Once I settled down, I started
to go at the flagsticks and give myself chances to make birdie."
Svicarovich kept things consistent on the back nine with six
pars, two bogeys and a birdie on the 311-yard, par-4 14th
hole. The 17-year-old, who also won the AJGA Marsico Funds
Colorado Junior Roundup in June, finished the tournament nine
strokes ahead of the field at 70-72-69-211.
"Today I just played my own game," Svicarovich said.
"I decided that as long as I didn't beat myself, I would
be happy with however the day finished. This was a great week.
I have a lot of friends here and I was very comfortable on
the course. It feels really good to win and I am very excited."
Renee Skidmore of Everett, Wash., and Jamie Oliver of Long
Beach, Calif., tied for second at 4-over-par 220.
For more information about the AJGA Spokane Junior Classic,
call AJGA national headquarters at (770) 868-4200.
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