PETERSON ENDS WITH EAGLE, LEADS BOYS DIVISION AT PING JUNIOR AT THE WOODLANDS
Rah atop Girls Division by four strokes at the Panther Trail Course
THE WOODLANDS, Texas — John Peterson of Fort Worth, Texas, shot a first-round 5-under-par 67 to open with the lead in the Boys Division of the PING Junior at The Woodlands by two strokes Friday. Jane Rah of Torrance, Calif., is leading the Girls Division by four strokes after carding a 3-under-par 69 during first-round competition on the The Woodlands Resort & Conference Center's Panther Trail Course.
Conducted by the American Junior Golf Association, the PING Junior at The Woodlands is a 54-hole stroke play event held at The Woodlands Resort & Conference Center's Panther Trail Course. The 132-player field features players from 20 states, Washington D.C., and three countries, Australia, Canada and Chile. The Girls Division is playing the Panther Trail Course at 5,996 yards, while the Boys Division is playing it at 6,959 yards.
Peterson, who finished tied for ninth in the event last year, shot a 32-35—67, including three birdies and a closing eagle to finish his day at the par-5 ninth hole.
“I had a great hole on nine; I finished with an eagle,” said Peterson. “It felt really good to play that well. It was good to not make a bogey all day.”
In a three-way tie for second at 3-under-par 69 are Jonathan Randolph of Brandon, Miss., Sang Yi of Carrollton, Texas, and Sebastian MacLean of Bradenton, Fla. Christopher Cho of Kent, Wash., Travis Klutts of Lake Kiowa, Texas and Hunter Hamrick of Montgomery, Ala., are knotted in fifth after 2-under-par 70s.
In the Girls Division, Rah carded birdies on Nos. 3, 7, 14 and 18 en route to a 1-under-par 35 on the front nine and a 2-under-par 34 on the back nine to soar to the top of the leaderboard.
Rah hit nine greens, yet only had 24 putts on the day. The two-time Rolex Junior All-American took home two trophies last season at the CORE Realty Holdings Junior Championship and the CORE Realty Holdings Junior Classic.
“I made everything inside 10 feet,” said Rah. “I either hit it really close to the pin or really far.”
In second with matching 73s are Lisa McCloskey of Montgomery, Texas, and Jaclyn Sweeney of Bradenton, Fla.
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. The AJGA, the largest Association of its kind, has an annual junior membership (boys and girls ages 12-18) of approximately 5,000 junior golfers from 49 states and 25 foreign countries.
PING, a long-time supporter of junior golf, will support four AJGA events in 2007, two Open Events and two Invitationals: the PING Junior at The Woodlands, PING Phoenix Junior, PING Junior Solheim Cup and The PING Invitational. PING also sponsors the PING Schedule Magnet and PING College Golf Signing Day Web site.
AJGA alumni have risen to the top of amateur, collegiate and professional golf. More than 160 former AJGA juniors currently play on the PGA and LPGA Tours and have compiled more than 300 wins. AJGA alumni include Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Jim Furyk, Stewart Cink, Davis Love III, Cristie Kerr, Pat Hurst, Paula Creamer, Brittany Lincicome and Morgan Pressel.
Second round tee times will run from 7:45 — 9:15 a.m. and 12:15- 1:45 p.m. off the Nos. 1 and 10 tees Saturday at The Woodlands Resort & Conference Center's Panther Trail Course.
For more information on the PING Junior at The Woodlands, please contact tournament headquarters at (281) 364-6771.
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