Peter Kim and Lauren Kim Win AJGA New Jersey Junior
Low final rounds spur victories at White Beeches Golf & Country Club
HAWORTH, N.J. — Peter Kim of Metuchen, N.J., fired a personal best of 4-under-par 67 to take the win with a tournament total of 7-under-par 135 Thursday. Girls Division champion, Lauren Kim of Los Altos, Calif., carded a 3-under-par 68 for a tournament total of 3-over-par 145.
Conducted by the American Junior Golf Association, the AJGA New Jersey Junior was originally a 54-hole stroke play event changed to 36 holes due to weather. Held at White Beeches Golf & Country Club, the field featured 75 boys and 24 girls, ages 12-18, from 13 states, Thailand, Colombia and Canada. The par-71 course was played at 6,510 yards in the Boys Division and 5,995 yards in the Girls Division.
Despite a pair of bogeys, Peter Kim remained calm and on top with six birdies for the day.
“Basically, I did everything I was supposed to do,” Kim said. “I hit a lot of greens, made a lot of putts, and had my irons going.”
Kim finished four shots clear of the field for his first AJGA win.
“It feels great to win,” Kim said. “I just can't explain it because I worked so hard for this. I practiced so many hours and it just feels so great.”
Ji Soo Park of Centreville, Va. finished at 3-under-par 139, while Greg Schmaus of Upper Saddle River, N.J., and Will Griffin of Lufkin, Texas, tied for third at even par 142. In fifth place, Ethan Wall of Brielle, N.J., and Scott Davidson of Round Hill, Va., tied at 2-over-par 144.
Lauren Kim, who picked up wins in 2008 and 2009, carded four birdies which lead to her third AJGA career win.
“My whole round was good in general,” Kim said. “I only had one bogey. That's never happened before, so that was my highlight.”
Harin Lee of Bayside, N.Y., came in second at 5-over-par 147. Caroline Araskog of Locust Valley, N.Y., finished third at 6-over-par 148.
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 provides valuable exposure for college golf scholarships, and has an annual junior membership (boys and girls ages 12-18) of approximately 5,000 junior golfers from 49 states and 30 countries. To ensure scholarship opportunities for all junior golfers who have the skill, the AJGA created the Achieving Competitive Excellence (ACE) Grant program to provide financial assistance to young players in need.
Titleist, the AJGA's National Sponsor, has been the catalyst and driving force behind the Association's success since 1989. Rolex Watch USA, which is in its third decade of AJGA support, became the inaugural AJGA Premier Partner in 2004. In 2007, after 12 years of support, Polo Ralph Lauren became the AJGA's second Premier Partner.
AJGA alumni have risen to the top of amateur, collegiate and professional golf. Former AJGA juniors have compiled more than 400 victories on the PGA and LPGA Tours. AJGA alumni include Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Stewart Cink, Cristie Kerr, Paula Creamer and Morgan Pressel.
For more information about the AJGA New Jersey Junior, please contact National Headquarters at 770-868-4200.
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