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In just
his second AJGA event, Tom Davis of Burgengary, Australia,
took the Copperhead Course by storm during the final round
of the AJGA hp Boys Junior Championship. Davis' 2-under-par
69 was enough to earn him championship honors with a four-day
total of 2-over-par 287.
Tom
Davis, champion, 2003 hp Boys Junior Championship |
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The 72-hole
stroke play event featured 143 boys from 29 states and two
foreign countries. The event was held at the Westin Innisbrook
Golf Resort, Copperhead and Island Courses. Past champions
of the event include David Duval, Jim Furyk and Tiger Woods.
Coming
into the final round, Davis was four shots behind third-round
leader Trent Leon of Dallas. He played in the third to last
group on Friday and came into the day with a target score
in mind.
"At
the start of the day I just thought if I could get to 1-over
par, I would have a good chance to win; maybe a playoff at
worst," Davis said.
Davis
started the day at 4-over-par for the tournament and wasted
no time charging toward his goal. Davis birdied the first
two holes en route to a 1-under-par 35 on the front nine.
"I
started birdie birdie and just played pretty steady after
that," Davis said. "I wasn't hitting the driver
great, but I got a few good breaks and capitalized with my
putter."
Davis
continued his solid play on the back nine, collecting birdies
on hole Nos. 12 and 13. However, an errant tee shot on the
par-4 18th found Davis in trouble to the right of the fairway.
Davis
had to navigate his second shot underneath a set of overhanging
branches to have a shot at par. He was able to hit the front
of the green; however a three-putt resulted in a bogey on
the last final hole.
Fortunately,
the bogey was just enough to ensure the one-shot victory.
"It's
great to win," Davis said. "It still hasn't sunk
in yet because I kind of came from nowhere; and all of a sudden
I've won.
"These
events are really fun, you don't know how good you have it
over here," Davis said. "I advise everyone to come
over here from back at home."
Jane
Park, champion, 2003 McDonald's Betsy Rawls Girls
National Championship |
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California
natives rocked the AJGA McDonald's Betsy Rawls Girls National
Championship by claiming the top-three places. Jane Park of
Beaumont, fired an 11-under-par 202 to take the honors while
Paula Creamer of Pleasanton, shot 7-under-par 206 to claim
second. Amie Cochran of Torrance, came in third with a 3-under-par
208.
The tournament
featured 71 girls, ages 13-18, representing 20 states and
Canada. The 54-hole event was held on the par-71, 6,036-yard
DuPont Course at the DuPont Country Club. The invitation-only
tournament also featured 20 Polo Golf Junior All-Americans.
With her
11-under-par performance, Park broke the 54-hole tournament
record of 206, set by Christie Kerr in 1995.
I hit
some putts early in the round that got me off to a good start,"
Park said. "But Paula kept me on my toes, she is a fierce
competitor."
Park started
Thursday's round with a bogey on No. 1 and bogeyed again on
No. 12, but went on to tally five birdies in the round en
route to her win.
"With
Paula, it's not over until the last hole," Park added.
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