AJGA MARSHALLIA RANCH JUNIOR QUALIFIER

Marshallia Ranch Golf Course

Vandenberg AFB, California

July 11, 2004

TOM WINS MEDALIST HONORS BY THREE STROKES

Kwon takes medalist honors for Girls Division at the AJGA Marshallia Ranch Junior Qualifier

VANDENBERG AFB, Calif.—  Mathew Tom of Norwalk, Calif., took home medalist honors with a 3-under-par 69 Sunday at the AJGA Marshallia Ranch Junior Qualifier. In the Girls Division, Diane Kwon of Fremont, Calif., won medalist honors and qualified for the tournament with a 3-over-par 75.

Conducted by the American Junior Golf Association, the AJGA Marshallia Ranch Junior Qualifier was held at the Marshallia Ranch Golf Course and featured 96 players from four states including 93 California natives. Fifteen boys and three girls gained entry into the tournament, which will begin Tuesday.

Tom, 17, won second place at the True Temper Junior Open last week and said his goal for this week is to win the top spot.

“I’m pretty calm going into the tournament,” he said. “My goal is to win, obviously, but if not, then top ten.”

He said the course was challenging compared to last week’s course at Diablo Grande. Even though it was challenging, Tom started on No. 10 and only missed one fairway. He made birdie on Nos. 1, 3, 4, 6, 8 and 18.

“No. 18 gave me momentum for the rest of the round,” he said. “I got on in two and then made birdie.”

For the tournament on Tuesday, Tom said he wants to work on his ball striking and getting closer to the hole.

Also qualifying for the Boys Division were Samuel Kim of Cerritos, Calif., Chad Vivolo of Carmel, Calif., John Cisek of Coto de Caza, Calif., Andrew Gunson of Irvine, Calif., Jason Bullemer of Santa Barbara, Calif., Kenny Roberts of Seal Beach, Calif., Erik Jarvey of Palmdale, Calif., Trevor Carle of Santa Rosa, Calif., Scott Chacon of Pasadena, Calif., Matt Grush of Los Angeles, Tom Lo of Los Angeles, Michael Saviano of Sunnyvale, Calif., Brendan Thomas of Westlake Village, Calif., and Kyle Borggrebe of West Hills, Calif.

Kwon, 14, said she was worried about the trees on the course because she had a lot of problems with them during her practice round.

“My round today was easier than I expected,” Kwon said. “I managed to stay out of the trees.”

She birdied Nos. 2, 9 and 13 and said her putting was working really well for her.

“My birdie on No. 2 was awesome,” she said. “It was a par 4 and my drive was really good. I pitched it close, about two to three feet away from the hole and sank it.”

Her goal for the tournament is to shoot even-par.

“I’m really excited,” she said. “I want to play better than I did today.”

Also qualifying for the Girls Division were Hannah Shin of Orange, Calif., and Mariko Makabe of Rancho Palos Verdes, Calif.

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 largest association of its kind, the AJGA has a junior membership (boys and girls ages 12-18) of approximately 5,000 junior golfers from 50 states and 30 foreign countries.

Titleist, the AJGA’s National Sponsor, has been the catalyst and driving force behind the Association’s success since 1989. Rolex Watch U.S.A., a supporter of the AJGA since 1983, became an AJGA Premier Partner in 2004.

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 Phil Mickelson, Tiger Woods, Davis Love III, Mike Weir, Charles Howell III, Jim Furyk, Vicki Goetze-Ackerman, Grace Park, Cristie Kerr and Beth Bauer.

The first round of the AJGA Marshallia Ranch Junior Open will begin on Tuesday with tee-times from 6:30 – 8:27 a.m. For more information on the AJGA Marshallia Ranch Junior, contact tournament headquarters at (805) 734-1333.