AJGA CALLAWAY GOLF JUNIOR ALL-STAR CHAMPIONSHIP
ChampionsGate Golf Resort, The International
ChampionsGate, Florida
November 21 - 24, 2001

LAUREN ESPINOSA AND STEVE HAN TAKE HOME RESPECTIVE DIVISION TITLES
Both claim first AJGA victories

CHAMPIONSGATE, Fla. - Both Lauren Espinosa of Dallas, Texas, and Steve Han of Chino Hills, Calif., took home their first AJGA victories Sunday in dramatic fashion. Espinosa charged from five shots behind to take the Girls Division title with a 12-over-par 228 tournament total. Han squeaked out his wire-to-wire victory by sinking a 3-foot putt on the 54th and final hole of the tournament to finish with a 1-under-par 215 tournament total.

The AJGA Callaway Golf Junior All-Star Championship, a 54-hole event conducted by the American Junior Golf Association, included 57 of the world's top 13-16-year-old junior golfers. To be invited to this event, each junior had to prove their ability by finishing at or near the top of the leaderboard in one of the six AJGA Compaq Junior All-Star events.

Espinosa followed a disappointing opening-round 82 by shooting back-to-back 1-over-par 73's, the low round in the Girls Division each of the last two tournament days. When most players would have given up, she said, she decided to turn it up. A final-round back-nine 2-under-par 34 helped her take the lead and secure the championship.

"I just told myself to stay focused," she continued. "I didn't think about the past or the future. I played it safe and didn't take risks, and everything turned out the way I wanted it."

Even though Espinosa was near the bottom of the leaderboard after the first day of play, this win will give her the confidence to continue to fight even when her game is not at its best, she said.

"My putting was what made my tournament," she said of the difference between her opening and final two rounds. "I practiced a little, and when the putts started to drop, it gave me the confidence to keep going. This was a big step in the maturity of my game."

Heather Wright of Houston, Texas, and Whitney Sylvan of Columbia, S.C., tied for second in the Girls Division, both finishing at 229.

In the Boys Division, Han had to protect a four-shot lead going into today's final round. His 3-over-par final-round 75 was just enough to keep the consistent Michael Haverfield of Louisville, Ky., at bay. Haverfield finished one shot back at 216, with three rounds at even-par 72.

"I was trying not to keep my score," Han said. "I just tried to play well and not worry about where I stood."

This was also a big step for Han's game, something that he views as a continuous learning process.

"In other tournaments, I never felt like I could win, like I was the guy to beat," he said. "This was the first time when I felt like I could actually win, and that's what made the difference."

Following Han and Haverfield in the top five were Martin Piller of Duncanville, Texas, and James Lee of La Mirada, Calif., at 218 and Will Haydon of Palo Alto, Calif., at 219.

For any questions regarding the AJGA Callaway Golf Junior All-Star Classic or any AJGA event, please call our national headquarters (877) 373-2542.

CHAMPIONSGATE, Fla.-- Final results from the AJGA CALLAWAY GOLF JUNIOR ALL-STAR CHAMPIONSHIP conducted by the American Junior Golf Association at ChampionsGate Golf Resort, The International. Par: 36-36--72. Yardage:
Boys: 6,397 Girls: 5,605

BOYS DIVISION

Steve Han (2005) Chino Hills, Calif.* 68-72-75--215
Michael Haverfield (2004) Louisville, Ky.* 72-72-72--216
Martin Piller (2004) Duncanville, Texas* 72-75-71--218
James Lee (2005) La Mirada, Calif.* 75-71-72--218
Will Haydon (2005) Palo Alto, Calif.* 73-73-73--219
Jake Creel (2004) Dothan, Ala.* 73-74-73--220
Kenny Palmer (2004) Scottsdale, Ariz.* 74-72-75--221
Jason Cook (2004) Windermere, Fla.* 73-72-76--221
Jon Curran (2005) Hopkinton, Mass.* 75-72-75--222
Casey Caldwell (2004) Albuquerque, N.M.* 75-72-75--222
Clarke Kincaid (2004) Trophy Club, Texas* 78-75-70--223
John Ebert (2004) Charlotte, N.C.* 78-73-73--224
Michael Schachner (2004) Libertyville, Ill.* 78-73-73--224
Kenny Kim (2004) Cerritos, Calif.* 72-75-77--224
Nicholas Smith (2005) Ocala, Fla.* 76-74-75--225
Steven Bain (2003) Lake Mary, Fla.* 76-73-76--225
Kyle Davis (2005) Kennett Square, Pa.* 72-76-77--225
Will Osborne (2004) Wichita Falls, Texas* 75-77-74--226
Jeffrey Edelman (2006) Southlake, Texas* 75-81-71--227
Stephen Walton (2004) Westchester, Pa.* 76-78-73--227
Tim McKenney (2006) Scottsdale, Ariz.* 79-74-74--227
Kyung Min (2004) Fullerton, Calif.* 80-74-74--228
Aaron Louv (2003) Durham, N.C.* 77-76-75--228
Greg Carlin (2004) Kensington, Md.* 80-76-73--229
Kevin Lozares (2004) Mountain View, Calif.* 74-80-75--229
Michael Birtel (2004) New Orleans, La.* 73-76-80--229
Ian Springer (2004) River Forest, Ill.* 81-74-75--230
Andrew Davidson (2004) Windermere, Fla.* 75-78-77--230
Austin Wang (2004) Rancho Palos Verdes, Calif.* 78-76-78--232
Andy Park (2003) San Diego, Calif.* 72-76-84--232
Brian Steeves (2004) Wappingers Falls, N.Y.* 75-80-78--233
Evan Willingham (2005) Raleigh, N.C.* 75-76-82--233
Cole Peevler (2005) Keokuk, Iowa* 78-78-78--234
Jonathan Borders (2004) Wichita Falls, Texas* 78-76-80--234
James Minahan (2004) Spring, Texas* 77-75-82--234
Robbie Leonard (2004) Moon Township, Pa.* 83-79-73--235
Ben Herrera (2005) Waukee, Iowa* 72-79-84--235
Michael Baca (2004) Fresno, Calif.* 84-77-75--236
Shawn Tonkin (2006) Mercer Island, Wash.* 79-79-79--237
Jared Taylor (2004) Bluefield, Va.* 80-78-80--238
Chris Smith (2004) Alpharetta, Ga.* 82-83-78--243
Phelps Brooks (2004) Cheraw, S.C.* 83-81-81--245
Brent Pickrell (2005) Austin, Texas* 89-85-79--253

GIRLS DIVISION

Lauren Espinosa (2005) Dallas, Texas* 82-73-73--228
Heather Wright (2004) Houston, Texas* 75-77-77--229
Whitney Sylvan (2004) Columbia, S.C.* 76-76-77--229
Erica Gonzalez (2005) Davie, Fla.* 81-76-74--231
Christi Athas (2003) Eldora, Iowa* 75-75-82--232
Jennifer Hong (2005) Windermere, Fla.* 78-77-87--242
Jessica Reno (2003) Wilmington, Del.* 82-79-82--243
Brittany Johnston (2004) Akron, Ohio* 80-84-80--244
Ali Beuckman (2004) Jupiter, Fla.* 84-82-79--245
Megan McLeod (2004) Fallbrook, Calif.* 80-85-82--247
Katie Trachok (2004) Upper St. Clair, Pa.* 86-83-84--253
Jacqueline Dickey (2005) Pembroke Pines, Fla.* 82-85-88--255
Brittany Lambert (2004) Keokuk, Iowa* 89-84-89--262
In-Bee Park (2007) Eustis, Fla.* 74-84-WD (Injury)