LOVEMARK, FUJIKAWA TO FACE OFF IN POLO GOLF JUNIOR CLASSIC CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH

Park and Harigae will square off in the Girls Division

SEA ISLAND, Ga. – Two-time Rolex Junior All-American Jamie Lovemark of Rancho Santa Fe, Calif., will face Tadd Fujikawa of Honolulu, Hawaii, in the final round of match play of the Polo Golf Junior Classic Friday.  Mina Harigae of Monterey, Calif., is set to square off with Angela Park of Torrance, Calif., in the Girls Division.

            Conducted by the American Junior Golf Association, the Polo Golf Junior Classic, which has been held annually since 1978, marks the first tournament of the AJGA’s 2006 season. The 159-player invitation-only field is made up of 87 boys and 72 girls, ages 12-18, from 28 states and six foreign countries (Canada, China, Japan, Mexico, Spain, Sweden).

The event consisted of 36 holes of stroke play, after which the field was cut to the top 32 boys and 32 girls. Match play then decides the champion in each division. Sea Island’s Seaside (par 70) and Plantation (par 72) courses were used during the stroke play rounds and the first round of match play. The Seaside is the lone course utilized during the final four rounds of match play competition.

First-team Rolex Junior All-American Lovemark defeated second-team Rolex Junior All-American Richard Lee of Chandler, Ariz., in the quarterfinals 3 & 2 and continued his hot streak into the afternoon, overcoming fellow first-team Rolex Junior All-American Philip Francis of Scottsdale, Ariz., 2 & 1 to advance to the championship round.

“I really didn’t hit any bad shots today and hit almost all my greens,” Lovemark said. “It’s really windy out there, so tomorrow I want to continue to make par like I did today.”

In only his third AJGA event and first competitive match play tournament, Fujikawa was able to rise to the top by playing consistently throughout the day. Fujikawa notched a 1-up victory over Rory Hie of Lakewood, Calif., in the quarterfinals and came from behind to top Rolex Junior Player of the Year Peter Uihlein of Bradenton, Fla., 1-up in the semifinals.

“I was down early but was able to keep the ball in play most of the time and make clutch putts to save par,” Fujikawa said. “Tomorrow, I’m going to take one hole at a time and keep doing what I’ve been doing.”

Harigae, who was the stroke play medalist in 2004 with a Seaside Course record-setting 8-under-par 62, notched a 3 & 1 victory over Angela Oh of Maple Shade, N.J., in the quarterfinals to play Isabelle Lendl of Bradenton, Fla., who defeated her sister Marika, 1-up. Harigae, a three-time Rolex Junior All-American, continued her steady play during the semifinal match to earn a 2 & 1 triumph over Lendl.

“I was much more relaxed in the afternoon (semifinal) match,” Harigae said. “Everything came to together, but tomorrow I need to improve my putting.”

Two-time first-team Rolex Junior All-American Park took down Sydnee Michaels of Temecula, Calif., 6 & 5 in the quarterfinals. Her 2 &1 win over Taylore Karle of Scottsdale, Ariz., in the semifinals secured her place in the final match, allowing her a shot at two consecutive AJGA victories.

“My ball striking has been good this week—I’ve hit most of my fairways and greens,” Park said, who is coming off a victory at the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail Junior. “If I get my putter going, I should be good for tomorrow.”

            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 has a 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 USA, a supporter of the AJGA since 1983, became the inaugural AJGA Premier Partner in 2004.

The final round of match play will begin at 8:00 a.m. Friday off the No. 1 tee at the Seaside Course. For more information about the Polo Golf Junior Classic, contact tournament headquarters at (914) 634-3190, or visit the AJGA Web site at ajga.org.

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SEA ISLAND, Ga. – Quarterfinal and semifinal match play results from the Polo Golf Junior Classic conducted by the American Junior Golf Association at Sea Island Golf Club – Seaside and Plantation Courses. Par: Seaside: 35-35—70. Yardage: Seaside: Boys: 6,846; Girls: 6,059.

QUARTERFINAL RESULTS – BOYS DIVISION

(4) Philip Francis, Scottsdale, Ariz. def. (5) Chesson Hadley, Raleigh, N.C., 2 & 1.

(6) Peter Uihlein, Bradenton, Fla. def. (14) Matthew Pierce, Jr., San Juan Capistrano, Calif., 3 & 2.

(16) Jamie Lovemark, Rancho Santa Fe, Calif. (2006 ) def. (8) Richard Lee, Chandler, Ariz., 3 & 2.

(23) Tadd Fujikawa, Honolulu, Hawaii def. (31) Rory Hie, Lakewood, Calif., 1-up.

QUARTERFINAL RESULTS – GIRLS DIVISION

(2) Angela Park, Torrance, Calif. def. (7) Sydnee Michaels, Temecula, Calif., 6 & 5

(5) Mina Harigae, Monterey, Calif. def. (20) Angela Oh, Maple Shade, N.J., 3 & 1.

(6) Taylore Karle, Scottsdale, Ariz. def. (14) Anna Nordqvist, Eskilstuna, Sweden, 19 holes.

(9) Isabelle Lendl, Bradenton, Fla. def. (16) Marika Lendl, Bradenton, Fla., 1-up.

SEMIFINAL RESULTS – BOYS DIVISION

(16) Jamie Lovemark, Rancho Santa Fe, Calif., def. (4) Philip Francis, Scottsdale, Ariz., 2 & 1.

(23) Tadd Fujikawa, Honolulu, Hawaii def. (6) Peter Uihlein, Bradenton, Fla., 1-up.

SEMIFINAL RESULTS – GIRLS DIVISION

(2) Angela Park, Torrance, Calif. def. (6) Taylore Karle, Scottsdale, Ariz., 2 & 1.

(5) Mina Harigae, Monterey, Calif. def. (9) Isabelle Lendl, Bradenton, Fla., 2 & 1.