| HAGGEN, GIDEON EARN MEDALIST HONORS AT SRIXON QUALIFIER
Piyapattra medals in Girls Division at Angel Park Golf Club
LAS VEGAS — Andrew Haggen of Walnut Creek,
Calif., and Michael Gideon of Lancaster, Calif., both carded scores of
2-under-par 69 on the Mountain Course at Angel Park Golf Club to medal
in the Srixon Qualifier and earn entrance to the Las Vegas Founders
Junior Golf Championship presented by Meadow Gold Dairy. Michelle
Piyapattra of Corona, Calif., medaled in the Girls Division with a
1-under-par 70.
Conducted by the American Junior Golf Association, the Srixon
Qualifier for The Las Vegas Founders Junior Golf Championship presented
by Meadow Gold Dairy was an 18-hole stroke play event featuring 60 boys
and 20 girls ages 12-18, 68 of them from California. The boys tees
played from 6,680 yards and the girls played from 5,902 yards.
With an eagle on No. 2 and three more birdies on the round,
Haggen said it was his putting that boosted him to the top of the
leaderboard.
“I putted well and I didn't blow up on any holes,” Haggen said.
“This is my first AJGA event and it's good that I can actually qualify
for the Championship.”
Gideon shot 3-under-par on the back nine to gain his entrance
into the Championship. He played in the event last year and said he is
excited to play in this year's as well.
“The AJGA has the best competition in the country,” Gideon said.
“I'm glad I'm in the tournament, but I know I need to hit it better to
do well here.”
Others in the Boys Division who qualified for the Championship
include Hunter Hullett of Scottsdale, Ariz., Benjamin Lein of Diamond
Bar, Calif., John Huh of Montrose, Calif., Eric Kim of San Jose,
Calif., Chris Ortiz of Rio Rancho, N.M., and Raymond Gillip II of Las
Vegas.
Brandon Van Goethen of Huntington Beach, Calif., Jonathan
Saunders of Los Alamitos, Calif., Michael Liu of Tustin, Calif., Wayne
Yoon of Carson, Calif., and Alex Bernstein of Tustin, Calif., all
qualified for entrance into the Boys Division of the Championship, but
chose to receive one tournament exemption instead of playing in the
event.
Piyapattra tallied four birdies, three on the front nine, on her way to medalist honors in the Girls Division.
“I had good distance control today and I hit it pretty
straight,” she said. “I'm excited because this is the first time I have
qualified for an AJGA event and I hope I can continue to do well.”
Also qualifying in the Girls Division were Janelle Song of
Oxnard, Calif., Rachel Kim of Diamond Bar, Calif., and Cristina De
Tomasi of Lafayette, Calif.
Kristina Nhim of Buena Park, Calif., Victoria Fallgren of
Lakewook, Calif., and Noelle Zavaleta of Lakewood, California qualified
for the Championship, but chose to receive one tournament exemption in
lieu of playing in the event.
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 an annual
junior membership (boys and girls ages 12-18) of more than 5,000 junior
golfers from 49 states and more than 25 foreign countries. 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 Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Jim Furyk, Stewart Cink,
Davis Love III, Cristie Kerr, Pat Hurst, Paula Creamer, Brittany
Lincicome, Morgan Pressel and Julieta Granada.
The Las Vegas Founders Junior Golf Championship presented by
Meadow Gold Diary will be a 54-hole stroke play event featuring 63 boys
and 21 girls, ages 12-18. The tournament will begin with 7 a.m. tee
times Tuesday, June 12, and will run through Thursday, June 14, on the
Mountain Course at Angel Park Golf Club.
For more information about the Las Vegas Founders Junior Golf
Championship presented by Meadow Gold Dairy, please contact tournament
headquarters at (702) 254-0564.
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