NA BATTLES WIND TO GRAB TWO-STROKE LEAD IN BOYS DIVISION
Ferrero comes from behind to take lead in Girls Division;
Defending champion Code just two back

TARPON SPRINGS, Fla.-Kevin Na of Diamond Bar, Calif., fired a 1-over-par 72 in swirling winds Thursday to jump ahead of the field by two shots through three rounds at the AJGA Rolex Tournament of Champions. Lisa Ferrero of Lodi, Calif., carded a 1-over-par 72 on her way to grabbing the Girls Division lead by two shots.

The 72-hole event, conducted by the American Junior Golf Association, is being held on the Copperhead Course at the Westin Innisbrook Resort. The field consists of 83 players representing 22 states and four foreign countries. The AJGA Rolex Tournament of Champions, in its 24th year, is one of the longest running tournaments on the 2001 schedule.

The 17-year-old Na used two birdies and three bogeys in the wind to finish the third round at 5-under-par with rounds of 69-68-72--209.

"I like this course a lot," Na said. "The wind is okay when it blows one way, but sometimes I couldn't tell which direction it was going. It may blow one way on the tee but the opposite for your second shot."

Na enters the final round with the record of never losing the lead on the final day.

"I think it's better to be ahead than behind," Na said. "I like having a two-shot cushion and feel I can win. I'm not going to try to keep the lead tomorrow. I want to extend my lead on the front nine and keep them from thinking they have a chance."

Second-round co-leader Casey Wittenberg of Memphis, Tenn., fired a 3-over-par 74 and sits two shots behind Na in second place at 3-under-par with rounds of 71-66-74--211. North Carolina natives Webb Simpson (72-67-74--213) of Raleigh, and Ben Goforth (67-75-71--213) of Shelby, are in a tie for third at 1-under-par. Alone in fifth place at 1-over-par is Kevin Kisner of Aiken, S.C., with a total of 70-74-71--215.

In the Girls Division, the 18-year-old Ferrero shot 2-under on the front nine and 3-over on the back nine to post her 72 and take the lead by two shots at even-par with a 74-68-72--214 total. The University of Texas signee got started early with birdies on Nos. 2 and 3, but came in with bogeys on Nos. 10, 14 and 18.

"You have to hit it far and accurate here," Ferrero said. "I just wanted to hit the ball well. Several putts could have gone either way for me today. Tomorrow depends on the weather; the scores will get higher if the wind keeps blowing."

Second-round leader Erica Blasberg (67-74-75--216) of Corona, Calif., fired a 4-over-par round of 75 to fall into a tie for second place at 2-over-par with defending champion Mallory Code (72-72-72--216) of Tampa, Fla. Code is looking to be the first back-to-back winner in the Girls Division since Beth Bauer accomplished the feat in 1995.

Final-round action begins Friday morning at 7:30 a.m. on Nos. 1 and 10. For more information regarding the AJGA Rolex Tournament of Champions, please contact tournament headquarters at (727) 942-2000, ext. 2889.

#AJGA#

TARPON SPRINGS, Fla. - Third-round results from the AJGA ROLEX TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS conducted by the American Junior Golf Association at The Westin Innisbrook Resort, Copperhead Course. Par: 36-35--71. Yardage: Boys: 7,084, Girls: 6,042. Competitors played one round on the Island Course over the first two rounds. Par: 36-36-72. Yardage: Boys 6,881, Girls 5,928.

BOYS DIVISION

Kevin Na (2002) Diamond Bar, Calif.* 69-68-72--209
Casey Wittenberg (2004) Memphis, Tenn.* 71-66-74--211
Ben Goforth (2003) Shelby, N.C.* 67-75-71--213
Webb Simpson (2004) Raleigh, N.C.* 72-67-74--213
Kevin Kisner (2002) Aiken, S.C.* 70-74-71--215
Ryan Baca (2001) Richmond, Texas* 71-72-73--216
Anthony Kim (2003) La Quinta, Calif.* 73-72-72--217
Taylor Wood (2002) Laguna Niguel, Calif.* 71-75-71--217
Matthew Rosenfeld (2002) Plano, Texas* 71-74-72--217
Craig Trahan (2001) Marrero, La.* 73-74-70--217
Roberto Castro (2003) Alpharetta, Ga.* 72-74-72--218
Jonathan Moore (2004) Portland, Ore.* 77-70-71--218
Henry Liaw (2003) Rowland Heights, Calif.* 69-74-75--218
Jeff Overton (2001) Evansville, Ind.* 69-72-77--218
Jeff Bell (2002) Plano, Texas* 69-72-77--218
Butler Melnyk (2001) Jacksonville, Fla.* 77-69-73--219
Stuart Moore (2001) Gainesville, Ga.* 74-72-73--219
Colby Beckstrom (2002) North Muskegon, Mich.* 73-72-74--219
Ryan Cochran (2002) Paducah, Ky.* 74-70-75--219
Benjamin Spitz (2002) Norwell, Mass.* 72-72-75--219
Troy Denton (2001) Dallas, Texas* 71-76-72--219
Charlie Santaularia (2001) Lawrence, Kan.* 72-73-75--220
Kevin Silva (2002) New Bedford, Mass.* 75-70-75--220
Ryan Keeney (2002) Redmond, Wash.* 73-74-73--220
Alex Wilson (2002) Coral Gables, Fla.* 75-73-72--220
Nathan Lashley (2001) Scottsbluff, Neb.* 76-72-72--220
Derek Abel (2001) Plano, Texas* 73-75-72--220
Ryan Sypniewski (2003) Radford, Va.* 74-71-76--221
Brendon Todd (2003) Cary, N.C.* 69-74-78--221
Matt Brooks (2001) Mesa, Ariz.* 71-73-77--221
Kyle Metzler (2002) Rancho Murieta, Calif.* 77-70-74--221
Jeremy Alcorn (2003) Brownwood, Texas* 75-71-76--222
Zack Robinson (2001) Fort Worth, Texas* 74-72-76--222
Chad Wilcox (2003) Peoria, Ariz.* 75-72-75--222
Garrett Chaussard (2001) Millbrae, Calif.* 74-73-76--223
Randy Lowry (2005) Spring, Texas* 74-74-75--223
Drew Pigg (2002) Plano, Texas* 74-69-80--223
Joel Gibbons (2001) Ocala, Fla.* 72-75-77--224
Jay Choi (2002) Buena Park, Calif.* 74-73-77--224
Jesse Mueller (2001) Mesa, Ariz.* 74-71-80--225
Jason Louth (2002) Victoria, Texas* 74-74-77--225
Kevin Larsen (2003) Santa Barbara, Calif.* 75-73-77--225
Matt Every (2002) Daytona Beach, Fla.* 73-75-77--225
Brett Carter (2002) Phoenix, Ariz.* 71-74-83--228
Matt Kern (2001) Castro Valley, Calif.* 72-76-81--229
John Poucher (2001) Santa Barbara, Calif.* 72-76-81--229
Tatsuya Sato (2003) Chiba, Japan* 76-70-86--232

GIRLS DIVISION

Lisa Ferrero (2001) Lodi, Calif.* 74-68-72--214
Mallory Code (2003) Tampa, Fla.* 72-72-72--216
Erica Blasberg (2002) Corona, Calif.* 67-74-75--216
Stella Lee (2001) Irvine, Calif.* 74-72-72--218
Elizabeth Janangelo (2002) West Hartford, Conn.* 72-72-74--218
Cindy Shin (2003) Coppell, Texas* 75-72-72--219
Nicole Melton (2001) San Antonio, Texas* 71-71-77--219
May Wood (2002) Signal Mountain, Tenn.* 74-77-69--220
Jackie Beers (2002) Midlothian, Va.* 76-73-72--221
Lani Elston (2001) Spokane, Wash.* 73-73-75--221
Whitney Wade (2003) Glasgow, Ky.* 72-70-79--221
Jane Lee (2004) Palm Desert, Calif.* 71-76-75--222
Ashley Hoagland (2001) Palmetto, Fla.* 78-72-73--223
Brittany Lincicome (2004) Pinellas Park, Fla.* 76-74-73--223
Paula Creamer (2005) Pleasanton, Calif.* 73-74-76--223
Allison Martin (2003) Bakersfield, Calif.* 73-73-78--224
Perry Swenson (2001) Charlotte, N.C.* 71-77-77--225
Aimee Cho (2002) Orlando, Fla.* 74-74-77--225
Anna Grzebien (2003) Narragansett, R.I.* 75-76-74--225
Whitney Welch (2002) Las Vegas, Nev.* 74-75-77--226
Mary Ellen Grzebien (2001) Narragansett, R.I.* 79-69-79--227
Maria Eugenia Martinez (2001) Zulia, Venezuela* 76-76-75--227
Erica Battle (2002) Columbia, S.C.* 78-74-75--227
Whitney Code (2001) Tampa, Fla.* 77-76-74--227
Seiko Onoue (2002) La Habra, Calif.* 74-77-77--228
Brittany Lang (2003) McKinney, Texas* 76-76-76--228
Lisa Tyler (2002) Lighthouse Point, Fla.* 76-73-80--229
Julieta Granada (2005) Bradenton, Fla.* 73-77-79--229
Dana Je (2003) Orlando, Fla.* 79-73-78--230
Jane Park (2005) La Crescenta, Calif.* 74-78-78--230
Alejandra Diaz (2003) Mexico City, Mexico* 73-78-80--231
Yunny Cho (2001) Bradenton, Fla.* 76-76-79--231
Darby Sligh (2001) North Augusta, S.C.* 79-73-79--231
Eom Ji Park (2003) Vancouver, British Columbia* 78-75-78--231
Dayna Burleigh (2002) Horsham, Pa.* 76-77-78--231
Candy Herrera (2002) Apple Valley, Calif.* 78-75-79--232