GOULDING LEADS AFTER WINDY, RAINY ROUND AT DIABLO GRANDE
Four California natives in top 10 heading into final round
DIABLO GRANDE, Calif. — After fighting through the wind, rain, fog and cold, Logan Goulding of Tracy, Calif., leads with a 1-over-par 73 at the Ashworth Junior at Diablo Grande.
Conducted by the American Junior Golf Association, the Ashworth Junior at Diablo Grande is being played at Diablo Grande — Ranch Course. The tournament features 81 boys, ages 12-18, from 10 states. Fifty-four players from the state of California are entered in the tournament field, as well as five juniors from Canada.
Goulding, who finished in a tie for 17th in the 2004 Ashworth Junior at Diablo Grande, used his putter to battle his way to the front of the pack. The 17-year-old junior at Merrill West High School had six birdies on the day (Nos. 5, 9, 10, 11, 16 and 18) and had only 24 putts during the round.
Goulding felt that the difficult conditions on the course helped him earn his low score.
“I didn't try to power it out there and relied on a lot of punch shots,” said Goulding. “I've never played this course like this before, with this much wind and rain.”
Saturday's round had two delays early in the day because of the fog, totaling almost two hours.
Sitting two strokes behind Goulding is Canadian Tai Reynolds of Victoria, B.C., and Boz Bascou of Woodbridge, Calif. Reynolds used two birdies in his round to tally a 3-over-par 75 while Bascou had one. One stroke behind Reynolds and Bascou with a 4-over-par 76 is Greg Palm of Orinda, Calif.
Rounding out the top five are Richard Conlin of Richmond, B.C., and Ryan Thomas of Alameda, Calif. Both finished with a 5-over-par 77 in the first round.
The Ashworth Junior Series was created specifically for first-time AJGA members or those members who have not yet participated in an AJGA Open event, AJGA Invitational or Nike Golf Junior All-Star Series event in the current calendar year and/or the previous calendar year. Juniors ages 12-18 are eligible for entry. For those who are eligible, participation is limited to one Preseason event and one Postseason event per calendar year as long as they have not yet participated in an AJGA Open event, AJGA Invitational or Nike Golf Junior All-Star Series 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 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 USA, which enters its third decade of support, became the inaugural 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 final round is a shotgun start at 8 a.m. Sunday at Diablo Grande — Ranch Course. For more information on the Ashworth Junior at Diablo Grande, please contact tournament headquarters at (209) 892-3986, ext. 206.
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