NUGENT COMES FROM FOUR SHOTS BACK TO WIN
RAND GRAPHICS - WILDCAT GOLF WICHITA JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIP
Guthrie completes wire-to-wire win with nine-stroke victory
WICHITA, Kan. — Katy Nugent of Wichita, Kan., won her first AJGA event Friday on her home course with a 1-under-par final-round charge to win by three strokes with a three-round total of 227. Luke Guthrie of Quincy, Ill., completed a first-to-final round sweep and won the Rand Graphics — Wildcat Golf Wichita Junior Championship with a nine-shot victory at a 1-under-par tournament total of 215.
Conducted by the American Junior Golf Association, the Rand Graphics — Wildcat Golf Wichita Junior Championship was a 54-hole, stroke play event held at Crestview Country Club — North Course. The 84-player field featured juniors from 17 states and Canada. The course was played at 6,915 yards for the Boys Division and 6,010 yards for the Girls Division.
Nugent, unable to compete in the tournament last year due to a broken foot, stayed in contention throughout the blustery first two rounds and came out firing in the much calmer final round with a 2-under-par 34 on the front nine. She stayed steady on the back and was able to card one of only two rounds under par in the tournament for the girls en route to her victory.
“It is an honor to get to play in this tournament, let alone win it,” Nugent said. “My short game came up huge for me today.”
Second-round leader Hannah Yun of Bradenton, Fla., finished second, three strokes back at 230. Becca Huffer of Denver, Colo., who shot the other under-par round, placed third, four strokes back with a tournament total of 231.
In the Boys Division, Guthrie, as he had done all week, continued to dominate the field. He shot a 2-under-par 70 to run away with the title. Though this was only his second AGJA tournament, as last year's Illinois State Champion, Guthrie knows how to compete in the big tournaments. He looks to carry that momentum into other tournaments with his newly attained Fully Exempt Status.
“It helped to have a big lead,” Guthrie said. “I knew I was playing solid and just stayed with it. I feel good about my game and will continue to work on a few things to tighten it up.”
Geoffrey Shaw of Edmond Okla., last year's runner up, finished second with a tournament total of 224. Last year's champion, William Kropp, also of Edmond Okla., finished tied for third with Andrew Sajevic of Fremont, Neb., and Stephen Carney of Tulsa, Okla with tournament totals of 226.
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 49 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 is in its third decade of AJGA support, became the inaugural AJGA Premier Partner in 2004. In 2007, after 12 years of support, Polo Ralph Lauren became the AJGA's second Premier Partner.
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.
For more information about the Rand Graphics — Wildcat Golf Wichita Junior Championship, please contact AJGA National Headquarters at (877) 373-2542.
|
