DUNLOP CAROLINA JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIP QUALIFIER
Green Valley Country Club
Greenville, South Carolina
June 20, 2004
CHUNG EARNS MEDALIST HONORS AT DUNLOP CAROLINA JUNIOR
Rapp and Fortner share honors for the Girls Division
GREENVILLE, S.C. – David Chung of Fayetteville, N.C., was the lone Boys Division player to shoot even-par 72 on his way to claiming medalist honors at the Dunlop Carolina Junior Championship Qualifier. The Girls Division featured a tie for first between Emily Rapp of Simpsonville, S.C., and Caitlin Fortner, of Greeneville, Tenn., who finished with matching 83s.
Conducted by the American Junior Golf Association, the Dunlop Carolina Junior Championship Qualifier was held at the Green Valley Country Club. The juniors were competing for 12 spots (nine boys and three girls) in this week’s 54-hole tournament, which will feature 99 players, including five Rolex Junior All-Americans.
Chung, coming off a fifth-place finish at last week’s Nike Golf Junior at Jacksonville, was able to navigate his way through the difficult course and completed his round with birdies on Nos. 11, 13 and 16, one bogey and a double bogey.
“This course plays well if you drive it straight and are solid on your five-foot putts,” Chung said. “I was able to hit my irons well and I had a lot of confidence in my short-game. Once I started chipping well and making my putts, I knew I would do well,” Chung said. “I missed lots of good birdie opportunities, but I really gained confidence over my putts.”
Finishing second in the Boys Division was James Wiese of Colleyville, Texas. Wiese shot a 73 and finished one stroke ahead of Bryant Hare of St. Simons Island, Ga., Brian Hill, Jr., of North Charleston, S.C., and Joshua Howell of New Bern, N.C. Josh Brock of Wilmington, N.C., Ryan LeFevre of Boca Raton, Fla., Kirk Whitehead of Marietta, Ga., Kyle Bailey of Troutville, Va., and Matt Lawson of Raleigh, N.C., all qualified for the Dunlop Carolina Junior Championship. Also qualifying via a sudden-death playoff were Andrew Lenczyk of Knoxville, Tenn., Daniel Bruce of Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., and David Dannelly of Easley, S.C.
In lieu of playing this week’s event Chung, Wiese, Whitehead, and Lawson will add a tournament exemption to their Performance Based Entry status.
In the Girls Division, Fortner was playing in her first AJGA event, while Rapp earned some revenge on the course in which she failed to qualify on last year. Rapp noted the birdie she made on No. 13 as the highlight of her round.
“I was able to play my second shot out of the hazard and land it about six feet from the hole,” Rapp said. “I was able to make birdie from there. I hope to hit my driver better and keep it in the fairway this week.”
Despite losing balls on both Nos. 2 and 10, Fortner was able to keep her concentration and card a birdie on No. 9. Fortner is looking forward to playing in the Dunlop Carolina Junior Championship.
“I am anxious to see how the competition is and excited to be playing with the entire field,” Fortner said.
Also qualifying in the Girls Division was Robyn English of Warwick, R.I., who shot an 84 and qualified via a sudden-death playoff.
The first round of the Dunlop Carolina Junior Championship will begin Tuesday morning at 7:00 a.m. off No. 1.
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.
For more information on the Dunlop Carolina Junior Championship, please contact tournament headquarters at (864) 246-3941.
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