ASHWORTH JUNIOR AT KINGWOOD
Kingwood Country Club – Marsh Course
Kingwood, Texas
March 26-28, 2004
Schneider Steals the Victory from Oates at Kingwood
Oates and Burch Tie for Second
KINGWOOD, Texas –- Sixteen-year-old Matthew Schneider of Pasadena, Texas, shot a 1-under-par 71 in the final round of the Ashworth Junior at Kingwood for a two-day total of 146 boosting himself into first place from a five-way third place tie following the first round of the tournament. Schneider cut four strokes off his first-round score in the final round to win the tournament.
The Ashworth Junior at Kingwood is a 36-hole stroke-play event hosted by the American Junior Golf Association at Kingwood Country Club. The tournament featured 95 players from 13 states, 63 of which hailed from Texas.
The AJGA’s Ashworth Junior Series is designed specifically for first-time AJGA members or those members who have not yet participated in an AJGA Open event, AJGA Invitational of Nike Golf Junior All-Star Series event in the current calendar year and/or the previous calendar year.
Schneider’s back-to-back birdies on Nos. 12 and 13 launched him into the lead. His putting game also played a part in his strong finish. Schneider recorded only 10 putts on the front nine for a 26-putt total in the final-round.
“The winds made the course difficult yesterday. Following the first round, I knew that I had a chance to win the tournament if I shot lower today,” Schneider said. “I was aiming for a 69 today, but 71 was enough to win.”
Schneider has prior experience in AJGA Events. He finished in the top-15 at the AJGA Ashworth Post-Season Junior at South Padres Island in 2003.
First-round leader Matthew Oates of Diboll, Texas, fell into a tie for second place after a final-round 77 for a two-day total of 149. The seventeen-year-old lost his lead with three bogeys on the back nine.
“I started out pretty solid today, but fell apart in the last three holes,” Oates said. “I got into the trees on No. 16 and double bogeyed.”
Tying Oates for second place was Sean Burch of Edinburg, Texas. The eighteen-year-old was tied for 30th place following his unpromising first-round 8-over-par 80. But with a 3-under-par 69 in the final-round, Burch was able to climb 28 places to finish second.
“I hit the ball a lot better today. I had five birdies and only two bogeys,” said Burch. “I also hit the ball on the green in two on No. 18.”
Sumin Yu of Pasadena, Texas, who was in second place after the first-round of the tournament finished in fourth place with a two-day total of 150. One stroke behind Yu was Trent Peterson of Eagan, Minn., who finished in fifth place with a two-day total of 151. Peterson was tied for third entering the final-round.
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 about the Ashworth Junior at Kingwood or any other AJGA event, please contact AJGA Headquarters at (770) 868-4200.
