MOORE LIGHTS UP RAPTOR COURSE AT GRAYHAWK WITH A 5-UNDER 67
Beers takes Girls Division lead

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. - Ryan Moore of Puyallup, Wash., fired a 5-under-par 67, despite the sweltering heat that reached temperatures of over 100, to garner the first-round lead in the Boys Division at the AJGA Thunderbird International Junior on Saturday. Jackie Beers of Midlothian, Va., shot a 2-under-par 70 to take the lead in the Girls Division.

The 54-hole event, conducted by the American Junior Golf Association, is being held at the Raptor Course at Grayhawk Golf Club, the home club of AJGA alum and PGA Tour standout Phil Mickelson. The second annual invitational features 90 of the top players from around the world, representing 20 states and 12 countries, with 63 AJGA Polo Golf Junior All-Americans and 24 international players present.

The 18-year-old Moore carded six birdies en route to a 34-33-67, only two shots shy of the competitive course record of 65 held by Tom Lehman. After hitting into a hazard on No. 18, the UNLV-signee hit a 3-iron and drained a 30-foot putt to seal the deal.

"I didn't birdie several of the holes I should have," said Moore, a second-team Polo Golf Junior All-American. "I played a solid, straight forward round. I hit it deep with my driver and I was in good position off the tee all day. I feel good and this is a great golf course. Tomorrow I am going to try to keep the pace going and keep it rolling."

Defending champion Chan Song Wongluekiet of Bradenton, Fla., is tied with Richard Scott of Kingsville, Ontario, and Henry Liaw of Rowland Heights, Calif., at 3-under-par 69 for second place. Rounding out the top five at 2-under-par 70 are Kevin Na of Diamond Bar, Calif., Casey Wittenberg of Memphis, Tenn., Jay Reynolds of Austin, Texas, and Ted Smith of Westlake, Ohio.

In the Girls Division, Beers fired a 34-36-70 and finished the day with five birdies, including a chip-in on the par-3 eighth hole from about 30 feet off the green.

"It was a pretty consistent round," the 17-year-old honorable mention Polo Golf Junior All-American said. "I was striking the ball well and getting putts to fall. I hit my iron shots well and I knocked a few tight and was able to capitalize on them. The greens are perfect and if you can get the putts on line, you are set."

One shot off the lead at 1-under-par 71 are Aimee Cho of Orlando, Fla., Brittany Lang of McKinney, Texas, and Maria Eugenia Martinez of Maracaibo, Venezuela. Lisa Ferrero of Lodi, Calif., rounds out the top five at even-par 72.

Second-round tee times will run from 7:30-9:39 a.m., off the No. 1 and 10 tees on Sunday. Final-round action will take place on Monday.

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- First-round results from the THUNDERBIRD INTERNATIONAL JUNIOR conducted by the American Junior Golf Association at Grayhawk Golf Club, Raptor Course. Par: 36-36--72. Yardage: Boys: 7,103 Girls: 6,205

BOYS DIVISION

Ryan Moore (2001) Puyallup, Wash.* 34-33--67
Richard Scott (2001) Kingsville, Ontario* 34-35--69
Henry Liaw (2003) Rowland Heights, Calif.* 36-33--69
Chan Song Wongluekiet (2001) Bradenton, Fla.* 33-36--69
Kevin Na (2002) Diamond Bar, Calif.* 35-35--70
Casey Wittenberg (2004) Memphis, Tenn.* 35-35--70
Jay Reynolds (2001) Austin, Texas* 35-35--70
Ted Smith (2002) Westlake, Ohio* 34-36--70
Anthony Kim (2003) La Quinta, Calif.* 35-36--71
Nico Bollini (2001) Yorba Linda, Calif.* 35-37--72
John Poucher (2001) Santa Barbara, Calif.* 38-34--72
James Vargas (2002) Miami, Fla.* 37-35--72
Erik Stenman (2001) Tampere, Finland* 35-38--73
Jesse Mueller (2001) Mesa, Ariz.* 36-37--73
Matthew Rosenfeld (2002) Plano, Texas* 37-36--73
Reid Rader (2003) Kenmore, Wash.* 37-36--73
Kevin Silva (2002) New Bedford, Mass.* 35-39--74
Clay Ogden (2003) West Point, Utah* 38-36--74
Chris Wheeler (2001) Allen, Texas* 36-38--74
Joel Gibbons (2001) Ocala, Fla.* 38-36--74
Roberto Castro (2003) Alpharetta, Ga.* 38-37--75
Rick Kulacz (2002) Perth, Australia* 36-39--75
Matt Kern (2001) Castro Valley, Calif.* 35-40--75
Drew Pigg (2002) Plano, Texas* 37-39--76
Masaaki Kato (2002) Osaka, Japan* 38-38--76
Nicholas Thompson (2001) Coral Springs, Fla.* 37-39--76
Christo Greyling (2001) Orlando, Fla.* 39-37--76
John Fizer (2001) Trenton, N.J.* 38-38--76
Yoshio Yamamoto (2003) Guadalajara, Mexico* 37-40--77
Jeff Bell (2002) Plano, Texas* 41-36--77
Ashdon Woods (2001) Lander, Wyo.* 35-42--77
Grigory Bondarenko (2001) Moscow, Russia* 38-39--77
Heath West (2001) Dothan, Ala.* 40-37--77
Daniel Kush (2002) Tustin, Calif.* 40-37--77
Clint Provost (2001) Gulf Breeze, Fla.* 39-38--77
Mark Donnell (2001) Mobile, Ala.* 41-36--77
Niklas Lemke (2003) Linkoping, Sweden* 39-39--78
Pansing Singhaseni (2002) Beverly Hills, Calif.* 45-34--79
Jeff Bopp (2001) Katy, Texas* 39-40--79
Alfonso Collada (2005) Mexico City, Mexico* 44-36--80
Tarik Can (2004) New York, N.Y.* 42-39--81
Doug Kingston (2001) Bethlehem, Pa.* 40-41--81
Brian O'Flaherty (2001) Westlake Village, Calif.* 45-36--81
Masaki Nakanishi (2003) Osaka, Japan* 38-43--81
Michio Matsumura (2002) Tokyo, Japan* 37-45--82
David Huestis (2001) Worthington, Ohio* 42-42--84
Clint Cromwell (2001) Savannah, Tenn.* 41-45--86

GIRLS DIVISION

Jackie Beers (2002) Midlothian, Va.* 34-36--70
Aimee Cho (2002) Orlando, Fla.* 35-36--71
Brittany Lang (2003) McKinney, Texas* 34-37--71
Maria Eugenia Martinez (2001) Maracaibo, Venezuela* 35-36--71
Lisa Ferrero (2001) Lodi, Calif.* 36-36--72
Paula Creamer (2005) Pleasanton, Calif.* 35-38--73
Lani Elston (2001) Spokane, Wash.* 38-36--74
Whitney Code (2001) Tampa, Fla.* 37-37--74
Erica Blasberg (2002) Corona, Calif.* 34-40--74
Ouliana Rotmistrova (2001) Moscow, Russia* 35-40--75
Lisa Tyler (2002) Lighthouse Point, Fla.* 36-39--75
Kelly Husted (2002) Sarasota, Fla.* 37-38--75
Jessica Shepley (2001) Oakville, Ontario* 36-39--75
Golda Johansson (2002) Trelleborg, Sweden* 39-36--75
Hwanhee Lee (2001) Cerritos, Calif.* 36-39--75
Priscilla Park (2002) Santa Ana, Calif.* 37-39--76
Jane Lee (2004) Torrance, Calif.* 39-37--76
Perry Swenson (2001) Boynton Beach, Fla.* 36-40--76
Kristen White (2001) Doylestown, Pa.* 38-38--76
Ashley Knoll (2003) The Woodlands, Texas* 39-38--77
Ina Kim (2001) Encino, Calif.* 41-36--77
Claire Grignolo (2004) Torino, Italy* 38-40--78
Mallory Code (2003) Tampa, Fla.* 40-38--78
Jennifer Karr (2001) Scottsdale, Ariz.* 37-41--78
Elizabeth Janangelo (2002) West Hartford, Conn.* 39-39--78
Erin Andrews (2002) Las Vegas, Nev.* 37-42--79
Whitney Welch (2002) Las Vegas, Nev.* 38-41--79
Cristina Gonzalez (2004) Durango, Mexico* 40-39--79
Eom Ji Park (2003) Vancouver, British Columbia* 39-41--80
Devan Andersen (2002) Guadalajara, Mexico* 43-37--80
Cindy Shin (2003) McKinney, Texas* 39-41--80
Sofie Andersson (2002) Angelholm, Sweden* 41-40--81
Alissa Kuczka (2002) Phoenix, Ariz.* 42-39--81
Karin Sjodin (2002) Goteborg, Sweden* 44-37--81
Becky Berzonski (2001) North East, Pa.* 39-42--81
Stella Lee (2001) Irvine, Calif.* 39-42--81
Tullia Calzavara (2002) Trevijo, Italy* 41-40--81
Alejandra Diaz (2003) Guadalajara, Mexico* 42-40--82
Kyla Welsh (2001) Wellington, New Zealand* 43-41--84
Whitney Wade (2003) Glasgow, Ky.* 42-42--84
Elena Kurokawa (2002) Redondo Beach, Calif.* 44-41--85
Eline Zoethout (2002) Blokker, The Netherlands* 44-42--86
Rachel Overstreet (2002) Pace, Fla.* 46-48--94