CHIAN CAPTURES FIRST CAREER AJGA WIN AT HOUCHENS INDUSTRIES JUNIOR OPEN
Park coasts to seven-shot victory for second AJGA title of 2006
ALVATON, Ky. — Playing in only his fourth career American Junior Golf Association event, Philip Chian of Covina, Calif., came from two shots back to win the Boys Division of the inaugural Houchens Industries Junior Open by two strokes. In the Girls Division, So-Hyun Park of Bradenton, Fla., shot a final-round 82 and finished with a three-round total of 240 to win by seven strokes.
Conducted by the American Junior Golf Association, the Houchens Industries Junior Open was held at The Club at Olde Stone. The par-72 course was set up at 7,009 yards for the Boys Division and 5,843 yards for the Girls Division. The tournament field consisted of 90 boys and 30 girls, ages 12-18 from 21 states and Canada and included 34 juniors from Kentucky.
Chian, whose previous best finish in an AJGA event was a tie for eighth, had two birdies on the front side and finished with a 3-over-par 39. Chian would add another birdie to the card on the back nine and shoot an even-par 36 to finish with a final-round total of 75, and a three-day total of 230. Chian remained surprised of the win even after the tournament was over.
“I can't believe I won,” Chian said. “I had a lot of lucky shots this week that went my way, but I'm very happy that I won this event.”
Riley Pumphrey of Georgetown, Texas, and Cameron Peck of Olympia, Wash., tied for second in the event finishing with a three-day total of 232. Three Tennesseans tied for fourth as Drew Miller of Clarksville, Joe David of Madison, and Jason Millard of Murfreesboro finished with a three-round total of 234.
In the Girls Division, Park, who has won both of the 2006 AJGA events that she entered, had birdies on hole Nos. 3, 6 and 7 on the front side, finishing with a 6-over-par 42. On the back, Park played steady golf finishing with a 4-over-par 40 to shoot a 10-over-par 82 in the final round. Park said that while today was not her best day, she was still pleased with the way she played.
“I thought I played well today,” Park said. “The only hole I really struggled on was No. 9. Even though I played better yesterday, I am happy with the way I played today.”
Hunter Ross of Manakin-Sabot, Va., fired a final-round 79 and finished the tournament with a three-day total of 247 to capture second place honors. Laura Anderson of Tompkinsville, Ky., and Emma Talley of Princeton, Ky., finished the event with three-day totals of 248, tying for third.
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, Candie Kung, Grace Park, Cristie Kerr and Paula Creamer.
For more information on the Houchens Industries Junior Open, or any AJGA tournament, please contact the AJGA National Headquarters at (877) 373-2542.
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