KINKOPF, VANDERMADE GO LOW TO MEDAL
Fifteen players qualify for Smithfield Junior Championship

BLAIRSVILLE, Pa. — Michael Kinkopf of Hilliard, Ohio, and Nicole Vandermade of Brantford, Ontario, came out strong in the Srixon Qualifier for the Smithfield Junior Championship, recording a 7-under-par 65 and a 6-under-par 66 respectively.

The Srixon Qualifier was an 18-hole event conducted by the American Junior Golf Association. It was held at Chestnut Ridge Golf Resort and Conference Center — Tom's Run, playing at par 72 and featured 83 boys and 17 girls, ages 12-18, from Canada and 17 states.

Kinkopf led the Boys Division with the help of his putter.

“I made a lot of putts,” Kinkopf said. “I started making putts at No. 8”

The 16-year-old Ohio native did not just start making putts at No. 8, but also began making birdies as well. Kinkopf went on a stretch of five consecutive birdies from Nos. 8 — 12. In that span, he said the furthest putt he had to make was 10 feet.

“I guess I was hitting my irons well also,” he said.

Qualifying in the Boys Division were: Mac Walrath of Edmonton, Alberta, 70; John Szmyd of Rye, N.H., 71; Robert Shogry of Pittsburgh, 72; Matthew Porter of Cortland, N.Y., Mathieu Spence-Godin of Newtown Square, Pa., and Stephen Derminio of Center Valley, Pa., 73; Michael Amato of Highland Mills, N.Y., 74; Brian Robinson of Pleasanton, Calif., Josh Webb of Sparta, N.J., Timothy Rosenhouse of Dix Hills, N.Y., and Matthew Schovee of Cherry Hills Village, Colo., 75.

In the Girls Division, Canadian Nicole Vandermade, 16, solidified herself as the medalist by firing a bogey-free 66.

“I birdied every par-5,” Vandermade said. “I've been hitting the ball really well. I just finally rolled putts in.”

“It's easier to one-putt when you put it close,” she said.

Vandermade said the round gave her confidence going into the tournament. She said she was able to consistently put the ball 20-25 feet from the hole throughout the day.

Other qualifiers in the Girls Division were Alyssa Roland of Newtown Square, Pa., 72 and Anne Ormson of Granger, Ind., 74.

SRIXON Sports USA, Inc., based in Norcross, Ga., has been distributing premium golf balls and equipment in the U.S. since 1997 and is a subsidiary of SRI Sports. SRI Sports is one of the world's leading patent holders in golf ball technology and manufactures several golf balls played in the United States. SRI Sports-made balls have won 73 PGA TOUR events since 1989, including seven majors. For more information about SRIXON, please visit www.srixon.com.

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, the largest Association of its kind, has an annual 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 is in 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, Grace Park, Cristie Kerr, Candie Kung and Paula Creamer.

First-round tee times will begin at 7 a.m. Tuesday at Chestnut Ridge Golf Resort & Conference Center — Tom's Run. For more information on the Smithfield Junior Championship, please contact tournament headquarters at (724) 459-7919.