The Tucson Junior Golf Classic, always a popular event on the FCWT, had a full field of 75 players from 14 states tee it up for an 8:15 shotgun start. After a low in the mid-40s, the temperatures climbed to a very pleasant mid-70s by midday.
Thirteen year old Danielle Frasier of Encinitas, CA, took the first round lead at the Tucson Junior Golf Classic. Frasier, playing in her first event of the season, has put herself in a solid position to win this event and put herself in good company. Past winners of this event include Mina Harigae of Monterey, CA (2008) and Taylore Karle of Scottsdale, AZ (2008), the reigning FCWT Girls National Champion. Both of these young ladies advanced to the semi-finals at the POLO this week. In order to win though, Danielle will need to hold off Kaitlin Drolson of Rancho Santa Fe, CA (2008), Alexandrea Schulte of Broken Arrow, OK (2008), and Andrea Watts of Lone Tree, CO (2008). These three young ladies will enter the second round in a tie for 2nd after posting an opening round of 75 (+2). In 5th place is Marie Angelica Villareal of Vista, CA (2007). Nine players are within 10 strokes of the lead going into round two.
Austyn Karle of Scottsdale, AZ (2007) fired a round of 4 under par in the Boys 16-18 division to lead James Dalthorp III of Cheviot Hills, CA (2006) and Tim McKenney of Scottsdale, AZ (2006). Karle, whose sister Taylore (the 2005 FCWT Girls National Champion), advanced to the semi-finals of the POLO before losing to the eventual champion, Angela Park, has developed his own golf game to a new level. Last season, Austyn's opening round at this event was a 76. This season, not only did he post an under par opening round, he carded more birdies in one round than in his entire event last season. A win here will not be a "cake walk" for him. He has on his heels some of the FCWT's finest. James Dalthorp III has finished as high as T2 at the 2004 Bayonet event. Tim McKenney of Scottsdale, AZ won at Bayonet in 2004 and went on to be named the FCWT Player of the Year. In 4th place is the 2005 FCWT Central Region Player of the Year Nate Barbee of Dakota Dunes, SD at -2 (71). In a T5 are last weekend's Sun Devil winner, David Hahn of Henderson, NV (2007) and Chase Hite of Tucson (2006), both at 1 under (71).
Three players in the boys 16-18 division carded an eagle in round one: Michael Haenel, Jr. of Paradise Valley, AZ (2006) and Keith Narramore of Las Cruces, NM (2007) on the par 5 2nd hole; and Ross Mizell of The Woodlands, TX (2007) on the par 5 10th hole.
Thirty-five players are within 10 strokes of the lead with 2 rounds left to play.
In the 13-15 division, Parker Houston of Rancho Santa Fe, CA (2010), fired a 3 under par 70 to lead all scores by 4 strokes. Houston carded 6 birdies on the day to lead this division. Carding the only eagle in this division was Joshua Creel of Cheyenne, WY who will begin round two in 2nd place. Erik Newkirk of Las Vegas, NV (2008) carded a 77 (+4) to put himself in third place. |
