Sixteen year old Michael Murray of White Lake, MI (2008) is out to the first round lead at the University of South Florida Junior Golf Classic after opening with a one over par 72. Michael's score is the best he has posted on the FCWT this season as he looks to earn his first win in Sunday's final round. He will have to hold off Ajeetesh Sandhu of Chandigarh, INDIA (2007) and Brad Schneider of Valrico, FL (2007), who are just one stroke back at 73. Sandhu's best finish so far was a T2 finish at Grand Cypress and Schneider, who led this division in birdies with 5, has 3 Top 5 finishes so far this season including a second place finish at Sea Island. Three players are T4 at +3: Tyler Graf of Elm Grove, WI (2007), Major Forbess of Jacksonville, FL (2007) and Eric Lajeunesse of Barre, VT (2006). In a T7 at +4 (75) are: senior John Murphy of Wilton, CT who has really played consistently in the last couple of months and posted several Low Rounds along the way; Michael Soowal of Philadelphia, PA (2007), playing in his first event of the season and currently ranked # 75 in the Golfweek/Titleist rankings and Jonathan Randolph of Brandon, MS (2007). Five players are T10 and 4 shots back of the leader: Roy Steinberg of Caesarea, ISRAEL (2008), Zane Hall of Clermont, FL (2006), Corey Menter of Jacksonville, FL (2006), J.D. Pascany of Champions Gate, FL (2007) and Jordan Lewis of West Frankfurt, IL (2008). In the Boys 13-15 division Hugh Lindstrom of Wesley Chapel, FL (2008), carded a 2 over par (73) to lead all scores by one stroke. Lindstrom, who won at Naples, has 5 Top 5 finishes this season as he pursues his second FCWT win. Three players are tied for second at 74 (+3): Tanapol Vattanapisit of Rayong, THAILAND (2012), who won at the 11-12 level at Plantation in February; William Sjaichudin of Queensland, AUSTRALIA (2010), who won at Saddlebrook in January and Hojin Kang of Longwood, FL (2010), who won at Wedgefield in February. In 5th place is ZeYu He of Shen Zhen, CHINA (2009). Twelve year old Blake Wilson of Ponte Vedra Beach, FL (2011) is leading the Boys 11-12 division. Wilson, who finished 4th at Wedgefield, is leading twelve year old John Boehme of Jacksonville Beach, FL, by 1 and 11 year old Joshua Lee of Orange Park, FL (2013) by 2 going into Sunday's final round. In the Girls 13-18 division, 14 year old Stephanie Kim of Bayside, NY (2009) and Korean National Champion Ji Young Oh of Kyumggito, SOUTH KOREA (2007) are tied for the lead at +2 (73). |
