Ninety players (90) teed it up for a 12 noon shotgun start at the Champions Gate Jr. Golf Classic. A gorgeous day for golf in Florida with temperatures in the upper 70s.
Ines Chandra of INDONESIA and Elisa Aoki of JAPAN both opened the Champions Gate Junior Golf Classic with rounds of one over par 73. Chandra, along with Courtney Harter, led the division in birdies with 4. Aoki, who was second only to Popelka in pars for this round, finished 4th last year at the Amelia Island Thanksgiving event. Chandra and Aoki will enter the second round with a two stroke advantage over Sherlyn Popelka of Zuerich, SWITZERLAND (2009) [pictured right]. Molly Aronsson of Shelburne, VT (2006), who carded the only eagle in this division with a 3 on the par 5 11th hole, and Hannah Yun of Bradenton, FL (2010) are tied for 4th after posting rounds of +4 76. Fifteen players are within 10 shots going into round two on Saturday.
Future Clemson Tiger, Sam Saunders, fired a 2 under par round of 70 to open the Champions Gate Jr. Golf Classic. Saunders, a senior from Windermere, FL, was the 2002 FCWT Boys 13-15 National Champion, and has gone on to win multiple times at the 16-18 division. Last season, he won the TPC Sawgrass Invitational and plans to return to that event to defend his title. He will enter round two with a two stroke lead over Tommy Mou of Bradenton, FL (2009). Mou, who won at the FCWT University of Florida event last season, had 2 birdies and 2 bogeys on the day for his round of even par 72. Three players are T3: Shaun O'Meara of Windermere, FL (2007); Shelton Smith of Port Orange, FL (2007), and Gavin Cambre of Orlando, FL (2006). In a tie for 6th at +2 (74) are Max Griel of Rome, ITALY (2007) and Justin Kim of Orlando, FL (2006). Six players are tied at +3 (75).
In the boys 13-15 division, Mike Smith of Ponte Vedra Beach, FL (2008), took the first round lead by one stroke. Smith, who eagled #18, carded a 1 under par 71 to be just one stroke ahead of Tyler McCumber of Ponte Vedra, FL, who posted a round of even par on Friday. Taylor Bowen of Rehoboth, MA, is in 3rd place after a round of 1 over (74). Kyle Kopsick of Lake Bluff, IL, and Ed Waller of Ponte Vedra Beach, FL, round out the Top 5 at +2.
In the boys 11-12 division, Sean Kelly of Staten Island, NY, (2011) carded a round of 79 (+7) to establish a 6 stroke lead over Jason Hak of Beijing, CHINA. |
