Medalist Kang Easily Advances At 2003 U.S. Junior Amateur

Chevy Chase, Md. – Medalist Sung Hoon Kang, 16, of Korea, took advantage of a hot putter to easily advance in the first round of match play at the 2003 U.S. Junior Amateur Championship at the 6,575-yard, par-70 Columbia Country Club.

In his first 10 holes against Kyle Davis, 17, of Kennett Square, Pa., Kang needed just 11 putts. He had three birdies on the front nine, and eagled the par-5, 534-yard 5th hole. He also birdied the par-5, 503-yard 12th hole. In three days of play, he has five birdies and an eagle on the two par-5s on the course.

"That was his strategy – to even out the par 4s and attack the par 5s," said his coach, Young Lim, who serves as Kang’s translator.

The match was the first of Kang’s career – he has only played in stroke-play events previously.

"On the first tee, he was nervous, which he didn’t expect to be,” Lim said. “On the first hole, his opponent made a birdie and then he answered, and that gave him a little confidence.”

Also advancing to the second round was Jarrod Texter, 17, of Lancaster , Pa. , who earned medalist honors a year ago but was knocked out in the first round. He earned a 3-and-2 win over Kevin Lozares, 17, of Mountain View, Calif.

"I finally won a first-round match, and now I’ll see how far I can go," said Texter, who also lost in the first round at the 2001 Junior Amateur. “I was disappointed last year, but it’s a good start so far.”

Patton Kizzire, 17, of Tuscaloosa, Ala., who finished a stroke behind Kang in stroke-play qualifying, teed off in the afternoon, as did Greg Carlin, 17, of Kensington, Md., a member at Columbia Country Club.

The first round of match play will conclude Wednesday afternoon. The second and third rounds will be played Thursday, the quarterfinal and semifinal matches on Friday, and the 18-hole championship final is scheduled for Saturday, July 26.

The Junior Amateur is one of 13 championships conducted annually by the United States Golf Association each year, 10 of which are strictly for amateurs.