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Storylines From The 2004 U.S. Junior Amateur Championship

New Experiences - More than two-thirds (106) of the 156-player field is competing in their first U.S. Junior Amateur Championship. Among those first-timers are five 14-year-olds. The youngest golfer in the field is Hunter Hamrick of Montgomery, Ala., who was born of 1/16/90. The Junior Amateur is open to youngsters age 17 and younger.

Three Times a Charm - Fifteen golfers in the Junior Amateur are here for the third time, including defending champion Brian Harman, 17, of Savannah, Ga., and 2003 U.S. Open qualifier Tom Glissmeyer, 17, of Colorado Springs, Colo.

Don't Mess - At least three golfers at the Junior Amateur have credentials to prove they can handle themselves off the course as well as on the golf course. David Poggi, 17, of Layton, Utah, and Spencer Rives, 17, of Lafayette, La., are black belts in karate. Seung-Su Han, 17, of Bradenton, Fla., is third degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do.

Rives is also pretty lucky. He had the chance to play at Augusta ( Ga. ) National Golf Club, where he eagled the 13 th and 15 th holes in his round.

Second Chance - When he was just four years old, Matt Boyd of Sugar Land, Texas, was kidnapped while on vacation in Disney World. "I feel very privileged to be where I am today," he says.

Hockey MVP and Life-Saver - David Byrne, 16, of Ontario, Canada, is one of the few in the U.S. Junior Amateur who has never taken a golf lesson. He's an accomplished hockey player who won MVP in his league All-Star game. Best of all, his quick thinking at a local pool saved his friend from drowning.

U.S. Open Qualifier - Tom Glissmeyer, 17, of Colorado Springs, Colo., is the only golfer in the U.S. Junior Amateur who has played in a U.S. Open. Glissmeyer qualified for the 2003 Open at Olympia Fields ( Ill. ) CC. He is playing in his third Junior Amateur, but has been a bit unlucky in that he has never advanced beyond the second round of match play.

Welcome Home - Jordan Cox, 16, of Redwood City, Calif., runner-up at the 2003 U.S. Junior Amateur, is a junior member at The Olympic Club, site of this week's Junior Amateur Championship. He returned home Saturday night (7/17) after covering 16 time zones to Scotland to win the 54-hole British Junior Open at the Barassie Course in the town of Kilmarnock.

Cox is one of two golfers in the field who are junior members at The Olympic Club. The other is Will Hayden, 17, of Palo Alto, Calif., who earned his second chance at the Junior Amateur title by qualifying at the Stanford University Golf Course.

Tall Order - Phil ip Chauncey of Durham, N.C., surely has a hard time convincing folks he is just 16 years old. He stands 6'6" tall and wears a size 15 shoe. He is one of few who is playing in his third Junior Amateur this week. He reached the second round of match play in 2003.

Defending Champion - Brian Harman, 17, of Savannah, Ga., became only the third left-handed golfer to win a USGA championship when he beat Jordan Cox of Redwood City, Calif., in the 2003 final, 5 and 4.

Hunter Townsend, 16, Glen Al len, Va. - Once was struck by lightning on the 10th green of a course he was playing. He immediately ran under a tunnel to seek shelter from the storm. When the rains stopped, he proceeded out to the 11th tee to resume his round as if nothing had happened.

Brad Valois, 17, Warwick, R.I. - He earned all-state honors as a goalie this past season at Tollgate High School. His team won the state tournament in 2004 and he was named MVP after Tollgate upset Mount St. Charles in the final. Mount St. Charles had won 26 consecutive state championships.

Andrew Mahnke, 17, Laguna Niguel, Calif. - He is a diabetic and wears an insulin pump similar to the ones used by touring pros Kelli Kuehne and Scott Verplank. Plays golf occasionally with two-time USGA Senior Amateur champion Kemp Richardson at El Niguel Country Club.

Ben Martin, 16, Greenwood, S.C. - He flew on an airplane for the first time coming to this championship.

Tyler Obermueller, 17, River Falls, Wis. - He made 11 birdies in his 36-hole sectional qualifier (72-65) at Elk River ( Minn. ) Country Club.

Riley O'Neill, 16, Aberdeen, S.D. - He plays the synthesizer and piano in a rock band called Stuart Louis.

Kyle Peterman, 16, Sherman, Ill. - He used to race dirt bikes, but when he broke his leg during a ride, it led him to the game of golf.

Marshall Pickett, 17, Wilmington, N.C. - His cousin Scott Parker died of cancer seven years ago on June 9. On that date, Marshall seems to do something extraordinary on the golf course. He shot a 65 and recorded a hole-in-one on that day. Someday, he wants to start a charity golf tournament in Scott Parker 's honor so he can raise money for cancer research. At age 15, Pickett made two consecutive cuts on the NGA/Hooters Tour. He was the youngest player in the history of the circuit to accomplish that feat. His best finish was a T-27.

Michael Quagliano, 17, White Plains, N.Y. - He shot the course record at Knollwood Country Club in Elmsford, N.Y. His 63 bettered the mark previously held by two-time U.S. Amateur champion Willie Turnesa.

Tyler Rucarean, 17, Gainesville, Fla. - Chipped in for birdie on the second playoff hole to qualify for the U.S. Junior Amateur. He scored 47 points on a school-record 12 3-pointers for his varsity basketball team.

Kevin Schultz, 17, Richardson, Texas - His mom, Anna, was the runner-up at the 2000 U.S. Women's Mid-Amateur. He will attend the University of Texas in the fall. He barely made the cutoff day for the Junior, as he turns 18 on Aug. 10.


	Storylines From The 2004 U.S. Junior Amateur Championship New Experiences - More than two-thirds (106) of the 156-player field is competing in their first U.S. Junior Amateur Championship. Among those first-timers are five 14-year-olds. The youngest golfer in the field is Hunter Hamrick of Montgomery, Ala., who was born of 1/16/90. The Junior Amateur is open to youngsters age 17 and younger. Three Times a Charm - Fifteen golfers in the Junior Amateur are here for the third time, including defending champion Brian Harman, 17, of Savannah, Ga., and 2003 U.S. Open qualifier Tom Glissmeyer, 17, of Colorado Springs, Colo. Don't Mess - At least three golfers at the Junior Amateur have credentials to prove they can handle themselves off the course as well as on the golf course. David Poggi, 17, of Layton, Utah, and Spencer Rives, 17, of Lafayette, La., are black belts in karate. Seung-Su Han, 17, of Bradenton, Fla., is third degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do. Rives is also pretty lucky. He had the chance to play at Augusta ( Ga. ) National Golf Club, where he eagled the 13 th and 15 th holes in his round. Second Chance - When he was just four years old, Matt Boyd of Sugar Land, Texas, was kidnapped while on vacation in Disney World. "I feel very privileged to be where I am today," he says. Hockey MVP and Life-Saver - David Byrne, 16, of Ontario, Canada, is one of the few in the U.S. Junior Amateur who has never taken a golf lesson. He's an accomplished hockey player who won MVP in his league All-Star game. Best of all, his quick thinking at a local pool saved his friend from drowning. U.S. Open Qualifier - Tom Glissmeyer, 17, of Colorado Springs, Colo., is the only golfer in the U.S. Junior Amateur who has played in a U.S. Open. Glissmeyer qualified for the 2003 Open at Olympia Fields ( Ill. ) CC. He is playing in his third Junior Amateur, but has been a bit unlucky in that he has never advanced beyond the second round of match play. Welcome Home - Jordan Cox, 16, of Redwood City, Calif., runner-up at the 2003 U.S. Junior Amateur, is a junior member at The Olympic Club, site of this week's Junior Amateur Championship. He returned home Saturday night (7/17) after covering 16 time zones to Scotland to win the 54-hole British Junior Open at the Barassie Course in the town of Kilmarnock. Cox is one of two golfers in the field who are junior members at The Olympic Club. The other is Will Hayden, 17, of Palo Alto, Calif., who earned his second chance at the Junior Amateur title by qualifying at the Stanford University Golf Course. Tall Order - Phil ip Chauncey of Durham, N.C., surely has a hard time convincing folks he is just 16 years old. He stands 6'6" tall and wears a size 15 shoe. He is one of few who is playing in his third Junior Amateur this week. He reached the second round of match play in 2003. Defending Champion - Brian Harman, 17, of Savannah, Ga., became only the third left-handed golfer to win a USGA championship when he beat Jordan Cox of Redwood City, Calif., in the 2003 final, 5 and 4. Hunter Townsend, 16, Glen Al len, Va. - Once was struck by lightning on the 10th green of a course he was playing. He immediately ran under a tunnel to seek shelter from the storm. When the rains stopped, he proceeded out to the 11th tee to resume his round as if nothing had happened. Brad Valois, 17, Warwick, R.I. - He earned all-state honors as a goalie this past season at Tollgate High School. His team won the state tournament in 2004 and he was named MVP after Tollgate upset Mount St. Charles in the final. Mount St. Charles had won 26 consecutive state championships. Andrew Mahnke, 17, Laguna Niguel, Calif. - He is a diabetic and wears an insulin pump similar to the ones used by touring pros Kelli Kuehne and Scott Verplank. Plays golf occasionally with two-time USGA Senior Amateur champion Kemp Richardson at El Niguel Country Club. Ben Martin, 16, Greenwood, S.C. - He flew on an airplane for the first time coming to this championship. Tyler Obermueller, 17, River Falls, Wis. - He made 11 birdies in his 36-hole sectional qualifier (72-65) at Elk River ( Minn. ) Country Club. Riley O'Neill, 16, Aberdeen, S.D. - He plays the synthesizer and piano in a rock band called Stuart Louis. Kyle Peterman, 16, Sherman, Ill. - He used to race dirt bikes, but when he broke his leg during a ride, it led him to the game of golf. Marshall Pickett, 17, Wilmington, N.C. - His cousin Scott Parker died of cancer seven years ago on June 9. On that date, Marshall seems to do something extraordinary on the golf course. He shot a 65 and recorded a hole-in-one on that day. Someday, he wants to start a charity golf tournament in Scott Parker 's honor so he can raise money for cancer research. At age 15, Pickett made two consecutive cuts on the NGA/Hooters Tour. He was the youngest player in the history of the circuit to accomplish that feat. His best finish was a T-27. Michael Quagliano, 17, White Plains, N.Y. - He shot the course record at Knollwood Country Club in Elmsford, N.Y. His 63 bettered the mark previously held by two-time U.S. Amateur champion Willie Turnesa. Tyler Rucarean, 17, Gainesville, Fla. - Chipped in for birdie on the second playoff hole to qualify for the U.S. Junior Amateur. He scored 47 points on a school-record 12 3-pointers for his varsity basketball team. Kevin Schultz, 17, Richardson, Texas - His mom, Anna, was the runner-up at the 2000 U.S. Women's Mid-Amateur. He will attend the University of Texas in the fall. He barely made the cutoff day for the Junior, as he turns 18 on Aug. 10.