Meet The Quarterfinalists

David Chung, 15, Fayetteville, N.C. -- Born: 1/14/1990… Runner-up at the 2004 U.S. Junior at The Olympic Club, losing 1 up in the final to Sihwan Kim…Captured the 2005 North Carolina Junior Championship…Finished as runner-up at the 2005 Western Junior held at Blythefield Country Club in Grand Rapids, Mich., with rounds of 70-67-69-67…Finished fourth at the American Junior Golf Association’s Rolex Tournament of Champions at Long Cove Club in Hilton Head Island, S.C…Served as honorary chairperson for the L.B. Floyd Friends of Children charity event…Stands only 5 feet, 7 inches and weighs just 115 pounds…Rallied to win second-round match over Rory Hie at the 2005 U.S. Junior  in 19 holes after trailing 2 down with two holes to play. Then defeated Peter Uihlein in 21 holes…At the 2004 U.S. Junior, trailed Robert Riesen in the quarterfinals, 5 down, with seven holes to play and won in 19 holes…Lowest competitive score is a 66 shot at the 2004 International Junior Orange Bowl…Takes classes at Fayetteville Technical Community College. Last year he had classes in algebra II, trigonometry, expository writing and Spanish II. Received straight-As…Is home-schooled for the rest of his academics.

Philip Francis, 16, Scottsdale, Ariz. -- Born: 10/20/1988… Is rated one of the best junior players in the country by several publications…Qualified for the 2003 U.S. Junior at Columbia Country Club in Chevy Chase, Md., reaching the round of 16 before losing to eventual runner-up Jordan Cox, 5 and 4. He won his first-round match that year in 23 holes over Robert Gates. At the 2005 Junior, he won his first-round match in 19 holes over Kevin Lim…Was influenced by his father and noted instructor Jim Flick…Owns dual citizenship between the United States and Sweden. Mother, Bee, is Swedish…Won his division at the Junior World tournament four consecutive years from 2000-2003…He has twice won the American Junior Golf Association’s Scott Robertson Memorial (2003 and ’05). He has won the Doral Publix Junior Championship four times…Runner-up at the 2004 FootJoy Boys Invitational…Runner-up at the 2004 Western Junior…Named first-team All-American in 2004 by the AJGA…Finished 30th at the 2005 Northeast Amateur…Finished fourth at the recent  Thunderbird Invitational in Scottsdale with rounds of 73-68-67…He won the 2005 Arizona PubLinks Amateur with rounds of 67-68-71…Once raised $50,000 doing an event called “Beat the Kid” on a par-3 hole against corporate “big shots.”…Wears a wristband that says “faith” on it. When he’s in a bad situation, he looks at the band for inspiration…Also wears a St. Christopher necklace that helps bring him positive thoughts and memories…Enjoys surfing when not playing golf…Will be a junior at Laurel Springs Prep this fall.

Bradley Johnson, 16, Birmingham, Ala. -- Born: 11/16/88… Competing in his second U.S. Junior…Reached the round of 16 at 2004 Junior at The Olympic Club, losing a 2-and-1 decision to eventual semifinalist Sunghoon Kang of Korea…Was qualifying medalist at his sectional site at Country Club of Birmingham with a 139 total (70-69)…Using Jerry Strum as his caddie. He used him last year at Olympic Club. Strum also  has caddied on the LPGA Tour…Won the 2005 Bud Barns Dixie Invitational with scores of 67-67-70…Tied for eighth at the 2005 Spirit of America event with scores of 73-68-70-71…Finished 10th at the American Junior Golf Association’s Rolex Tournament of Champions in Hilton Head Island, S.C…Says he’s the only basketball player on his team who is 5-foot-7 or shorter who cannot touch the rim…Uses a 1957 half-dollar to mark his ball on the green. He always points the Liberty Bell at the hole…Also enjoys fishing when not on the golf course…Will be a junior at Spain Park High this fall.

Jamie Lovemark, 17, Rancho Santa Fe, Calif. -- Born: 1/23/1988… Competing in his first U.S. Junior. Was the qualifying medalist at his sectional site at Rancho Santa Fe Golf Club with a 36-hole score of 144…Qualified for the 2003 U.S. Amateur at Oakmont but shot rounds of 80-80 and missed the match-play cut…Finished ninth at the recently completed Western Junior in Michigan with a score of 280…Finished as the runner-up at the 2005 Thunderbird Invitational with a score of 278…Won the 2004 Western Junior and ’04 Rolex Tournament of Champions…Lowest competitive score was a 64 shot this past spring at Singing Hills Golf Club in El Cajon, Calif. … Competed for West team at 2004 Canon Cup and defeated 2005 USA Walker Cup selection Brian Harman in singles action, 2 and 1…Will be a senior at Torrey Pines High this fall.

Tim McKenney, 17, Scottsdale, Ariz. – Born: 11/19/87… McKenney has reached the quarterfinals for the second consecutive time…A senior at Desert Mountain High, he will attend the University of Florida in 2006… McKenney’s three wins so far in 2005 have been one-sided – he has never trailed and has not be forced beyond the 16th hole…Born in Barrington, Ill., the family moved to Arizona with his dad’s job for General Electric (finance manager) … Younger sister, Ashley (15), played in the 2005 U.S. Girls’ Junior… Has a low competitive round of 61… Memorable golf experience was playing the Old Course at St. Andrews… Father’s brother drove from Maine to watch… McKenney is an AJGA All-American… He won the 5A High School title in 2004.

Ryan Thomas, 17, Alameda, Calif. – Born: 2/13/88… Thomas has come from behind on the last nine holes of all three of his matches so far… The only lefty remaining, he was one of three from the De LaSalle High School golf team to qualify for this championship… He will be a high school senior in Sept… This is his first U.S. Junior Amateur championship…When not playing golf, he caddies at San Francisco Golf Club in the summer… He caddied for his friend, Jake Yount, in the 2004 Junior and got the urge to try qualifying for 2005… Was the medalist at his qualifying site for this Junior…Played baseball for the Alameda Little League team that played in the 2000 Western Regionals… He played center field and pitched…

Kevin Tway, 16, Edmond, Okla. – Born: 7/23/88… Tway is the son of PGA golfer Bob Tway, who won the 1986 PGA Championship… Kevin ousted medalist Sam Saunders, Arnold Palmer’s grandson, is his second round match, going the equivalent of 4-under-par for 15 holes… Playing in his first Junior Amateur, he was influenced to play golf by his father… Bob Tway flew from the British Open directly to Massachusetts to watch Kevin, arriving on Tuesday, his second day of stroke play… Bob played in two Junior Amateurs, but never advanced beyond the first round of match play… Kevin will be a high school senior this fall and will attend Oklahoma State University.

Arnond Vongvanij, 16, Bradenton, Fla. – Born 12/15/88… Vongvanij was born in Honolulu, Hawaii, where he was loosely named after a Hawaiian god… moved to Florida at an early age so he could attend a a top golf academy… Player of the Year for David Leadbetter Golf Academy in 2004 and 2005… Won the 2005 AJGA event at Ringgold, Ga… lowest competitive round is a 64 (8 under par) on June 28, 2005 to qualify for this Junior Amateur… His 64 set the course record at Forest Country Club in Fort Myer, Fla… His nickname is “Bank”…He is playing in his second Junior Amateur… Shot 3-under 137 for his 36 holes of stroke play, four behind the medalist.