AJGA I.R.I/Srixon Mixed Team: Kim, Lee take win
TUCSON, Ariz. (May 4, 2008)--Chun-Ji Kim of Chandler, Ariz., and Erynne Lee of Silverdale, Wash., teamed to shoot a 5-under-par 66 in the final-round four-ball format at the I.R.I./Srixon Mixed Team Championship hosted by Jim Furyk at Arizona National Golf Club Sunday. The 54-hole total of 20-under-par 193 was good for a three-stroke victory over the American Eagles consisting of Andrew Perez of Oxnard, Calif., and Ani Gulugian of Irvine, Calif.
Conducted by the American Junior Golf Association, the I.R.I./Srixon Mixed Team Championship hosted by Jim Furyk was a 54-hole stroke play event at Arizona National Golf Club. During the event, the 36 teams, consisting of one boy and one girl, competed in three different formats — modified scotch, scramble and four-ball. The tournament field consisted of players ages 12-18, from 15 states and Mexico. The par-71 course was played at 6,635 yards for the Boys Division and 5,932 for the Girls Division.
Lee birdied Nos. 3, 9, 10 and 18. Kim added a birdie of his own on the par- 4, No. 13. After their bogey-free round, the duo was excited to win their first AJGA Open Event. The two also teamed together during last year's I.R.I./Srixon Mixed Team Championship hosted by Jim Furyk, where they finished tied for 25th.
“We played fantastic and we had a lot of trust in each other,” Kim said. “If I hit a bad shot, she would make up for my mistakes.”
This was the second win of 2008 for Lee, ranked No. 14 in the Polo Golf Rankings. In March, she won the Kathy Whitworth Invitational and finished tied for second at the AJGA Championship at Traditions the next week.
“It feels great to win an open tournament. I've been knocking on the door,” Lee said. “Winning the Kathy Whitworth Invitational has made me better with my course management.”
The American Eagles posted scores of 71-61-64 — 196 to finish second. Finishing in third place at 16-under-par was team SDG featuring Shayne Yoon of Chandler, Ariz., and Kyung Kim, also Chandler. They posted scores of 68-63-66 — 197. Team KYJ, consisting of C.J. Kim of Chandler, Ariz., and Julie Yang of Phoenix, finished tied for fourth at 14-under-par 199 with team Firestorm's Ben Itterman of Carlsbad, Calif., and Danielle Frasier of Encinitas, Calif.
--Courtesy AJGA