Costa Rican Jose Mendez today captured the Callaway Junior World golf championship boys 15-17 year old division in San Diego by two strokes over Lucas Herbert of Australia.

Playing the challenging South Course at Torrey Pines all four rounds, Mendez opened with 4-under 68 and followed that with two solid 71s to stand at 6-under 210 entering today's final round, three shots clear of Hebert and another shot clear of Roberto Lebrija of Mexico (214). The leaderboard with one round to play looked like it's supposed to in an event that attracts the world's best juniors.

In Friday's final round, Mendez was able to hold on with a solid 1-over round, as nobody but Sen Cao of China shot in the 60's. Herbert finished with an even par round to post 3- under 285 for the 72 hole tournament, while Austen Truslow of New Smyrna Beach, Florida moved up the leaderboard into 3rd place with a final round of 2-under 70 and a tournament total of 2-under 286.

Cao, who posted 69, who moved past probably 20 players to get into a tie for 12th with that round. And look out for him as another top young talent from China, because anyone that can play the last 10 holes at the South Course at 6-under, including a closing eagle on No. 18, has some serious game. (Indeed Cao's round could have been lower but he took double bogey on one of the easiest holes on the course, the par-5 6th.)

Mendez is the first Costa Rican to capture the Boys 15-17 title at the Callaway Junior Worlds.