Cypress’ Woods Captures His Third Junior Title of Season

Tiger Woods added to his impressive junior golf resume by winning the Edgewood Tahoe Junior Classic by two strokes Sunday and claiming his third American Junior Golf Assn. title of the year.

Woods, 15, of Cypress edged defending champion Scott Johnson of Kennewick, Wash., and Hunter Johnson of Austin, Tex., with a 73-71--144, even-par performance on the Edgewood Tahoe Golf Course.

Birdies on the 16th and 18th holes sealed the victory for Woods, who has also won the Optimist Junior World and the USGA Junior Amateur this year.

Woods, a sophomore at Western High School, ended in a flourish, hitting his approach shot from 112 yards to within two feet on the final hole to finish with a birdie and the two-stroke victory.

Michael Ruiz of San Diego was fourth at 147. Lance Ewing of Sterling, Colo., was fifth at 148.

Other Orange County players were:

Scott Gibson of Huntington Beach, who tied for 12th at 154; Ben Garner of El Toro (155); Chris Berry of Yorba Linda (156); Paul Hinkle of Costa Mesa (161); Joe Garner of El Toro (167); Ryan McLaughlin of Mission Viejo (170), and Brian Rea of Huntington Beach (172).

Jeong Min Park of Alameda, posted a 76-76--152 to win by three strokes and take her first AJGA title after placing second at the PGA Junior Championship in August. Park’s steady performance was good enough to move ahead of Dallas’ Kelli Kuehne, who was tied with Park at 76 after the first round, and first-round leader Kellee Booth of Coto de Caza. Alicia Allison of Santa Ana shot 75, the low round of the day, and finished fourth at 157. Eunice Choi of San Clemente shot 162 and Susie Park of Buena Park shot 176.