Thurston Is Florida Bound

Kyle Thurston of Moorpark has been on the go lately and he has made sure it will continue.

Thurston shot five-over-par 75 on Wednesday at Balboa Golf Course in Encino to finish in a four-way tie for first in the Optimist Junior Golf District Championship.

That earned Thurston a berth in the Optimist International Junior Golf Championship on July 16-25 at PGA National Resort in Palm Beach, Fla.

Thurston shot three-over-par 74 on Tuesday to finish second in the Southern California PGA Desert Tournament at Rancho Las Palmas Country Club in Rancho Mirage.

Thurston, 13, who plays out of Sunset Hills Country Club in Thousand Oaks, finished two strokes behind Daniel Kim of Cerritos.

Last week, Thurston finished fifth in the 27th annual Pepsi Little People’s Golf Championship at Westview Golf Course in Quincy, Ill., two strokes behind winner Tyler Peglow of Marshalltown, Iowa.

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Encino-Balboa Golf Center will conduct four two-week junior golf camps, primarily for beginning and intermediate players, at the Sepulveda Golf Complex.

The first session will run from Monday to July 16, followed by camps July 19-30, Aug. 2-13 and Aug. 16-27, the latter an advanced video class.

Classes will be held Monday, Wednesday and Friday each week from 8-9:30 a.m. Cost is $79.

Instruction will cover basic long- and short-game principles, putting, rules, etiquette and course preparation.

Participants will receive photos, certificates and membership in the Family Golf Junior Club.

Information: (818) 986-4560 or 986-2633.

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Shane O’Brien, who played at Hart High, College of the Canyons and Cal State Northridge, tied the course record at Sunset Hills Country Club in Thousand Oaks last month when he shot 10-under-par 61.

O’Brien, who won the 1994 Los Angeles City Championship, made a 20-foot putt on the 170-

yard par-three ninth hole, his 18th, to tie the record set by Chris Zambri--who played at Westlake and USC, and is on the Nike Tour.

Known for his prodigious drives, O’Brien--6 feet 4 and 250 pounds--made a hole in one from 294 yards on the eighth hole to go with seven birdies and 10 pars.

O’Brien, 25, plans to turn pro and play the Golden State Tour and Pepsi Tour for the next year before making a run at the PGA Tour.

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The Los Angeles City Department of Recreation and Parks summer golf program will include Thursday “play days” for golfers 7-17.

Among the city courses taking part in the program are Woodley Lakes in Van Nuys, Encino and Balboa in Encino and Hansen Dam in Pacoima.

Cost of the summer program, which continues until the middle of August, is $25.

Information: Pete Frey (818) 344-1031.

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Barbara Stephan of Torrance will try for a record-breaking fifth consecutive title in the 28th annual Los Angeles City Women’s Championship on July 7-8 on the Balboa and Encino courses at Sepulveda Golf Complex.

Millie Stanley of Los Angeles won four consecutive titles from 1989 to 1992 and claimed the championship 10 times overall.

Stephan also won the 1993 title.

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Scott Bashin of Northridge earned a spot in the Junior World Championship on Wednesday by shooting one-under-par 71 in qualifying at Knollwood Country Club in Mission Hills.

Bashin, runner-up in the City Section championship for Birmingham, won the boys’ 16-17 division.

The Junior World Championship will be played July 20-23 at Torrey Pines Golf Course in La Jolla.

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Justin Ohye of Calabasas shot 73-74--147 and tied for 10th on Thursday in the AJGA Ping Junior Classic on the par-71 Langdon Farms Golf Club course in Aurora, Ore.