California Open Leaders Set Record at Coyote Hills

Jeff Sanday of South Pasadena and Brian Guetz of Littleton, Colo., shared the first-round lead of the California Open after each shot a course-record six-under-par 64 Tuesday at Coyote Hills in Fullerton.

Jeff Kern of Tucson is second after a 65, Scott Ahlmeyer of Chino Hills is fourth at 66 and six players are tied for fifth at 68.

Rick Taniguchi of Irvine is the top Orange County player, in a five-way tie for 11th at 69 in the 142-player field.

Steve Jurgensen of Newport Beach, runner-up in 1997, is among a group of 23 players tied at 72.

The 72-hole, $75,000 tournament runs through Friday. The winner’s share of the purse is $15,000.

PGA Tour pro John Cook is one of three players who held the previous course record of 65 at Coyote Hills.

MAJOR JUNIOR DECISION

Two prestigious junior events are both scheduled for next week, forcing some of the top county players to make a decision.

The Junior World Championships at Torrey Pines in La Jolla is July 20-23 and the AJGA Junior Classic at Coto de Caza is July 20-22.

Brian Sinay of Irvine, 17, has played in the Junior World almost since he has played golf and won it as a 12-year-old, but the University High senior-to-be has opted for the AJGA event. His reason is simple.

“I can sleep at my own house,” he said. “If I go to San Diego, I can’t do that.”

Sinay said the Junior World has lost some of its luster in recent years, especially after last year when the AJGA held one of its biggest events--the Tournament of Champions--the same week.

“Junior World used to be the biggest tournament around,” Sinay said. “It is the tournament until you’re 14. But two years ago it seemed to lose some of its prestige. Nobody is going to go to Junior World over Tournament of Champions.”

Nico Bollini of Yorba Linda, 16, sees things differently. He has played the Junior World since he was 9 and can’t imagine not playing it.

“I love that tournament,” said Bollini, who will be a junior at Servite. “That’s the one I want to win the most.”

Perhaps his past record has something to do with that.

Last year, Bollini had a one-stroke lead with nine holes to play, but shot 40 on the back nine and wound up ninth. As a 14-year-old, he bogeyed three of his last four holes to blow a lead, then lost in a playoff.

“I guess I choked a couple of times,” Bollini said.

The Junior World is worth 60 national ranking points to the winner, 45 to the runner-up, 30 for third through fifth and 20 for sixth through 10th.

The AJGA at Coto de Caza this year is worth 40, 30, 20 and 15 points.

SINAY LEADS WESTERN

Sinay shot five-under-par 65 and has a one-shot lead after the first round of the Western Junior Amateur Championship in Gaylord, Mich.

Ron Won, also of Irvine, is tied for ninth, three strokes behind Sinay. Bollini of Yorba Linda shot 69 and is tied for 18th.

PARK FAILS TO MEET MATCH

Jin Park of Fullerton shot a second-round 76 at the U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship in Alton, Ill., and finished with a two-day total of 147, a stroke shy of a playoff to get into match play.

Erik Labitzke of Daytona Beach, Fla., shot 132 (67-65) and was medalist.