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Shin, 13, Wins Girls’ Juniors

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From the Associated Press

Jenny Shin of Torrance rallied from a late three-hole deficit Saturday to beat Vicky Hurst in 37 holes and become the second-youngest winner in the 58-year history of the U.S. Girls’ Junior Championship.

Shin, ranked 27th among junior girls by Golfweek, caught Hurst, ranked sixth, on the final hole of regulation at Carmel Country Club in Charlotte, N.C.

Hurst conceded the first extra hole after she hit consecutive shots in the water and a bunker, and Shin hit her approach onto the green. Shin is 13 years, 9 months old. Aree Song Wongluekiet was 13 years, 3 months when she won in 1999.

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“A big shock,” Shin said. “Who knew that I was going to beat Vicky? I thought obviously Vicky was going to win. After I got the trophy, I was like, ‘This is mine?’ ”

Shin’s goal coming into the tournament was to advance to the quarterfinals, which were Thursday.

She ran out of clothes and, on Friday, had to buy two new golf shirts, as well as check into a new hotel, before knocking off Alexandra Bodemann in the semifinals.

Shin earned an exemption for the U.S. Women’s Amateur next month in North Plains, Ore.

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Philip Francis, 17, of Scottsdale, Ariz., defeated 15-year-old Canadian-born Richard Lee of Chandler, Ariz., 3 and 2, to win the U.S. Junior Amateur Championship at Rancho Santa Fe Golf Club.

Francis, who also won the Rolex Tournament of Champions and the Thunderbird Invitational this year, closed out the match by holing a nine-foot birdie putt at the 34th hole.

His morning round was highlighted by a 104-yard wedge shot that flew into the hole for an eagle 2 on the ninth hole.

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Gabriel Hjertstedt, bidding to become the third two-time winner of the B.C. Open, overcame two rain delays to shoot a four-under 68 and take a one-shot lead after three rounds at Verona, N.Y.

Hjertstedt, who became the first Swede to win on the PGA Tour when he won the 1997 B.C. Open, was at 14-under 202. Joey Sindelar (1985, 1987) and Brad Faxon (1999, 2000) are the other two-time winners of the event, which is being dropped from the PGA Tour after this year.

First-round leader Mark Brooks (66), who shot even par on Friday, rebounded and was tied for second with David Branshaw (68) and Scott Gump (69).

PGA Tour officials moved the tournament two weeks ago when flooding rendered En-Joie Golf Club, about 90 miles to the southwest, unplayable. This marks the only time since the event became part of the PGA Tour in 1972 that it isn’t being staged at En-Joie.

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