Nationally Ranked By:	2005 President’s Junior Cup hosted by Junior Amateur Golf Scholars Los Serranos Golf Course - Chino Hills, Calif. South Course – Par 74 February 20-21, 2005 Results submitted to: Golfweek, AJGA and JGS View Results
RONNALD MONACO AND JOY TROTTER EARN AJGA EXEMPTIONS WITH VICTORIES AT THE PRESIDENT’S CUP

Boys: L-R: Miles Cole, Tain Lee, Champion Ronnald Monaco, Scott Clayton, Michael Jae Woo Im	Girls: L-R: Veronica Valerio, MacKinzie Kline, Champion Joy Trotter, Lee Lopez, Nara Kim

Chino Hills, California, Junior Amateur Golf Scholars (JAGS) conducted its 6^th annual President’s Junior Cup at the demanding Los Serrano’s North course in Chino Hills, California.  This redesigned and re-rated course provides a challenge for players due to its hilly terrain, undulating greens, and narrow fairways lined with mature trees.  Day one brought wet and soggy condition with 4” of rain the night before and a sudden 20 minute downpour at tee off time Sunday morning.  Players battled early morning cold, rain and winds during the round making scoring conditions very difficult. 

Ronnald Monaco from Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.,  was tied for tenth after round one posting a 3-over 75, three shot behind leaders, Kenny Roberts, Seal Beach, Calif., and Tain Lee, San Juan Capistrano, Calif., who scored even par, 72.  Skyler Hong, San Diego, Calif., was in third at 73, and a log jam of six players, Miles Cole, Los Alamitos, Calif., Scott Clayton, San Bernardino, Calif., Michael Jae Woo Im, Fullerton, Calif., James Moseley, Arcadia, Calif., Bryan Taylor, San Juan Capistrano, Calif., and Mark Alvarez, Pomona, Calif., all tied for fourth at 74.  In the Girls division, day one low score was posted by leader MacKinzie Kline, Encinitas, CA at 2-under 72 with Joy Trotter, Chino Hills, Calif., and Lee Lopez, Whittier, Calif., each scoring even par, 74 tied for second.  Rounding at the top five during round one was Nara Kim, Diamond Bar, Calif., 77 and Kristen Park, Buena Park, Calif., at 78. 

Round two had a frost delay of one hour with players eagerly waiting to start their rounds.  Ronnald Monaco playing in the third group behind the leaders posted a strong front nine with an eagle on the par 5 third hole, then doubled the next and then scored two birdies on hole seven and nine for a 2-under 34.  He continued his solid play on the back nine with 8 pars and 1 birdie to complete his round at 3-under 69 to claim the victory.  Monaco said, “I knew the wet conditions could cause the scores to be high on day one, so I figured if I could keep my score close to par and do my best to go low on the final round, I might have a chance to win or tie and force a play-off.  This is a very strong field of players and anyone could go low and win the tournament.  I had to avoid big numbers by concentrating on hitting fairways and greens for a chance to win.”   This is Monaco’s second JAGS victory with his first coming at the Shandin Hills Shootout in January, 2005.  Cole made a charge on the leaders and posted a 1-under 71 for his final round which put him in a tie for second scoring 74-71-145 with Lee who posted a 1-over 73 on his final round.  Clayton completed round two with 74-72-146 for 4^th place and Im placed 5^th with a 74-73-147.   There was a five-way tie for 6^th place at 148 with Daniel Watase, Thousand Oaks, Calif., Matthew J. Stratton,         Littleton, CO, Matthew Ouimet, Coto de Caza, Calif., Ryan Chan, Carson, Calif., and Skyler Hong, San Diego, Calif.  Additionally, Monaco’s victory earned him an exemption to a future AJGA open tournament. 

 

Joy Trotter, Chino Hills, Calif., shot the low round on day two of the tournament with a 2-under 72 to finish with a two day total of 74-72-146, 2-under par taking home her first JAGS’ victory along with an exemption to a future AJGA open tournament.  After waiting an extra hour to tee off due to the frost delay, Trotter, Kline, Lopez and Kim were excited to be in the final group for a chance to go head to head for the championship.  Kline held a slim lead on the field after the front nine by scoring a 1-under 35 to Lopez’s 2-under 34, Trotter’s 1-over 37 and Kim’s 4-over 40.  The back nine proved to be the difference as Trotter seemed to be in a zone scoring birdies on holes 13, 15 and 18 to win by one stroke over Kline who posted 72-75-147, 1-under par for the tournament.  Trotter said, “I really had to focus on all my shots because of the wet conditions and the strong competitors in the field. It is great when everything goes right.  My hard work has paid off and I am so proud to be the JAGS Girl’s Champion and earn an AJGA exemption.”

 

Kline finished second at 147, Lopez took third with a 150, Kim placed fourth with a 155 and Veronica Valerio, Temecula, Calif., took fifth with a 156.  Rounding out the top ten were, Stephanie Hu, Cerritos, Calif., sixth at 157, Park seventh with a 158, Blair Lewis, La Mesa, Calif., eighth with a 159, Jamie Yam, San Diego, Calif., ninth with a 161 and Demi Frances Runas, Torrance, Calif., finished tenth with a 162.

 

JAGS is a 501(c) 3 non-profit for public benefit organization hosting monthly 36-hole nationally ranked junior tournaments for boys and girls age 12-18 years old.