Chun wins Golfweek Junior, sets sights higher

Photo by Tracy Wilcox

Sam Chun during the first round of the Golfweek Junior Invitational.

REUNION, Fla. –?When Sam Chun first moved to the United States last winter, he struggled to find a place to play and rarely broke 75. What a difference a year makes: in 2011, he’ll pick and choose his schedule, with an eye on capturing a USGA championship.

Chun made a short birdie putt on the 12th hole to pull ahead, then held on down the stretch for a three-shot victory Sunday in the Golfweek Junior Invitational. Chun shot a final-round 71 and finished the two-round tournament at 2-under 142, three shots clear of Dylan Healey on the Independence Course at Reunion Resort.

“I’m very proud and excited,” Chun said through an interpreter. “I feel really good about my swing right now.”

Chun, 17, moved from Seoul, South Korea, last November and transferred to the Brian Mogg Elite Golf Academy, located in Howey-in-the-Hills, Fla. At the time, Chun could play only in small-field junior events, and he struggled to find a repeatable swing.

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Golfweek Junior Invite (Final Rd.)

Doris Chen and Sam Chun are the winners of the Golfweek Junior Invitational on Sunday at the Reunion Resort.

“He used to stay back on his right side and got stuck a lot,” said Bill Nelson, a coach at the Academy. “Now he’s stacked on top of it more and is way more consistent. He hits the ball pure almost every time.”

That came in handy during a blustery final round at Reunion, with wind gusts near 30 mph. Even though he didn’t convert several short birdie opportunities – Chun hit the ball inside 10 feet four times on the back nine, making only one birdie –?he was left with little work for par. He rolled in a 6-foot par putt on the 18th to secure his fourth victory in 12 events since coming to the U.S. He said he wants to win either the U.S. Junior or U.S. Amateur in 2011.

“I was really nervous (down the stretch) but it made me focus more,” said Chun, who won a Golfweek Junior qualifier near Myrtle Beach, S.C., in August to enter the field. He is No. 143 in the Golfweek/Sagarin Junior Rankings. “Now I’m really excited about my game.”

So was Healey, 16, who played the Golfweek Junior Invitational just days after making a verbal commitment to New Mexico. The long-hitting left-hander turned in 33 to give himself a chance on the back nine, but struggled to gauge the distance on some shots and shot 71 to finish solo second. Jeffrey Meltzer (71) and Motin Yeung (75) tied for third.

“It just shows that I can play with a lot of good players,” said Healey, No. 175 in Golfweek’s rankings. “It really helps my confidence.”

Sepp Straka, a Georgia commit, shared the overnight lead with Sean Kelly (78) but bogeyed two of the first three holes and shot 79. Sepp Straka’s twin brother, Sam, who trailed by four shots entering the final round, made two early birdies but hit a rough patch in the middle of the round and shot 75.

On this day, no one could catch Chun.

“He’s in contention every week, and he’s so consistent,” Nelson said. “Now he realizes he’s capable of winning –?and he believes he can win. That’s a huge thing.”

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Chen rolls to 6-shot Golfweek Junior victory

Photo by Tracy Wilcox

Doris Chen after winning the Golfweek Junior Invitational

REUNION, Fla. - Few words were spoken in the final three-ball Sunday at the Golfweek Junior Invitational. With Doris Chen three strokes ahead of the pack, Vivian Chen and Ri Hyang Park concentrated instead on catching the U.S. Girls’ Junior champion.

Neither could accomplish the feat as Doris pulled away from the field with a 1-under 71, logging a six-stroke victory with her 1-under 143 total at the Reunion Resort Independence Course.

Photo Gallery

Golfweek Junior Invite (Final Rd.)

Doris Chen and Sam Chun are the winners of the Golfweek Junior Invitational on Sunday at the Reunion Resort.

It’s the first victory since the Girls’ Junior for Chen, who has become known for her consistency in all aspects of the game. Since that memorable week in July, Chen’s confidence is noticeably heightened, and she also credits an improved mental game to the week-long march to match-play domination.

Chen’s final round at Reunion was uncharacteristic in one category: accuracy. Chen failed to hit a single fairway on the back nine. Part of that is a recent switch to a new Titleist driver, a move that has added about 10 yards to her drives, which used to average about 220 yards. Though precise off the tee, Chen is noticeably shorter than most of her peers.

“I was playing good on the front nine. Basically I hit almost every green and putted well but on my second nine I didn’t hit any fairways,” Chen said of Sunday’s round. “It was a tough day.”

Chen had four birdies on the back side – her first nine – but took a step back at the par-4 second with a double bogey. She rammed in a six-footer for par at the final hole with authority, walking off the green with little expression before finding out she had come out decisively on top.

As for adding another title to her year, Chen, ranked No. 12 by Golfweek, is relishing the feeling. It’s her first stroke-play title of the year, after the Girls’ Junior and a win at an IMG match-play event in May.

“I feel like today I could have played better, struggling on my second nine, but I’m happy,” she said.

Park, who finished second at 5-over 149, has won two International Junior Golf Tour events so far this year and finished runner-up in a third event. She is in her final year at the Hank Haney International Junior Golf Academy and will play for Miami in the fall.

Park left Reunion with big plans to concentrate on her putting stroke before returning to action over Thanksgiving break at the AJGA’s Polo Golf Junior Invitational. Park entered the day four shots behind Chen, and could never mount a charge.

“I hit the ball well, but just didn’t make enough birdie putts,” said Park, who had three birdies on the day at Nos. 16-18.

Monifa Sealy, a student at the Gary Gilchrist Academy, rounded out the top 3, finishing with a 7-over 151. Despite being unable to capitalize on a handful of birdie opportunities, Sealy improved from a 76 to a 75 Sunday, capping the round with a birdie at the par-4 18th.

“Today was real good, I was more confident through the ball and had better club selection,” she said.

Summar Roachell, who advanced to the second round of match play at the U.S. Girls’ Junior, and Amira Alexander, who advanced to the second round of the U.S. Women’s Amateur, were T-4 at 8-over 152. Vivian Chen also finished finished with a share of fourth after slipping from a first-round 75 to a 77.

Samantha Wagner, Gemma Dryburgh and Michaela Owen made up a three-way tie for seventh another shot back.

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