Junior Orange Bowl events end in Florida

FLORENTYNA FINISHES JOINT THIRD

AFTER BOGEY AT FINAL HOLE

Florentyna Parker finished a creditable joint third - only two shots behind the winner - in her sixth and last bid to win the prestigious and international 44th Junior Orange Bowl girls' championship over the Biltmore course at Coral Gables, Florida today.

The title went to the strong finishing South Korean 14-year-old Jung-Eun Han who overtook the four players ahead of her at the start of the final round with a two-under-par 68 for a three-over final tally of 283.

Italy's Giulia Molinaro, winner of The Duke of York Young Champions' Trophy girls' title over the Dundonald Links earlier this year, finished second, one shot behind Han.

Royal Birkdale member Florentya, daughter of a Germany-based club professional and a member of the Ladies Golf Union elite winter training squad, finished with a 71 for 285.

She bogeyed the ninth and birdied the 18th and was heading for a joint second-place finish until she bogeyed the last hole.

Over the 72 holes, Florentyna, the British Under-18 girls stroke-play champion, had seven birdies in all. Her earlier rounds were 72, 70 and 72. Also on the five-over 285 mark were American Lindy Duncan and the overnight leader, 13-year-old Argentinian girl Victoria Tanco.

Miss Parker's older brother Ben won the Junior Orange Bowl boys' title in 2005.

Florida-based German teenager Sean Einhaus led by eight strokes at the halfway stage after opening rounds of 65 and 64 but he failed to get close to the boys' par of 70 over the last two rounds.

In the end Einhaus had to go into a play-off with American Peter Uihlen, last year's runner-up. They tied on six-under-par 274, Einhaus finished with a 73 and Uilhen with a 68 after starting with a sensational eagle 3 at the 501yd opening hole.

Einhaus had only to par the first hole of the play-off to take the title.

Portugal's Pedro Figueiredo finished third on 276.

Darren Renwick (Worthing), winner of the Scottish Under-16 boys' open stroke-play title two years ago, finished joint 37th on 294 after a final round of 73. Renwick had a 9 at a par-4 hole in his first round and had no birdies on the third day.

The only other English boy in the field, Andrew Johnston (North Middlesex) had a closing 76 fo0r 295 and joint 40th position. Andrew had one triple bogey and three double bogeys over the four rounds.

DAVID MACKINTOSH REPORTS FROM CORAL GABLES:

Germany’s Sean Einhaus, front-runner for the entire event, is the 44th Junior Orange Bowl International champion, claimed in a thrilling one-hole sudden death finish with Peter Uihlein, last year’s runner-up.

Both players completed regulation play in 274, six-under par for the four rounds, two strokes ahead of Portugal’s Pedro Figueiredo.
The girls' champion is 14-year old Jung-Eun Han from Jeju, Korea, who started her final round two strokes off the lead and, from the penultimate group, pounced on the leaders with a sterling two-under par 68 for a 283 (three over par) total in tough and breezy conditions.
Overnight leader 13-year old Victoria Tanco from Argentina finished with a 2-over par 72 for a three-way share of third place.

Italy’s Giulia Molinaro finished second with valiant even-par 70, holing her last short par putt and fist-pumping her joy, aware of having outlasted her final-group partners only to learn her effort was good for only second place.
Britain’s Under-18 girls' stroke-play champion Florentyna Parker hoped for a family double by duplicating her brother Ben’s victory here two years ago but critical putts failed drop over the closing stretch.

She completed her record sixth and final appearance tied third.

South Florida phenomenon 12-year old Alexis Thompson, last week’s Doral Publix winner, closed with a gutsy even-par 70 for solo-sixth spot.
The boys' championship became one of the mostly closely-contested final rounds in recent years after Einhaus, who led by eight at halfway and four at the start of the last round, gave back the entire advantage on the front nine.

Uihlien jumped into contention with an eagle at the opening par-5 and these two stayed locked over the closing holes while challenges from Portugal’s Pedro Figueiredo and Christiano Terragni were answered with a stream of closing pars from birdie opportunities.
The cut and thrust thus took these two exceptionally-talented teenagers back to the final hole one more time. Uihlein made a wonderful saving flop-shot to three feet from behind the green but he missed the putt and Einhaus tapped in a par putt of 18 inches. The Junior Orange Bowl International had a new boys' champion.

For complete scores please go to http://www.jrorangebowl.com/