Hermes and Creamer Capture Titles
AJGA ST. REGIS ASPEN JUNIOR CLASSIC
ASPEN, Colo. -- Jake Hermes of Durango, Colo., fired a final-round 75 to hold off Nathan Lashley of Scottsbluff, Neb., and pick up his first American Junior Golf Association Boys Division victory at the AJGA St. Regis Junior Classic. In the Girls Division, Paula Creamer of Pleasanton, Calif., shot a two-under-par 70 to pull away from the field and win her first AJGA event.
The 13th annual 54-hole AJGA event at Aspen Golf Club includes a field of 105 players (ages 13-18) representing 24 states and Canada. Past champions include LPGA professionals Emilee Klein, Kelli Kuehne and Heather Bowie, as well as former U.S. Amateur champion Hank Kuehne.
Hermes, the Colorado 5A state champion, had to wait until the 18th hole to secure victory with Lashley right on his heels all day long. Lashely's birdie putt, which would have forced a sudden-death playoff, lipped out. Lashley's score of 71 gave him a tournament total of 73-73-71--217, just one stroke shy of Hermes' 68-73-75--216 total.
"I didn't really play all that well, but I grinded it out and was able to hang on," said Hermes. "I expected somebody to come out and shoot a low round, I just wanted to play even par and make somebody go way low to beat me."
Rounding out the top five of the Boys Division were Duncan Street of Bonita, Calif., at 221, Ryne Rindfleisch of Murrieta, Calif., at 223 and Leo Corrigan of Dallas at 225.
Creamer scored four birdies on the front nine on her way to a 33, paving the way for what ended up to be an easy nine-stroke victory. Along with the winning tournament total of 76-74-70--220, Creamer shared the tournament low round of 70 with Erin Tone of Gilbert, Ariz.
"I hit my driver and irons well and putted well on the front nine," said the 14-year-old Creamer, one of the field's youngest players. "I had two three-putts on the back nine but a birdie on No. 15 boosted my confidence. I was pretty nervous on the first tee with only a one shot lead, but I loosened up after that and just played the golf course."
Rounding out the top three were Courtney Jones of Lake Quivira, Kan., at 229, and Tone and Jennifer Karr of Scottsdale, Ariz., at 230.
ASPEN, Colo. -- Final results from THE ST. REGIS ASPEN JUNIOR CLASSIC conducted by the American Junior Golf Association at Aspen Golf Club. Par: 36-36--72. Yardage: Boys: 7,027 Girls: 5,887