AJGA MARSH JUNIOR AT HAWK POINTE
Hawk Pointe Golf Club
Washington, New Jersey
August 4-7, 2003

BELDEN COMES FROM BEHIND TO WIN AJGA MARSH JUNIOR AT HAWK POINTE
Grehan fires steady 2-over-par 74 to claim victory

WASHINGTON, N.J. - Brian Belden of Emmaus, Pa., began the day two strokes off the lead, but used an eagle, three birdies and a crucial putt of No. 18 to take a one stroke lead and win the AJGA Marsh Junior at Hawk Pointe with a 67-71-68-206. Megan Grehan of Mamaroneck, N.Y., led the Girls Division the entire tournament and shot a 74 in the final round to hold on to her two-stroke lead for the win.

Conducted by the American Junior Golf Association, the 54-hole tournament featured 100 boys and girls, ages 13-18, representing 16 states. The 14th annual event was played at the Hawk Point Golf Club for the second straight year.

"I played solid golf today; nothing special, nothing too bad," Belden said.

The 16-year-old eagled his first hole of the day, but bogeyed No. 2. He also had birdies on Nos. 3,10 and 18.

Belden started the day two strokes behind Greg Rodgers of Phoenix, Md., with Jason Elliott of Palm Harbor, Fla., sitting one stroke behind Rodgers.

Belden and Rodgers traded the lead a couple of times in the first nine holes with Belden tying it up for the last time with a birdie on No. 10 and then taking advantage of Rodgers' bogey on No. 12 to move one stroke ahead. Elliott started the day with a double bogey on No. 1 but fought back with two birdies in the first nine holes to make the turn one stroke behind Belden.

Elliott pulled even by making birdie on No. 11, but a bogey on No. 14 set him back by a stroke. Elliott followed up with a birdie on No. 15 to tie it up again. Belden and Elliott carried the tie to the No. 18 green where Belden sunk a 10-foot putt for birdie for the win.

"When I got to 18 I knew I had to make it to win. I saw the line and just had to stroke the putt," Belden said.

The Pennsylvania native has won both of his AJGA appearances with the first coming two weeks ago at the AJGA Steel City Junior Classic.

Grehan (72-75-74-221) carded two birdies in the final round en route to claiming a two-stroke victory over Tiffany Tavee of Gilbert, Ariz.

"I didn't make it easy for myself today. I didn't hit many greens, but had some good up-and-downs late in the day," Grehan said. "I was starting to feel nervous around No. 11 but I birdied No. 12 to take a four-stroke lead."

The 14-year-old had birdies on Nos. 1 and 12 in her first AJGA win.

Rodgers and Elliott finished in a tie for second in the Boys Division with 207s with Larry Haertel of Greenwich, Conn., finishing in fourth with a 4-under-par 212. Kyle Bilodeau of Manchester, Conn., and Brent Herlihy of Glen Falls, N.Y., finished in a tie for fifth with 3-under-par 213s.

Tavee shot the low final round with a 1-over-par 73 to finish with a tournament total of 223. Kelley Louth of Victoria, Texas, finished in third with a tournament total of 224.

For more information on the AJGA Marsh Junior at Hawk Pointe or any other AJGA event, contact national headquarters at (770) 868-4200.

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