Three juniors earn All-America honors

Advertiser Staff

Mari Chun of Pearl City, Kimberly Kim of Pahoa and Xyra Suyetsugu of Honolulu have been named honorable mention on the Rolex Junior All-America team.

The American Junior Golf Association announced the honors Tuesday.

The Rolex Junior All-America Teams recognize those players who have established themselves as the world's premier junior golfers.

The honorees will be recognized Nov. 21 at the Rolex Junior All-America Awards Banquet at Sea Island Golf Club at Sea Island, Ga.

Making her first appearance on the Rolex Junior All-America team, Chun claimed her first national victory at the Junior World Golf Championship. Chun, now 17, also added a tie for sixth place at the AJGA's Heather Farr Classic to her resume over Easter weekend.

Kim became the youngest golfer to win an AJGA Open event when she claimed the title at the I.R.I. Golf Group Tri-Cities Junior at Sun Willows. The 13-year-old was 12 when she won the event.

The 18-year-old Suyetsugu was named a Rolex Junior All-American for the first time after a win at the AJGA Marshallia Ranch Junior. Now a freshman competing for the University of Hawai'i, Suyetsugu also placed in the top 20 at the Optimist International Junior Golf Championship.

Former Rolex Junior All-Americans are now top players on the PGA and LPGA tours. Of the PGA Tour's top-10 money leaders, Phil Mickelson, Tiger Woods, Stewart Cink, Sergio Garcia and Todd Hamilton were all Rolex Junior All-Americans. Four of the LPGA Tour's top-10 money leaders were named Rolex Junior All-Americans as junior golfers: Grace Park, Cristie Kerr, Hee-Won Han and Jennifer Rosales.