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The Honolulu Advertiser
Updated at 2:26 p.m., Friday, July 25, 2008

Golf: Beck, Peck reach finals of U.S. Junior Amateur

Associated Press

SHOAL CREEK, Ala. — Another of Tiger Woods' many records is safe for at least another year.

Evan Beck, of Virginia Beach, Va., beat Jordan Speith, of Dallas, 1 up in one of the semifinals of the U.S. Junior Amateur on Friday, keeping the 14-year-old Jordan Spieth of Dallas from the chance to surpass Woods as the youngest champion.

Woods was 15 when he won the first of his three consecutive junior titles in 1991.

Beck will face fellow 17-year-old Cameron Peck, of Olympia, Wash., in Saturday's 36-hole final at the 7,251-yard, par-72 Shoal Creek golf course.

Peck trailed Dominic Bozzelli, of Pittsford, N.Y., by two holes with two to play in their semifinal. But he birdied No. 17 and took advantage of Bozzelli's bogey on 18 to pull even. Peck won on the third extra hole when Bozzelli bogeyed.

Spieth won his morning quarterfinal over Andrew Yun, of Chandler, Ariz., 3 and 2.

Beck, who was an alternate for the starting field of 156, rallied to beat Ernesto Marin, 17, of Miami, 1 up with a winning par on the final hole.

Peck took an early lead and defeated Emiliano Grillo, of Argentina, 5 and 4, in his quarterfinal. Bozzelli came back from three holes down after 13 to beat Andrew Steinhofer, 17, of Madison, Wis., with a par on the first extra hole.