AJGA Names Kung Player of the Year

Candie Kung, a Fountain Valley High graduate, has been selected girls’ player of the year by the American Junior Golf Assn.

Kung, a freshman at USC, is a three-time AJGA All-American. She won six national junior tournaments in the last year and advanced to the round of 16 at the U.S. Women’s Amateur Championship. She also qualified for the U.S. Women’s Open on her first attempt.

She was the Golfweek/Titleist Player of the Year in 1998 and finished her junior career as the top-ranked girl in the nation.

Ron Won, a University High graduate now attending Stanford, was selected a boys’ All-American and Angela Rho, a Sonora senior, was selected to the girls’ All-American team.

Nico Bollini, a Servite junior, was a second-team boys’ All-American and Mike Lavery, an Irvine High graduate now at UC Irvine, received honorable mention.

Hunter Mahan of McKinney, Texas, the U.S. Junior Amateur champion and a former Yorba Linda resident, was boys’ player of the year.

CONWAY GOING TO UCLA

Steve Conway of Dove Canyon, a Santa Margarita senior, has committed to UCLA.

Conway, who reached the quarterfinals of the California Amateur and qualified for the U.S. Amateur over the summer, was an all-county selection by The Times.

Conway’s longtime friend, John Merrick of Long Beach, also committed to UCLA. Former Santa Margarita standout Steve Wagner and Jeff McGraw, a Servite graduate, are juniors at UCLA.

ON TO THE SECOND ROUND

Darren Ernst of Costa Mesa and Steve Runge, a Capistrano Valley High graduate now living in Florida, advanced to the second stage of PGA Tour Qualifying school.

Ernst shot a four-round total of 291 at Bayonet and Blackhorse in Seaside, Calif., and tied for 18th, 11 strokes behind stage winner Joe McCormick of Hutchinson, Minn. Ernst’s score was right on the cut line. Justin Boatman of Aliso Viejo is an alternate after finishing with 292 at Bayonet and Blackhorse.

Runge shot 281 at Worldwoods Golf Club in Homosassa Springs, Fla., and tied for 12th.