Raza and Telles Capture Junior Stroke Play Titles

    

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Woodburn, Ore. (July 9, 2009) - Seshia-Lei Telles of Tualatin, Ore. added another major title to her junior golf resume while Sulman Raza of Eugene, Ore. added his first  at the 12th Oregon Junior Stroke Play Championship held at the OGA Golf Course in Woodburn, Ore.

 

Telles has been a perennial leader in the Girls division having topped the performance points list the past three seasons.  But she was disappointed that she was unable to defend her title after being eliminated last week in the semifinals of the Oregon Junior Amateur by eventual champion Sharon Shin. “Last week was probably one of my worst,” reflected Telles .  “I just lost confidence in my swing.  I just was never comfortable.”

Not to be kept down, and with little time between tournaments, Telles spent much of her time practicing and rebuilding her confidence.  “I was really focused on this [Junior Stroke Play] tournament  since I took second the past two years,” she added.  She rebounded as planned, shooting a 7–over par 73-75-75—223 to capture the Girls title soundly defeating runner-up Aaren Ziegler of Canby, Ore. by 4-strokes.

 “My approach this week was that I just wanted to try to beat the course.  I didn’t look at scores until today,” said Telles.  With a narrow 1-stroke lead going into the final round, she added “Today,  I just wanted to par.  I thought par would be good enough.  I knew Aaren could do that, so it was just keep up with her and play my game.”

“It’s cool,” said Telles.  “I’m glad I am going out with a bang.”  Although she still has one more year playing High School golf, this is Tellles’ last summer playing in Oregon Junior Golf since she turns 18 in September.  She’ll finish this summer playing in several major events including the US Girls Junior Amateur, Junior Worlds and the Junior Americas Cup.  She’ll probably play in the Portland City Championhsips next month before making a decision on her collegiate future.

In the Boys Division, Sulman Raza came from behind shooting a 1-under par 71-71-73—216 to capture the Stroke Play title.  The 36-hole leader, Daniel Snoey of Camas, Wash. ballooned on the final day shooting 38-41—79 to fall 4-strokes back finishing alone in fourth place.

Raza, who began the day 2-strokes off the pace set by Snoey, normally does not compete head-to-head against those in the Junior (16-17) Division.   But, unlike most events on the junior circuit where players are placed into age-based divisions, this championship seeks to determine the best overall junior golfer in the region regardless of age. 
 
“My attitude was just out of control,” reflected Raza on his emotional loss last week in the Boys finals of the Oregon Junior Amateur.  “I wanted a win for this year, but I wasn’t playing that well coming into this tournament.  My Mom and Dad talked with me and said, ‘sure, we care how you do, but it’s more important for you to enjoy your round.  Don’t throw a hissy fit if you have a bad hole or two.  We want you to let those holes go.  Forget about them and go out and have fun.  Just play the best you can.’  And that is what I did." 

That lesson really paid off this week and especially in today’s final round pairing that included a head-to-head matchup against his fellow South Eugene High teammate Bobby Monaco.

“I was really happy shooting 1-under par each of the first two days.  Today I felt even better,” said Raza.  “I shot 1-under on the front nine to move into the lead.  When I bogeyed 12, I was pretty mad, but I said to myself, that’s ok,” he added.

Monaco was 2-strokes back at the time.   Then, he birdied the difficult par-5 14th hole to pull even with Raza.  He noted, “I started getting really nervous and had to tell myself to keep it together.  It’s not over yet.”  He approached
the remaining holes as thought it were match play, just taking on his fellow teammate.

On the 405-yard 18th hole, Raza needed to hit a brilliant approach shot with his 4-iron from the rough while Monaco needed only to hit a gap wedge.  “I knew he would stiff it,” said Raza. 

While Raza accomplished his task hitting his approach to 30-feet from the hole, Monaco missed the green sending his ball into the bunker.  “I knew he could pull off a great bunker shot, but it just didn’t spin on him so it went past the hole leaving him 15-feet for a par.  I only had about a foot remaining for my par putt, and that was enough.”

“I was just so nervous over that last putt,” he added.  “I had been making them all day, but this one felt like the hole was smaller than ever." 

While his South Eugene High team took the state title this year, and he looks forward to defending the title with the team returning, Raza felt this was his biggest win so far. 

Entries for this 54-hole Championship are open to junior golfers between the ages of 12 and 17 with a current USGA Handicap Index not exceeding 7.0 for Boys and 14.0 for Girls.