Barry takes 28th at prestigious tourney - July 23, 2003

Mail Tribune (Medford, OR — Wayback)

2003-08-01

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SUNNY Temp: 78 °F Wind: SSE at 5 mph Friday, August 1, 2003  SECTIONS   Home Page  Local News   Sports  Business  Obituaries  Life  Opinion - Politics  AP News  Weather  Classified  Archives  Site Map  EXTRA   HomeLife Magazine   W3 Magazine   Jobs @ Mail Tribune   Tempo A & E   Oregon CarZone   Wellness Connection  Real Estate  Newspaper in Education  Prime Times  Outdoor Journal  Personals  Movie Times  TV Times   E The People  CLASSIFIEDS  Find a Car  Find a Home  Find a Job  Find Everything  E SOUTHERN OREGON  Automotive  Communities  Entertainment  Publications  Recreation  Calendar  ABOUT US  FAQ  What's New  Advertise  Home Delivery  Classified Ad  Contact Us  Media Kit Email Story to a Friend July 23, 2003 Barry takes 28th at prestigious tourney By DON HUNT Mail Tribune Placing 28th out of a field of 205 at a golf tournament might not seem like a big accomplishment. But when it comes against most of the best junior players in the world, it’s certainly noteworthy. Medford’s Mike Barry wound up in that position at the Callaway Junior World Golf Championships last week in San Diego, Calif., after shooting rounds of 74, 79, 73 and 78. Par was 72. Advertisement The tournament was held at Torrey Pines, site of the PGA Tour’s Buick Invitational. "My only expectation going into the tournament was to make the cut, but in looking back I do feel like I could have done a little better," said Barry, 16, who competed in the boys 15-17 age bracket. "I had four 3-putts during the week." The course ranged from 7,200 to 7,400 yards during the four rounds and featured tough pin placements and rough as high as five inches, Barry said. "It’s the toughest course I’ve ever played on," he said. "If you didn’t put the ball in the fairway and got into the rough, it was almost the same as a one-stroke penalty." Barry’s best round came last Thursday when he was 1 over par. He was even-par through 10 holes with one birdie and one bogey, and would have had another birdie during that stretch had he not missed a 3-foot putt on the eighth hole. "It was a 180-yard, par-3 hole and I almost nailed it," said Barry, a junior-to-be at North Medford High. "That was probably my best shot of the week, but then I blew the short putt." However, Barry performed far better in the tournament this time than he did a year ago, when he qualified as a wide-eyed 15-year-old. "Last year everyone was out-driving me by 20 yards," Barry said. "This year I was up with the big hitters. "But more than anything, I felt a lot more comfortable this time. I’m a year older and I went down there knowing the course and knowing what to expect." More than 50 college coaches from throughout the country were on hand to scout the players, who hailed from all around the globe. Japan’s Yuta Ikeda won the 15-17 boys age division with rounds of 73, 73, 69 and 74. His aggregate score of 289 was 1 over par. Past winners of the tournament include Notah Begay in 1990 and Tiger Woods in 1991. Barry is in Corvallis today playing in the Big I Insurance Tournament at Trysting Tree Golf Course. Reach reporter Don Hunt at 776-4469, or e-mail [email protected] Printer Friendly Version   Email Story to a Friend Subscribe Archive: Click to Search Mail Tribune Home Local News  | Sports  | Business  | Obituaries  | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives  |  Site Map   E Southern Oregon  | Classified   Copyright © 1997-2003 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions Website Feedback A D V E R T I S E R S SPECIAL SECTIONS Rogue Valley Auto Finder Rogue Valley Job Finder --> Rogue Valley Home Finder Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Tempo Real Estate Showcase Food for Thought Hike of the Week Wellness Connection Outdoor Journal Moving to Southern Oregon? Volunteer Openings Prime Times