EUROPEAN BOYS SHINE IN FLORIDA SUN

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Colin@scottishgolfview.com
Not so long ago United States competitors dominated the Junior Orange Bowl boys' golf championship over the Biltmore course at sunny Coral Gables, Florida.
Think Ryder Cup and Walker Cup ... and it's a sign of the golfing times that with one round to go in this year's tournament, five of the leading six players are from Europe.
The odd boy out has a famous name in South American golf - Cerda - Juan Cerda from Chile, joint leader after 54 holes on five-under-par 208 with Poland's Adrian Meronk.
Defending champion Max Rottluff (Germany), winner of the Golfdatalab Scottish youths championship and beaten finalist in the British boys, both in 2010, has slipped back to a share of 10th place but, on 208, he is still in with an outside chance of swooping over Friday's final round to retain the prestigious title for Under-18s.
England's Nathan Kimsey, the only entrant from Britain or Ireland in the worldwide field, is back in a share of 53rd place on 228.
In the girls' championship, South Korea's Hyo Joo Kim continues to make the running. She had a sub-par round for the third day in a row - a two-under-par 69 to put her on six-under 207.
Still second, but now four shots behind on 211, is the French girl Celine Boutier, who was beaten in the British girls final at Gullane last August. Celine actually outscored the leader in the third round with a three-under 68 to Kim's 69 but it is difficult to envisage the South Korean player going to pieces over Friday's final 18 holes.

Leading third-round totals
BOYS
Par 213 (3x71). Yardage 6742
208 Juan Cerda (Chile) 68 70 70, Adrian Meronk (Pol) 70 70 68.
209 Thomas Detry (Bel) 72 69 68, Markus Maunkner (Aut) 68 68 73.
210 Rowin Caron (Net) 71 68 71, Emil Sogaard (Den) 73 68 69.
Selected scores
212 Max Rottluff (Ger) 67 73 72 (T10).
228 Nathan Kimsey (Eng) 79 74 75 (T53).

GIRLS
Par 213 (3x71) Yardage 6089
207 Hyo Joo Kim (South Korea) 68 70 69.
211 Celine Boutier (France) 72 71 68.
213 Brooke Henderson (Canada) 73 71 69.
215 Perrine Delacour (France) 72 73 70, Emily Pedersen (Denmark) 71 74 70.
217 Antonia Scherer (Germany) 78 69 70.
219 Daniela Darques (Ecuador) 74 73 72.


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DAY 3 REPORT BY JOB PRESS OFFICER DAVID MACKINTOSH

Polish Junior Open champion Adrian Meronk and Chile’s Junior Champion Juan Cerda are the new Boys' Division leaders, tied at five-under par after 54-holes. Austria’s Marcus Maukner, the second-round leader, and Belgian Thomas Detry are one stroke back.
Nine players representing nine separate nations are within three strokes of the lead, setting up one of the closest final-day Boys' contests in recent years. South Korea’s Hyo Joo Kim (68, 70, 69) continues her dominance of the Girls' Division, four strokes ahead of her closest challenger France’s Celine Boutier, six in front of Canada’s Brooke Henderson.
Meronk surged into the lead with four birdies in his first 14 holes but bogeys at the 16th and 17th gave Cerda a catch-up opportunity, which he immediately took by holing a spectacular 25ft birdie putt at the closing hole.
“It was a nice way to finish and gives me good feelings for tomorrow,” commented the 18-year old from Santiago.
Meronk has played tournaments in eight countries around the world this year and next month takes pre-college exams with a view to studying in the United States.
“It has been a great experience and hopefully will help me tomorrow,” he said, adding that he enjoys displaying his skills to spectators.
Key to his round was holing a bunker shot for birdie at the 13th and following up with a long birdie putt on the 14th.
“I played very poorly, but despite that I’m only one off the lead,” commented Maukner, who had two early birdies, then dropped four shots over his last 11 holes.
“That’s good news and something positive to take into the final round. I still have strong expectations that I can win from this position.”
The disheartening news for 16-year old Kim’s co-competitors is she feels her greens play needs improvement.
“I putt badly today, miss too many shot putts,” she said.