Record Book - Golf Digest's rankings of junior amateurs

Golf Digest, Jan, 1999

Golf Digest's rankings of junior amateurs Top-ranked Hybl has it all In a year when competition was so intense that even par at the Lucent Technologies Boys Junior tied for 36th, Ryan Hybl emerged as Golf Digest's No. 1 junior. Hybl's strong play included a 64 at the Optimist International, and the final scores in his four victories totalled an impressive 29 under par.

Hybl's Jacksonville victory gave him great satisfaction, since he finished second there in 1997 to David Gossett, then the No. 1 boy. Erik Compton, who took up golf at age 12 while recuperating from a heart transplant, is ranked second. Now playing for the University of Georgia Bulldogs, he ended his junior career by winning the prestigious Polo Junior Classic and PineIsle.

At No. 3 is James Oh, the U.S. Junior Amateur champion. In the final, Oh played Aaron Baddeley of Australia, the medalist with a record-breaking 135. Although considerably shorter off the tee, Oh persevered and won, 1 up, after sinking a 25-foot putt on 18.

Sean O'Hair, whose family moved from Arizona to Florida so he could attend the David Leadbetter Golf Academy, is ranked fourth. His impressive season included victories at the PGA Junior, MCI and Southern.

Like Oh, No. 5 J.C. DeLeon knows how well Baddeley can play. In their U.S. Junior quarterfinal match, DeLeon was one under after nine holes and was 4 down. However, Baddeley failed to win on U.S. turf, while DeLeon captured two firsts-at R.T. Jones Trail and San Antonio. Topsy Siderowf Bauer best once more Although Beth Bauer played in numerous women's amateur events and at the Dinah Shore, an LPGA major, she considered this past year her last as a junior. Because of her strong performances in all three divisions, she earned GOLF DIGEST's No. 1 ranking.

Bauer won five of the eight junior tournaments she entered, including her fifth successive victory at PineIsle. Her second-place finish at the Lucent Technologies Girls Junior Championship was the result of a playoff with Miriam Nagl, in which both completed regulation play in eight under par.

In second place is Leigh Anne Hardin, who won the 50th U.S. Girls' Junior at Merion Golf Club. Hardin three-peated at Jacksonville with a four-stroke victory over Paula Marti, ranked ninth. Hardin's 10-under 278 at the PGA Junior was only good enough to tie Dorothy Delasin (No. 10), whom Hardin beat in extra holes.

Candie Kung, No. 3, had three big victories last summer. At the Western Junior, a match-play event, she beat Jimin Kang (No. 8) in the final. Kung also prevailed at the Woodlands by six strokes and at the Independent Insurance Agent Junior Classic by three.

At No. 4 is Virada Nirapathpongporn, a native of Thailand who is a junior in high school at the David Leadbetter Golf Academy. Like Kung, she had three wins-R.T. Jones Trail, Hargray and MCI. Completing the top five is Brittany Straza, runner-up at the Girls' Junior. She had wins at Marsh & McLennan, Midwestern and Aspen. Topsy Siderowf

1998 BOYS RANKINGS (Figures in parentheses indicate 1997 ranking.)

1. RYAN HYBL, 17, Colbert, Ga. (9)

Won 1997 Doral, Independent Ins. Agent Jr. Cl., Optimist and Jacksonville; tied for second at Myrtle Beach, for fourth at Lucent, for fifth at 1997 Orange Bowl, for sixth at PineIsle and for 10th at ClubCorp; third at Stonebridge, eighth at MCI and ninth at PGA Jr.

2. ERIK COMPTON, 19, Miami (unranked)

Won 1997 Polo Jr. Cl. and PineIsle; tied for second at 1997 Doral and for third at MCI; third at 1997 Orange Bowl and fifth at T of C; reached third round at Western Jr. Men's events: reached first round at U.S. Amateur.

3. JAMES OH, 16, Lakewood, Calif. (unranked)

Won U.S. Junior; reached third round at Western Jr.; tied for sixth at ClubCorp, for 18th at Mission Hills, for 23rd at 1997 Orange Bowl, for 25th at Woodlands and Las Vegas; 15th at T of C.

4. SEAN O'HAIR, 16, Bradenton, Fla. (unranked)

Won PGA Jr., MCI and Southern; second at Hudson; third at Indigo Run; 18th at ClubCorp; tied for 11th at Lucent, for 20th at Freeport- McDermott and for 28th at PineIsle; reached third round at U.S. Junior.

5. J.C. DeLEON, 17, Tulsa, Okla. (unranked)

Won Jones Trail and San Antonio; tied for second at Wood- lands, for sixth at Freeport-McDermott, for eighth at 1997 Doral and 1997 Orange Bowl, for 30th at Ind. Insurance Agent Jr. Cl. and for 39th at Lucent and ClubCorp; reached quarterfinals at U.S. Junior and second round at Western Jr.

6. JOHN LEPAK, 18, La Habra Heights, Calif. (unranked)

Won T of C; tied for second at Woodlands and Langdon Farms, for fifth at Las Vegas and for seventh at Lucent.

7. BRADY STOCKTON, 19, San Ramon, Calif. (unranked)

Won ClubCorp; tied for second at T of C, for 15th at Las Vegas, for 18th at Woodlands and for 19th at Optimist; runner-up at Western Jr.

8. ADAM RUBINSON, 18, Fort Worth (unranked)

Won Lucent; tied for third at West Texas, for 13th at Kite Chrysler and for 30th at T of C; fifth at Woodlands.

9. DAVID WAGENSELLER, 18, Wilmington, Ohio (unranked)

Won Western Jr. and Hudson; tied for second at Bluegrass and for 21st at T of C and ClubCorp; fourth at 1997 Orange Bowl; eighth at Greensboro; reached quarterfinals at Polo Jr. Cl.