RJ wants another shot at junior championships

R.J. Macaranas wants to take part in the 2008 Callaway Junior Golf Tournament this coming July at the Sycuan Golf Resort in San Diego, California.

If he makes it, the CNMI would not have one but two representatives in the biggest youth competition in golf, whose previous champions include the likes of Phil Mickelson, Tiger Woods, Lorena Ochoa, and Jennifer Rosales.

Brentt Makana Salas, the son of former Commonwealth Ports Authority executive director Carlos Salas and his wife Roxy, earlier qualified for the 7-8 age group of the championships.

In order make a second straight trip to San Diego and join Salas in the 2008 Callaway Junior Golf Tournament, Macaranas would have to shine in the Callaway Junior World qualifier set on June 24 at the Alhambra Golf Course.

“I will be in the most competitive junior world qualifier in any region around the world. In nine holes every year you must be scoring at least even par or better to qualify, where in other regions you may score anywhere from four to 15 over par. And this is just for the nine to 10 year olds,” he said in an email to the Saipan Tribune.

Even if he does not qualify to San Diego, Macaranas’ body of work this year is already impressive.

The son of Richard and Becky Macaranas of Saipan tied for third place in the SCPGA Westlake Village Spring Classic held last April 13 after firing a score of 36.

The two-over-par allowed Macaranas to play in the tournament of champions at the SCPGA Bridgestone Spring Championships in the PGA course at Beaumont, California, set this weekend.

Last April 11, Macaranas and his dad, Richard, were awarded first place for the LBJGA Junior/Adult tournament after the duo combined for two-under par 25. “We were on the greens in regulation on every hole,” Macaranas said.

And then on March 15-16, after working extra hard to prepare for the Los Angeles City Junior Championship, Macaranas wound up tied for second place, which was his best ever placing in a big event.

On March 15, Macaranas also won first place in the 10-and-under age group at the Long Beach Junior Golf Association Recreation Park 9 Championship. He finished with a three-over par 34 and won by 11 strokes.

The victory visibly had the golf prodigy excited.

“I played at Los Feliz from 8am to 10am, then drove down to Long Beach and continued my good play there. I was ‘in the zone’ all around, excellent short game at Los Feliz and long game at Lil’ Rec. I even birdied the tough 158-yard par 3 No. 4 hole,” he said.

Aside from the 2008 Callaway Junior Golf Tournament, Macaranas’ immediate plans include entering the Golf Channel’s Drive, Chip, & Putt contest in Irvine, California.

“I have a good chance of qualifying for the regional finals if my putting and chipping show up. My drives average 205 to 220 yards according to the GPS devices, and I can hit it over 250 when I’m lucky, so I feel confident on the driving challenge,” he said.

This year Macaranas will also attempt to qualify for the U.S. Kids Junior World Championships at Pinehurst North Carolina. The qualifiers he will be playing are set tomorrow, June 1 (U.S. time), at Carlton Oaks Golf Course in San Diego, and Brookside Golf Course in Pasedena on June 16.

He added that he is still deciding whether or not to play in the 2008 San Diego Junior Masters at Carlton Oaks Golf Course. Macaranas said the tournament fee is $175, “so I may turn down their invitation.”

Last year, Macaranas missed the final two rounds of the 2007 Callaway Junior Golf Tournament after scoring a 16-over par 74 in the first round and a 12-over par 70 in the second round. He missed the cut by 15 strokes.