Cypress’ Woods Shoots 73 to Win Desert Classic

RANCHO MIRAGE —  Tiger Woods of Cypress shot a one-over par 73 Thursday to win the boys’ 15-18 division of the Mission Hills Desert Junior Classic by five strokes.

Woods, who will be a sophomore at Western High in Anaheim this fall, finished with a 54-hole total of 216 at the Mission Hills Country Club. Michael Miller of Valencia and Larry Alford of Houston were second at 221.

It was the second Amateur Junior Golf Assn. title for Woods this season. In May, he won the Phoenix Junior Championship. In high school competition, Woods won the Southern Section Individual title as well as the CIF-SCGA Individual championship.

Ben Garner of El Toro won his second consecutive tournament, taking the boys’ 13-14 division by 10 shots.

Garner’s 75 Thursday gave him a three-round total of 218, outdistancing Michael Lawrence, of Tucson, Ariz., who also had a 75.

Emilee Klein of Studio City won her fourth AJGA tournament this season, shooting a 73 to finish at 213. Kellee Booth of Coto de Caza shot an 80 to finish in a tie for sixth at 236.

Other county players competing in the boys’ 15-18 division: Paul Hinkle of Costa Mesa (228), Richard Son of Fullerton (229), James Mohon of Seal Beach (232), Dan Dalton of Huntington Beach (234), William Shin of Cerritos (238), Scott Gibson of Huntington Beach (240), Jason Hewitt of Laguna Niguel (245), Matt Freeman of Fullerton (245), Christopher Beck of Costa Mesa (247) and Joe Garner of El Toro (253).

In the boys’ 13-14 division: Robert Son of Fullerton (234), Han Joo Lee of Cerritos (241) and Jeff McGraw of Fullerton (246).

In the girls’ division: Sandy Song of Cerritos (250).