UCI men’s golf adds pair of ranked recruits

Michael Yang and Jerry He, No. 54 and No. 68, respectively, in the American Junior Golf Assn. national rankings, have signed national letters of intent to compete next season at UC Irvine, Anteaters men’s golf coach Paul Smolinski said.

Yang, a native of Taiwan who attends The Pendleton School in Bradenton, Fla., received honorable mention in voting for the 2008 AJGA All-America team.

Yang won the 2008 AJGA Ringgold Telephone Company Junior Classic title (66-71-70), was fifth in the Future Collegians World Tour’s IMG Leadbetter Open and tied for 17th at the Western Junior Championship. In 2007, he won the AJGA First America Junior Title Classic (70-70-73) and the International Junior Golf Tour’s Bent Tree Classic (71-75).

He, a native of China who attends Bradenton (Fla.) Prep, finished second in the Florida Azalea Amateur, third in the Verizon Junior Heritage, sixth in the AJGA Ringgold Telephone Company Junior Classic and tied with Yang for 17th in the Western Junior Championship. In 2007, He won the Southern Junior Championship and the CJGA World Junior Challenge.

“I am thrilled that Jerry and Michael have decided to join our Anteater golf program,” Smolinski said. “Both players bring with them a tremendous amount of tournament experience and I am confident that each will make significant contributions immediately next season.”

— From staff reports