Back-nine 34 wins local golfer spot in junior tournament

Lakeside junior Ryan Blackburn has earned a spot in the American Junior Golf Association's Burgett H. Mooney Jr. Classic. The tournament will wrap up today at the Coosa Country Club in Rome, Ga.

Last weekend, 77 golfers competed for nine spots at the Chateau Elan Golf Club in Braselton, Ga. After opening with a front-side 37, Blackburn closed with a 34 for a 1-under 71. That score placed him third in the field and qualified him for this weekend's event.

Two other Columbia County golfers failed to qualify. Paine Kassinger, also of Lakeside, shot a 74 to miss a playoff by one stroke. Also, Augusta Prep's Clayton Boardman carded a 3-over 75.

The AJGA is the largest golf organization of its kind, with a membership of 5,500 junior golfers from 50 states and 30 foreign countries.

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Greene red-hot last week

Former Evans star Todd Greene has begun to heat up for the Texas Rangers.

Greene, who is playing about every third game, finished last season averaging an astounding one homer for every 11 at-bats. This season, Greene was well below that pace until a recent hot streak. In a recent five-game stretch (four of which were Ranger victories), Greene went deep four times, including a two- homer performance in a 10-3 rout of Cleveland Aug. 1.

During the stretch, Greene was 6-16 with six RBIs. For the season, he has eight home runs and 14 RBIs in 141 at-bats.