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JR

PostedĀ April 4, 2007

Team USA Looks To Retake World Junior Golf Team Championship

Cole, Henley, Putnam, Ziegler to represent America

NORMAN, Okla. -

Spencer Cole of Greer, S.C., Russell Henley of Macon, Ga., Andrew Putnam of University Place, Wash., and Steve Ziegler of Broomfield, Colo., will represent their country in the 2007 World Junior Golf Team Championship June 19-22 in Toyota City, Japan. Coaching Team USA will be Kyle Blaser of Oklahoma City University. The Americans are looking to regain the title after winning the championship in 2004 and 2005 and placing fifth in last year's event. This year's event will take place at the Chukyo Golf Club - the same location that has hosted the tournament the previous two years.

Cole - an Alabama signee - is a 2005 Third-Team and 2006 Honorable Mention AJGA Rolex All-American. The Canon Cup Team member won the 2006 and 2007 Verizon Junior Heritage Tournament as well as the 2006 AJGA Hargray Classic. "It's a very big deal and I'm really looking forward to the opportunity," Cole said.

Henley is a three-time Georgia All-State selection and two-time Georgia State Golf Association Player of the Year. He won the 2005 Middle Georgia Championship Tournament and the 2006 Georgia State Golf Association Junior Golf Championship. "I never thought I would be on this team, but now that I've been seclected, I'm very excited," the Georgia signee said.

Putnam - the 2006 Washington and Pacific Northwest Player of the Year - is a Second-Team AJGA Rolex All-American. He won the 2006 AJBA Pacific Northwest and was a semi-finalist at the U.S. Junior. "Anytime you get a chance to represent your country is a great opportunity. The feeling is just amazing," said Putnam, a signee at Pepperdine University.

Ziegler - an AJGA HP Scholastic All-American and Second-Team AJGA Rolex All American - is the two-time high school player of the year in Colorado. He won the 2006 FCWT UNM Golf Classic and finished as the runner-up at the 2006 AJGA Midwest Junior. He has signed with Stanford. "I was thrilled [to be invited]," Ziegler commented. "There is no greater privilege than to represent your country."

"We're going to play our hardest to get the cup back to the States," said Team USA and Oklahoma City University Head Coach Kyle Blaser. "The Americans have some of the best players in the world, especially at the junior level, and that's something I take pride in."

Team USA will leave Los Angeles for Japan on June 14. Practice rounds and a sightseeing tour will take place before the tournament's first round on June 19.