Villaroman Opens Title Defense With Round of 66 to Lead by 2

SAN DIEGO —  Defending champion Carito Villaroman of the Philippines shot a six-under-par 66 on Torrey Pines’ South Course Tuesday to take the first-round lead in the Junior World Golf Championships. Villaroman, 17, won the championship by one stroke last July.

Villaroman leads by two strokes over Randy Lee of Houston and by four over Bob Croskrey of Portland.

In the girls’ 15-17 division at Torrey Pines’ North Course, Amy Furhwirth of Cypress, Michele Lyford of Redlands and Michelle McGann of Riviera Beach, Fla., all shot one-under-par 71 to tie for the first-round lead. Ray Bell and Bonita’s Christy Erb are tied at 72.

At the Balboa Park Golf Course, Warren Schulte of South Africa and Brandie Burton of Rialto took first-round leads in the 13-14 division. Schulte leads the boys’ division with a 71, one shot ahead of Reynold Lee and three ahead of three golfers including Charlie Wi of Downey and Gerald Won of Los Angeles. Burton, with a 74, leads Camarillo’s Stephanie Martin by one shot in the girls’ division.

At Mission Bay in the 11-12 division, Brian Brown of Rocky Mountain, N.C., shot a 55 to take a three-stroke lead in the boys’ division. Leanne Wong of Los Angeles leads the girls’ division with a 61. Ivonne Mercado of Mexico is two shots behind Wong.

In the boys’ 10-and-under division at Presidio Hills, two-time champion Eldrick (Tiger) Woods of Cypress trails by six strokes after shooting a 59.

Martin Valdes of the Philippines leads after a 53.

On the par-3, 90-yard fourth hole, Point Loma’s Tyler Hobbs shot a hole in one. He finished with a 62, nine strokes off the lead.

In the girls’ division, Jan Kotoshirodo, last year’s 10-and-under winner, shot 57 for an eight-stroke lead.