Tocoi Creek junior Ambrose Kinnare rallies from rough start in Junior Players

PONTE VEDRA BEACH | Ambrose Kinnare of St. Augustine isn't in the lead at the Junior Players Championship.

He's not even close.

But he gave a lesson in how to battle in the second round on Sept. 5 at the Players Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass.

Kinnare, a junior at Tocoi Creek High School who has won five tournaments, finished second eight times and had 18 top-three finishes over the last two years in a combination of junior and amateur events, shot 82 in the first round on Sept. 4. He was tied for 76th and only three shots ahead of last place.

"A lot of little things," he said of his first round, which included six bogeys in eight holes during one stretch, with only two birdies. "I missed a lot of shots by like 5 yards … a little bit out there and

you're making [big] numbers."

JUNIOR PLAYERS CHAMPIONSHIP LEADERBOARD

JUNIOR PLAYERS CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL ROUND GROUPS, TEE TIMES

But he never gave a thought to withdrawing, showed up for the second round and after early bogeys at Nos. 5 and 7, settled down to shoot even-par 36 on the second nine for a 74, eight shots lower than his first round. He's 12-over and in a tie for 66th.

Kinnare's round was highlighted by a chip-in birdie at the par-3 17th hole. His tee shot went long and left, over the front hole placement, but he rammed the chip in and did a bit of a celebration dance.

"A little 54 [degree wedge], a couple of bounces and it rolled in," he said.

Kinnare would be the first to tell anyone he doesn't have a prayer in the final round on Sept. 6. He's 16 shots behind co-leaders Guiseppe Puebla (72) of Royal Palm Beach, Sam Carraher (70) of Crown Point, Ind., and Dawson Lew (69) of Toronto, with Chase Bauer (74) of Gotha and Brady Barnum (70) of Dublin, Ohio tied at 3-under.

But just for fun, Kinnare can strive to be the low Toro. High school teammate Kaden James (77) is tied for 47th at 7-over, five clear of Kinnare.

Tour winners have had tough days at Junior Players

Kinnare is in good company with his first round. Future PGA Tour winner Grayson Murray shot 90 in the first round in 2011. Another Tour winner, Will Zalatoris, put together three rounds in the 80s in 2010. Sam Burns, Talor Gooch, Smylie Kaufman and Keith Mitchell all shot in the 80s in the Junior Players, and went on to win on the PGA Tour.

Kinnare said the second round proved something to himself.

"I can play decent out here," he said. "I played terrible yesterday and just changed a few things off the tee. That's kind of it, really."

Kinnare backed off the driver on many holes, used fairway metals or long irons, and gave himself chances to hit greens. He birdied Nos. 11 and 12, had a setback when he drove into the water at No. 16 for the second day in a row, and salvaged a bogey, then made his chip-in at No. 17 and parred the last.

"I guess I've got to learn some math," he said. "Today I hit a lot of 2- and 3-irons. But you've got to be 100 percent focused on every shot on this course. I play my home course, the Slammer & Squire, and its so easy … driver, wedge. I'm not thinking there. Out here, you've got to think a little bit."

College coach gives Kinnare high marks

Kinnare was being shadowed by several college coaches during this second round and one said the ability to rally from a bad day showed him something about Kinnare that can't be measure by launch monitors or even scorecards.

"He's super-talented," said the coach, who wasn't identified because NCAA rules prohibit coaches from commenting publicly on prospects until they sign a letter-of-intent. "Yesterday wasn't anything that's normal from what we've seen."

Then the coach added a kicker.

"You recruit the dog inside," he said.

Charlie Woods still in the hunt

Charlie Woods, the son of two-time Players champion Tiger Woods, had a 73 in the second round and at even par 144, is very much in contention — along with 13 other players within four shots of the trio tied at the top.

Woods began the day in fine fashion with birdies at Nos. 2 and 3, made up for bogeys at Nos. 4 and 6 with a birdie at the 10th, the fell into a skid with bogeys at Nos. 11, 12 and 16.

The latter bogey came after his second shot found the water. But he finished with a birdie at No. 18, his second at the closing hole this week.

Woods will tee off No. 1 at 9:30 a.m. with fellow Palm Beach County player Matthew Marigliano and Esteban Llorente of Colombia.

This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Tocoi Creek junior Ambrose Kinnare rallies from rough start in Junior Players