Nov. 17, 2011

Five outstanding junior golfers have signed National Letters of Intent to play at UCLA in the Fall of 2012, Head Coach Derek Freeman announced this week.

Californians Jonathan Garrick (St. Francis HS / Atherton, CA), Jake Knapp (Estancia HS / Costa Mesa, CA) and Patrick-Reilly McMahon (Righetti HS / Santa Maria, CA) along with Hawaiians Lorens Chan (Iolani HS / Honolulu, HI) and Aaron Kunitomo (Kamehameha Schools / Lahaina, HI) are expected to enroll next September and begin their careers at UCLA.

Garrick is the seventh-ranked junior golfer in the country and a two-time AJGA First-Team All-American. He tied for 19th in stroke play competition at the 2011 U.S. Amateur before advancing to the second round of match play. On the AJGA circuit in the last 12 months, he recorded three Top 5 results.

Knapp is ranked 34th nationally this week, following a victory at the 2011 Toyota Cup Series at Soboba Springs in October where he posted scores of 69-65--134 (-10) and a T5 at the Winn Grips Classic in April. In 10 starts on the junior circuit, he recorded seven Top 10 finishes. He also won the 2010 Toyota Tour Cup Series boys division championship.

McMahon won the Toyota Tour Cup Series at Rancho San Marcos earlier this month with scores of 71-77--148 (+6). In April, he tied for third at the Winn Gripps Classic, firing a 66 in the final round. Also in April, he posted a round of 63 in a league match to set a conference single round record. Ranked 114th by GolfWeek he also tied for 20th at the Puerto Rico Jr. Open in January.

Chan is ranked 23rd among junior golfers and was named an AJGA Second-Team All-American last month. A senior at Iolani HS in Honolulu, he is a two-time winner of the Mamala Bay Hickam Invitational, the Hawaii State High School Boys Championship and the Hawaii State Amateur Stroke-Play Championship.

Kunitomo, a participant in the 2011 U.S. Amateur Publinks Championship, was ranked 70th by the Junior Golf Scoreboard in September. He has won two events on the junior circuit.

"All of these players are not only accomplished golfers, they're solid students and outstanding young men," said Freeman. "They fit into our system very well. They've each enjoyed successful junior careers and it will be exciting to watch them grow and improve during their collegiate careers at UCLA."