US TOUR NEWS:NEW ZEALAND teenager Danny Lee, who eclipsed Tiger Woods last month as the youngest US amateur champion, has set his sights on victory when he makes his second USPGA Tour appearance of the season this week.
The 18-year-old Rotorua High School senior said he wanted to impress at the €4.3 million Turning Stone Resort Championship in Verona, New York.
"I'm not just here for making the cut," Lee said during preparation for today's opening round.
"Hopefully if I play well enough I can win this tournament. That's my goal."
Lee, who beat American Drew Kittleson 5 and 4 in the US amateur final in Pinehurst, North Carolina last month, plans to turn professional after next year's US Open.
Whether or not he triumphs on Sunday, he intends to maintain the bold approach to the game which has so far served him well.
"It's not going to change me," said Lee, who is in this week's field on a sponsor's exemption.
"Every tournament I play, even the major tournaments, I'm coming over here to win, not just making the cut, so . . ."
Lee, who turned 18 in July, was more than six months younger than 1994 US amateur champion Woods when he outclassed Kittleson in their 36-hole final at Pinehurst.
At Atunyote, however, he faces a strong field of battle-hardened professionals in the second event of the PGA Tour's seven-tournament Fall Series.
Former major winners Davis Love III, David Duval, Rich Beem, Mark Calcavecchia and Steve Elkington are competing, along with emerging American talent Seán O'Hair.
The field also includes several USPGA Tour champions this season, among them Japan's Ryuji Imada, Swedes Carl Pettersson and Richard S Johnson and Americans Steve Lowery and Will MacKenzie. American left-hander Steve Flesch defends the title he won by two strokes last year.
Meanwhile the leading American players are unlikely to change their schedules after the European Tour raised the number of mandatory events for membership to 12 tournaments, Ernie Els said yesterday.
Players including world number two Phil Mickelson have mooted playing more events in Europe to qualify for next year's multi-million dollar Race to Dubai event, but Els said the Tour's move had probably scuppered that.
"For US players to change their schedules and play here, I don't think so," South African Els said.
"Mickelson has indicated he wants to play a bit more around the world, he's bought a new airplane so I think he can put some miles on it.
"But I don't know if there's going to be special exemptions for players to to play in the Race to Dubai. If that's not the case I don't know if the (American) guys will really change their schedules to that extent."
Verona Championship
Course:Atunyote GC, Verona, New York.
Length:7,482 yards. Par: 72.
Prize-money:€4.3 million, €770,000 for the winner.
Field:132.
Defending champion:Steve Flesch beat Michael Allen by two.
Course winners playing:John Rollins and Steve Flesch.
On TV:All four days on Setanta Golf, starting 8pm tonight.
Weather:Mixture of rain, sun and cloud.
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