California teen’s 66 leads Founders event

Victoria Sun

Wednesday, June 14, 2000 | 9:44 a.m.

Zack Miller found out this morning that the toughest test of the 54-hole Las Vegas Founders' Legacy Junior tournament wasn't remaining calm enough to hand in his scorecard after he fired a 6-under-par 66 in the opening round Tuesday.

It was how would he play the course, the day after he turned in his best competitive round ever.

Miller teed off this morning with the hopes of returning back to earth after an incredible day.

"I just want to not make mistakes and don't let the older guys intimidate me when I play," he said. "It makes me play better when I play against the older guys."

Entering the second round, the 15-year-old San Rafael, Calif., resident was a stroke ahead of Lance Torrey of Carmel, Calif., and two strokes in front of Kevin Na of Diamond Bar, Calif., and Chez Reavie of Mesa, Ariz.

But it wasn't the fact that Miller carded his first 66 that left him stunned.

It was the way he did it.

He did it in a prestigious field full of future Division I NCAA golfers and potential professionals.

He did it in a city where the temperatures soared well above the mild temperatures he's used to.

He did it as one of the youngest competitors out there, much to the surprise of his dad, who was also stunned when someone in the clubhouse informed him his son had shot a 66.

"Never," Miller said as he shook his head slowly when asking when was the last time he shot a 66. "I'm very happy.

"After 18, I just had a big smile on my face."

Which lasted for a long time.

After what he called a slow start Tuesday in which he parred the first four holes, he birdied the fifth and sixth holes to go 2-under on the front nine. On the back nine, birdies on 10, 11, 14 and 17 were the highlights of his day.

Still, Miller said he wasn't sure it was over until his last ball dropped in.

"I just wanted to stay focused and not lose my concentration," he said. "I knew I had it in me, but I usually can't take it out.

"In this heat, it's a lot different than California. I tried not to let it affect me so I had to concentrate more."