Seemingly the only person not high on Cory Whitsett's sixth-place finish at the Houston Boys Invitational Monday was Whitsett himself.

The Memorial High School sophomore stayed in contention to win the 54-hole American Junior Golf Association event most of the weekend, but fell back in the field by shooting 4-over par in the final round on a breezy but otherwise picture-perfect day at Redstone Golf Club in Humble.

Whitsett, a three-time winner on the AJGA Tour, parred 10 holes Monday but bogeyed six more, including the final three to finish at 5-over par 221, seven shots behind winner Morgan Hoffmann.

"It's good for people who don't want to win," said Whitsett, ranked No. 1 in the Polo Golf Junior Rankings. "I made bogey on (No. 6) but I wasn't really concerned; I didn't make much of it. It was a tough two-putt. I misread it. It was pretty bulky today on the greens. ...

"I had the chances to (compete). I just didn't play well enough."

Whitsett was even until No. 6, when he shot 5 for his second straight bogey. He shot 6 on No. 8 and recovered to hit par-3 on No. 9, but didn't get within four shots of the leader the rest of the day.

"I hit my irons well," Whitsett said. "I don't think there's a lot I need to work on."

Hoffmann, an Oklahoma State signee from Saddlebrook, N.J., entered the day tied for second with Cody Gribble. They remained deadlocked until No. 18, when Gribble hit into the water en route to a quadruple bogey and Hoffmann parred.

Whitsett finished three shots better than friendly rival Peter Uihlein, another Oklahoma State signee from Bradenton, Fla.

Several college coaches were at the tournament, including Georgia and Washington at No. 18 as Whitsett finished.

"I think this may be a better field than the U.S. Junior (Amateur, which he won in 2007)," Whitsett said. "All the top players don't qualify for that. But today, playing Sunday tees with every tee back, in these conditions you're going to get your butt kicked a little bit."

Stratford senior James Kwon, a SMU commit, shot 5-over Monday to finish at 14-over 230. His day went south at No. 6, when he accidentally grounded his club in a hazard for a two-shot penalty that took him from 1-over to 3-over.

"My ball-striking was really good this weekend," Kwon said. "My putting just wasn't as good as I wanted it to be. My weakness is my short game and I want to work on. You take away a lot from this weekend because the field is so strong."

Benjamin Thorseth, a Strake Jesuit senior from Richmond, shot 2-over 74 and finished at 17-over 233, tied with Sugar Land's Blake Redmond.

"You learn to appreciate what the PGA Tour does out here," Kwon said. "Adam Scott shot (11)-under last year (in the final round of the Shell Houston Open) and I'm struggling to shoot 20-over. You appreciate what they do and how hard it is to become a top pro on that level."

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