Can advances in U.S. Junior

Friday, July 26th 2002, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

DULUTH, Ga. (AP) _ Tarik Can of New York, the co-medalist playing match play for the first time in his golf career, advanced to the second round of the U.S. Junior Amateur Championship.

Can, the 17-year-old from Douglaston in Queens, beat Matt Edwards of Henderson, Nev., 5 and 4 on Thursday on the Atlanta Athletic Club's par-70 Highlands Course.

Can was five holes up after six holes, but Edwards cut the margin to three on the 12th hole. Can won the 13th hole with a birdie and ended the match with a par on the 14th.

``I tried to keep it in the fairway and keep it on the greens because this is the first time I've ever played match play,'' Can said. ``My caddie really helped me out. He told me how it's a putting match and the matches get tougher as they go along.''

Jarred Texter of Lancaster, Pa., the other co-medalist, dropped a 2-up decision to Shane Sigsbee of McKinney, Texas.

Defending champion Henry Liaw of Rowland Heights, Calif., routed Tom Guillebeau of Hockessin, Del., 8 and 6.

Casey Wittenberg of Memphis, Tenn., defeated David Merkow of Hartland, Wis., 4 and 3.

The second round of stroke play was completed Thursday morning, with Can shooting a 69, and Texter a 70 to top the 64 match-play qualifiers at 1-under 139.