It was a dominant week for British Columbia golfers last week at Deer Park Golf Course in Yorkton.
At the end of four rounds in the Canadian Junior Girls Championship, Michelle Kim of Surrey, B.C. stood alone atop the leader board with a 6-under-par 286.
“This is probably the biggest achievement that I’ve ever made,” she said. “I still can’t believe it. It feels amazing especially because it is my last junior tournament and I’ve worked really hard.”
The win gives Kim a berth in the 2016 Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship at the Ken-Wo Golf Club in New Minas, Nova Scotia July 26 to 29 and exemptions into the 2016 season’s three Canadian Women’s Tour events.
The 18-year-old has no plans of turning pro, however. Next year she plans to start school at the University of Idaho where she will play NCAA golf.
Kim’s teammate and fellow Surrey resident Hannah Lee carded a two-under 71 in the final round Friday to claim solo second place and the Juvenile Division title for girls 16 and under.
“I was close to winning it, but I’m really happy for Michelle,” she said. “I’ve seen her golf ever since I started playing tournaments, so congrats to her. It’s an honour to win the Juvenile part of Nationals.”
Lee who held the first round lead after setting the Deer Park competitive course record with a seven-under-par 66 struggled in the wind and rain on Wednesday and Thursday giving back five strokes to the field.
Her 75 on the second round allowed Jessica Ip of Richmond Hill, B.C. to claim the 36-hole lead with consistent play for a first-round 70 and second-round 69.
Ip’s consistency failed her Thursday as she carded five bogeys and two doubles on her way to a 78. Kim quickly overtook her fellow British Columbian with five birdies on the day and would not relinquish the lead again.
Ip finished in a tie for sixth, four-over-par after a 79 Friday.
She said it gives her a “big confidence boost” for the start of her NCAA career.
In all, B.C. players captured the top-5 spots in both the overall competition and the Juvenile Division.
The top Saskatchewan player in the field, Brooke Hobson of Prince Albert, finished the week at 313, 21-over-par for a tie for 28th place.
Within the individual tournament, there was also a two-day team competition. The B.C. team, made up of Kim, Lee and 12-year-old Akari Hayashi, also took the team competition shooting seven-under-par to win by 20 strokes over Céleste Dao, Sarah-Eve Rheaume and Annie Lacombe of Team Québec.
Hayashi went on to finish tied for 47th place.
The Saskatchewan team which included Melville’s Chloe Sies along with Hobson and Kayla Sawchuk of Prince Alberta finished 36-strokes back in a tie for sixth with Team Alberta and Team Nova Scotia.
Sies missed the cut after shooting a two-day total of 172, 26-over-par.
The cool, windy and rainy weather claimed at least one victim. On Friday a gust that toppled the first hole starter’s tent, broke the Juvenile Champion’s trophy.
Nevertheless, Jason St. Jacques, a spokesperson for Golf Canada said Yorkton and Deer Park did an excellent job of hosting.
“Deer Park was great,” he said “The course was in awesome condition.”
