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In the end, there was no denying Michelle Kim at the sa国际传媒 Junior Girls鈥� Golf Championship. The recently crowned sa国际传媒 Women鈥檚 Amateur champion added the provincial junior title to her collection on Friday, carding an impressive 4-under 69 to finish at a total of 4-under 288, nine shots ahead of local 12-year-old Akari Hayashi of Uplands Golf Club.
Kim, of Surrey, toured around Cordova Bay Golf Course in workmanlike fashion in the final round and lifted the hardware exactly a week after winning the women鈥檚 amateur at Duncan Meadows, cashing in on two Island stops.
鈥淚t feels amazing, especially because I won last week, too. I鈥檝e played this event for so many years and it feels amazing to finally get the win,鈥� said Kim, who will soon turn 18 and will attend the University of Idaho in the fall.
鈥淚 still can鈥檛 believe it. I鈥檝e worked really hard with my dad and I just remember my sister, Taylor, giving me a really big hug before I came here and saying: 鈥楪o get that trophy. I know you can, plus it鈥檚 the only thing [trophy] we don鈥檛 have in the house.鈥� 鈥�
Taylor, 20, won last year鈥檚 Women鈥檚 Amateur, but finished second to Michelle in Duncan. The two Kims are off to Portland to try to qualify on Tuesday for the U.S. Amateur.
Hayashi finished second at 5-over 297 after a final round 78 and makes Team sa国际传媒 for the Canadian Junior, set for Aug. 4-7 at Deer Park Golf Course in Yorkton, Sask.
She joins Michelle Kim and Hannah Lee, who finished third with a final round 75 and 299 total. Lee, 15, is also from Surrey.
鈥淚鈥檓 really happy because this is my first time to finish in the top five or 10 [of a provincial event],鈥� said Hayashi, who had a gallery following her for most of the day.
鈥淚t was like a miracle [finish],鈥� she added of the Top 3.
Kim used her experience to her advantage playing in the final group with Hayashi and Euna Han, also 12, as the winner put the pedal to the metal. After she and Hayashi both bogeyed No. 1., Kim bounced back with birdies on holes 2, 3, 5, 7 and 9.
Tied with Hayashi starting the day, Kim鈥檚 lead was six at the turn and she added another birdie at No. 12. Hayashi had seven bogeys and two birdies in her round, including a short birdie putt on the par-5 18th.
Han was in good position to secure the third team spot, but took a quadruple 7 on the par-3 17th after blasting out of the back bunker and into the water hazard in front.
鈥淚 honestly thought I wouldn鈥檛 make it, but I鈥檓 thankful and happy I did,鈥� Lee said of securing the final team spot.
Shirin Anjarwalla of Nanaimo Golf Club finished fifth, thanks to a final round 3-under 70 that left her at 301.
鈥淭hings went well for me today. Putts were finally dropping,鈥� she said.
鈥淚 thought the course played really tough this week with some tough pins.鈥�
Abigail Rigsby of Crown Isle was 13th, six shots back of Anjarwalla and Megan Ratcliffe of Pheasant Glen was 21st. Hayashi鈥檚 older sister, Mirai, was tied for 29th.
CHIP SHOTS: Duncan鈥檚 Callum Davison, who plays out of Pheasant Glen, was third at the sa国际传媒 Junior Boys event in Osoyoos and will represent Team BC at nationals at Summerlea Golf & Country Club in Vaudreuil-Dorion, Que., Aug. 3-6. Tristan Mandur of Arbutus Ridge was tied for 11th. 鈥� Royal Colwood鈥檚 Naomi Ko finished tied for second at the Ontario Women鈥檚 Amateur at 4-under 284.
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