Cindy Koira, who plays out of Victoria Golf Club and Gorge Vale, continued showing why she is a player to watch.
Koira, who last month finished her Grade 11 year at Stelly鈥檚 Secondary, was the leader after two rounds Wednesday at the sa国际传媒 junior girls鈥� championship being played at Fairwinds Golf Club in Nanoose Bay.
The rising Saanich Peninsula golfer held a three-stroke lead at 5-over 147 following opening rounds of 73 and 74. The final two rounds are today and Friday.
Angela Arora of Beach Grove in Tsawwassen was second at 8-over 150 and Katherine Hao of Fraserview third at 11-over 153 as Fairwinds proved stubborn and difficult.
Koira was 2-under after 12 holes Wednesday but the course got the better of everybody, even the leader.
鈥淚 was not happy with the way the round ended,鈥� said Koira.
鈥淚 was getting a little tired. I hope to play better [today] and under par.鈥�
Lana Rummel of Gorge Vale was tied for 18th at 167.
Koira advanced to the provincials by beating two-time defending champion Akari Hayashi of Uplands by four strokes in the two-day Zone 5 championship played at Cedar Hill and Victoria clubs last month. Koira completed rounds of 69 and 75 to defeat Hayashi.
Koira, coached by her yoga-studio owner dad Ravi Koira, is now getting closer to the next goal with her home-Island performance this week at Fairwinds. The top-three finishers in the provincial tournament will comprise the sa国际传媒 team at the Canadian junior championship July 29 to Aug. 2 in Lethbridge, Alta.
Koira placed 19th individually last year at the junior nationals. But that was just the appetizer and she is targeting a big-time leap this year.
鈥淥verall, I鈥檝e improved over the last year,鈥� said the 16-year-old, who won the Junior Vikes Tour last year, and was sixth two years ago in the 13-14 age-class Euro juniors in Scotland and played in the world juniors in Pinehurst, North Carolina.
The sa国际传媒 junior boys鈥� championship is also taking place at Fairwinds. Brycen Ko of Shaughnessy was leading through two rounds at 1-under 141. It was the lone under-par score recorded by either the boys or girls as Fairwinds took the measure of these young aspirants, who are looking forward to big things in the game, whether through U Sports or the NCAA, with dreams of being en route to pro golf.
First-round boys鈥� leader, Fort Langley golfer Jackson Jacob of Northview, shot a second-round 72 after his Tuesday 70 and was at even-par 142. Michael Crisologo of Marine Drive was third at 3-over 145.
Richard Zhang of Cordova Bay and Jackson Rothwell of Victoria Club were tied for 14th with 8-over 150s and Daniel Bennett of Victoria Club, Eli Greene of Nanaimo and Conor Watson of Cordova Bay were tied for 19th at plus-10 152 in the field of 114.
The top-three will be on the sa国际传媒 team to the 2019 Canadian boys鈥� junior championship Aug. 12-15 in Hartland, New Brunswick.
