PENTICTON, B.C. — The junior girls course record at Penticton Golf & Country Club fell twice in the final two rounds of the B.C. Junior Girls Championship this week, and the champion still won by six shots.
Emma Kral, a 16-year-old from Victoria who plays out of Olympic View Golf Club, posted rounds of 70, 67 and 71 for an eight-under-par 208 total, leading from start to finish. Last year's runner-up at the provincial championship, Kral left no doubt this time — her second-round 67 on Wednesday set a new junior girls course record and opened an eight-stroke cushion heading into the final round.
"I was really excited to have a week where everything came through," Kral said. "This past year it's been really good, had a few solid scores, but it's never really clicked, so it was really nice having a week where it all came together."
She credited her approach game, a winter project with coaches Lindsay, Mark and on-site coach Michelle McCann, for the breakthrough. Hitting greens consistently allowed her to settle into rounds early and build from there.
"Especially my approach game, it's been something I've worked really hard on this past winter, so hitting a lot of greens this week was super good," she said. "I play well when I get a good start, so it was nice to start well all week and let myself settle into the round."
Kral's grandparents flew in for the week. "I love having my family come watch me play," she said. "It's been special to be able to play in front of them and have that support."
Golf runs deep in the Kral family. Her dad, Scott Kral, is a two-time B.C. Junior Boys champion who played collegiate golf at the University of Washington before turning professional. Her mom, Alanna Deegan, is director of instruction at Olympic View.
Tam's closing 66
Charlotte Tam sat four over par and 11 strokes back through 36 holes. Her final-round 66 — six under par — moved her into a share of second, capping a week where she improved each round: 76, 72, 66. That closing score broke Kral's day-old record by one and tied the all-time women's mark at the club.
Tam finished at two-under 214, level with Royal Colwood's Anna Wu of Victoria and Taylor Heine of Aliso Viejo, Calif. Both Wu and Heine closed with 69s.
The back-to-back records at Penticton followed Finley Dober's eight-under 64 at the B.C. Junior Boys at Nk'mip Canyon Desert Golf Course two weeks earlier — the second straight B.C. junior championship where the course record fell.
Better ball and zone competition
The better ball competition produced its own final-round reversal. Tam and Vancouver's Doris Hiu Tung Liu carded a 62 — 10 under par — on Thursday to overtake Emma Kral and Vienna Scheffer of Victoria, who had led through 36 holes. Tam and Liu finished at 18-under 198, one clear of Kral and Scheffer at 199.
Kral and Scheffer claimed the zone competition title for Zone 5 (Vancouver Island), clinching first after the second round.
At the host club
William McKenzie, BC Golf's manager of events and off-course golf, served as tournament director.
"The team at Penticton Golf & Country Club could not have been more welcoming," McKenzie said. "From Guy Dow and his staff to Kyle Peterson and the grounds crew, they gave our players a course in outstanding condition and made the week seamless for our officials. I'd like to thank Joe Trofananko and the entire rules committee for their dedication — their work behind the scenes is a big part of what makes these championships run as well as they do."
Guy Dow, the club's general manager, said the partnership with BC Golf made the week possible.
"I'd like to start by thanking BC Golf for making it so easy to work with them and put on such an amazing event," Dow said. "Juniors are such a big part of the club, so we are thrilled to support the next generation of amazing female golfers. We have 180 juniors — it's been a big part of who we are, and extending that to hosting a provincial event has been really special."
The bigger picture
The B.C. Junior Girls Championship is a key step on the pathway to national competition. Top finishers earn exemptions into the Canadian Junior Girls Championship, set for August 10–14 at TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley (Heathlands Course) in Caledon, Ont. Team British Columbia has won the interprovincial Mary Pyke Trophy in each of the past two years — Kral was part of the 2025 team — and players from this week's field will look to extend that run.
The 2026 BC Golf championship season continues. Full results from the 2026 BC Junior Girls Championship are available here, and photos from the event can be found here. View the 2026 Championship Schedule here.