Michelle Kim Leads British Columbia Women’s Amateur After Round One At Duncan Meadows
Michelle Kim Is Your First Round Leader In The 2015 British Columbia Women's Amateur At Even Par 72 - Image Credit Alfie Lau
by Alfie Lau
If 17-year-old Michelle Kim needs any inspiration for winning the Flumerfelt Cup at the British Columbia Women’s Amateur at Duncan Meadows, she need look no further than her older sister Taylor, the 2014 champion.
Michelle, a Team Canada Development Team member, shot the low round of the day at the British Columbia Golf Amateur and Mid-Amateur at Duncan Meadows Golf Course Tuesday, as her even-par 72 has her one stroke ahead of a quartet of young golfers: Team Canada Development Team member Alisha Lau of Quilchena Golf & Country Club, Hannah Lee and Gloria Choi of Fraser Valley Zone 3, and Mary Parsons of Mayfair Lakes Golf Club.
Another stroke back is another quartet of golfers: Taylor Kim of Fraser Valley Zone 3, Madison Kapchinsky of Okanagan Golf Club, Annie Lee of Fort Langley Golf Club and Janet Zhang of Quilchena Golf & Country Club, all sitting at (+2) 74.
“My iron play was really good today,” said Michelle Kim. “I just missed a couple of putts, but overall, I’m very happy with my play today.” The Surrey native, who’s accepted a golf scholarship to the University of Idaho this September, opened with a birdie before a double bogey on the tricky 4th at Duncan Meadows had her scrambling.
But back-to-back birdies at 8 and 9 had Kim back on her way to the lead. She would make her final birdie at 11, with bogeys at 10 and 18 the only other blemishes on her card. “I stuck my approaches on 8 and 9,” said Michelle. “It’s nice to shoot a good round because there are a lot of girls here who can win this.”
As for the friendly rivalry with her sister, Michelle said: “I’ve watched her ever since I started golfing and I know how good a player she is. I don’t think of it as competing against my sister because I want her to play well and I want to play well too.”
Taylor Kim had nothing but good things to say about her sister’s play. “She’s been playing really well this year, so I’m not surprised,” said the Kent State University student. “I’m only two strokes back, so I know it’s definitely doable to catch her. I guess I felt a little pressure coming in as the defending champion, but there are three more rounds to go in this.”
For Lau and Lee, who are best friends off the course, it was great to play together and be in the hunt for their first British Columbia Women’s Amateur title. “I left five or six putts short and burned a couple of edges,” said Lau. “But it was super fun to play with Hannah because we never get to play together.”
image credit alfie lau
Port Alberni Golf Club’s Christina Spence Proteau (Above) And Bear Mountain’s Bree Sharratt Are Tied at (+4) In The Mid-Amateur Competition
“I was pretty steady today and it was pretty relaxing playing with Alisha,” said Lee. “We are playing together in the best-ball competition, so I think we’re doing well in that.”
Parsons also lamented a couple of putts that didn’t fall. “I missed a two footer at 4 and then another on 18,” said the St. Thomas More Collegiate student. “I’m glad to be in the mix.”
Two other Team Canada Development Team members, Naomi Ko of Royal Colwood and Jaclyn Lee of Glencoe Golf & Country Club are also in the field. Lee shot a (+5) round of 77 while Ko’s round of (+4) 76 included a one-stroke pace of play penalty.
MID-AMATEUR COMPETITION
It’s a two-way tie for first in the British Columbia Golf Mid-Amateur competition, as Port Alberni Golf Club’s Christina Spence Proteau and Bear Mountain’s Bree Sharratt are tied at (+4) 76. One stroke back is newly crowned British Columbia Senior Women’s champion Jackie Little, Mid-Master runner-up Jessica Luciuk of Barrhead, AB and Karen Kloske of March Meadows Golf Club, who sit at (+5) 77.
BEST BALL COMPETITION
The team of Jamie Huo from Uplands Golf Club and Dorsey Addicks from Big Sky Golf had a best-ball score of (-5) 67 to lead the teams of Taylor and Michelle Kim, and Jayla Kang and Gloria Choi, who are a stroke back at (-4) 68.
ZONE COMPETITION
In the 36-hole Zone Competition, the Zone 3 team of Elaine Blatchford and Michelle Kim are tied with the Zone 5 team of Alison Murdoch and Bree Sharratt at (+12) 156. Two strokes behind is the Zone 6 team of Shelly Stouffer and Jackie Little.
For full results from Duncan Meadows, please click here
Round 2 of the British Columbia Amateur and Mid-Amateur Women’s Championship at Duncan Meadows starts at 7:30 a.m. on Wednesday. Attendance is free and spectators are encouraged to attend and cheer on the competitors.
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